May 26, 2010
By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF football team checked in at No. 47 in The Sporting News' preseason Top 100 rankings, making the Knights the highest-ranked team in Conference USA's East Division.
Overall, UCF is the second-highest rated team in C-USA, trailing only No. 26 Houston, a team that the Knights defeated last fall in Orlando at Bright House Networks Stadium. Overall, besides Houston, UCF is ranked ahead of each of its opponents in 2010, including NC State and Kansas State of the ACC and Big 12, respectively.
The Knights return 17 starters from last year's 8-5 team that played in front of over 20,000 UCF fans in the St. Petersburg Bowl. UCF led C-USA in total, rushing and scoring defense last fall in addition to topping the league in both sacks and tackles for loss. The Knights were fourth nationally in rushing defense (trailing only Texas, Alabama and TCU) and return preseason All-American Bruce Miller to help spearhead that defense. Miller leads all active players in the nation in both career sacks (27) and career tackles for loss (44). The 27 sacks tie for the ninth-most ever by a Football Bowl Subdivision player in the state of Florida, a list headed by Miami's Daniel Stubbs (1984-87).
The Knights boasted one of America's most-improved offenses in 2009 and, keyed by a deep receiving corps and a more experienced offensive line, UCF will aim to continue that trend in 2010.
To see the Knights in action six times next fall here in Orlando at Bright House Networks Stadium, contact the UCF Athletic Ticket office for season ticket information at (407) 823-1000 or by logging onto UCFAthletics.com. You can also win a trip for two to a UCF road game and other exciting prizes by referring your friends to buy season tickets or join the Golden Knights Club.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.