Oct. 16, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF gets right back to work with a Thursday evening game at UAB which will kick off at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Knights are 3-3 on the year, and held the same record during the successful 2005, 2007 and 2009 seasons.
Game Details:
Thursday - Birmingham, Ala. - 8 p.m. ET
2011 Records:
UAB - 0-6 Overall, 0-3 C-USA
UCF - 3-3 Overall, 1-1 C-USA
Stadium:
Legion Field (72,000)
Series:
UCF leads, 7-1
Live Coverage:
740-AM, UCFAthletics.com and Twitter.com/UCF_FootballSID
Television:
CSS/Bright House Sports Network
Team Notes
A LOOK BACK AT 3-3 STARTS
? UCF has started 3-3 for the sixth time since 1996, and in three of those seasons it went on to earn a bowl bid. In 2007, UCF went on to claim the Conference USA title and reach the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, while in 2009 the Black and Gold eventually earned a berth in the St. Petersburg Bowl.
? Starting a year 3-3 since UCF joined the FBS in 1996:
Season - Record - Finished - Postseason
2000 - 3-3 - 7-4 - ---
2001 - 3-3 - 6-5 - ---
2005 - 3-3 - 8-5, 7-1 - Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl
2007 - 3-3 - 10-4, 7-1 - C-USA Champions, AutoZone Liberty Bowl
2009 - 3-3 - 8-5, 6-2 - St. Petersburg Bowl
? In 2007, UCF opened C-USA play with a 1-1 record before claiming victories in its final six league games of the year en route to the C-USA title.
ROAD VICTORIES CHART
? The Knights are 4-0 on UAB's home field, marking the most road victories against a single opponent.
? Most road wins vs. a single program:
1) UAB - 4-0
2) Louisiana Tech - 3-0
2) Memphis - 3-1
2) Marshall - 3-2
T.O.P. - A ONE-SIDED STATISTIC
? UCF has won the time of possession battle in all six games this year, and ranks third in the country with an average TOP of 35:30.
? FBS leaders in time of possession:
1) Army - 35:53
2) Kansas State - 35:33
3) UCF - 35:30
4) Rutgers - 35:00
5) Virginia Tech - 34:42
? Game-by-game breakdown of time of possession:
1) UCF 32:18, CSU 27:42 - +4:36 Difference
2) UCF 37:25, BC 22:35 - +14:50
3) UCF 33:53, FIU 26:07 - +7:46
4) UCF 32:03, BYU 27:57 - +4:06
5) UCF 40:14, MAR 19:46 - +20:28
6) UCF 37:08, SMU 22:52 - +14:16
? In all, the Knights have controlled the ball more than their opponents in 17 of their last 18 games with the lone exception coming in last year's AutoZone Liberty Bowl where UCF defeated Georgia.
? The Black and Gold has finished with at least 32 minutes of possession time in every game in 2011. In 2010, UCF had six games overall where it posted at least 32:00 in TOP.
Offense Notes
MIXING IT UP
? Collecting 240 rushing yards as a team vs. Marshall Oct. 8, UCF took to the air at SMU Oct. 15.
? The Knights amassed 349 passing yards vs. the Mustangs, which were the most in a game since 355 against Miami (Ohio) Nov. 28, 2003. That was the last game of Ryan Schneider's UCF career, as he sits second all-time with 10,976 passing yards.
? In the contest vs. SMU, Jeff Godfrey was 23-for-32 with 231 yards and a touchdown, while Blake Bortles was 9-for-12 with 118 yards and a TD.
? It was the second time this year (Charleston Southern) in which Godfrey and Bortles both racked up at least 100 passing yards in the same game.
? UCF's top passing games since the departure of Ryan Schneider following the 2003 season:
1) at SMU - Oct. 15, 2011 - 349
2) Marshall - Nov. 1, 2009 - 342
3) Kent State - Nov. 23, 2004 - 337
4) Rice - Oct. 21, 2006 - 327
5) Akron - Oct. 16, 2004 - 322
FINDING THEIR TARGETS
? UCF stands at 12th in the nation with a 69.23 completion percentage. Jeff Godfrey is 15th individually at 68.09, while Blake Bortles is 21-for-27 for a 77.8 percentage.
? All-time best completion percentages for a single-season:
1) 1998 - 73.4
2) 2011 - 69.2
3) 2010 - 64.5
SPREADING THE LOVE
? A total of nine different Knights pulled in a reception at SMU Oct. 15. That included Josh Reese, Latavius Murray, Dontravius Floyd and J.J. Worton who each had five.
? It was the first game since Aug. 31, 2002, at Penn State in which four players all recorded at least five receptions. In that close 27-24 loss to the Nittany Lions, Doug Gabriel led the way with 11 catches followed by Tavaris Capers (seven), Jimmy Fryzel (five) and Alex Haynes (five).
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
? Redshirt freshman Blake Bortles has looked impressive off the bench this year, posting a 77.8 completion percentage with 308 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
? A look at recent UCF quarterbacks through their first five-collegiate games played (Bortles did not see time at FIU):
Israel - `04-06 - 23-for-53, 43.4%, 237 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Greco - `07 - 19-for-34, 55.9%, 235 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT
Calabrese - `08 - 41-for-98, 41.8%, 434 YDS, 3 TD, 3 INT
Hodges - `09 - 77-for-125, 61.6%, 908 YDS, 6 TD, 6 INT
Godfrey - `10 - 45-for-70, 64.3%, 531 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT
Bortles - `11 - 21-for-27, 77.8%, 308 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT
CARRYING THE WORKLOAD
? UCF began the season with a trio of running backs in Ronnie Weaver, Latavius Murray and Brynn Harvey. After Weaver started the first four outings, Harvey has received the majority of the reps in the last two games.
? Harvey currently leads C-USA by averaging 123.0 yards in league games, and also paces the Knights overall with 392 rushing yards on 82 carries.
? For his career, the junior is tied for fifth all-time at UCF with 468 carries. Only 17 more will move Harvey into a tie with Elgin Davis for fourth.
? He also has 2,020-career rushing yards to rank eighth. The Largo, Fla., can quickly move up that chart as Davis sits in fifth with 2,170 yards.
? Harvey's 180 yards vs. Marshall this year ranked in a tie for 15th on the UCF single-game chart. ? Harvey joined Kevin Smith, Marquette Smith and Willie English as the only four Knights in UCF history who recorded 180 rushing yards or more in a game at least twice in their careers.
MCCRAYS ARE EVERYWHERE
? Sophomore Justin McCray received the start at right guard in each of the first four games before older brother Cliff got the nod at the same spot vs. Marshall.
? One week later at SMU, Justin (right guard) and Cliff (left guard) both started on the offensive line, marking the first time they started in the same game. Justin's twin brother Jordan also received plenty of time on the field vs. the Mustangs.
OFFENSE CLIMBING HIGHER
? The Knights' national ranking in passing and total offense in the previous four seasons was in the bottom half of the nation at the midway point.
? But under offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe who is in his third year, UCF has climbed to 52nd in passing and 45th in total offense.
? UCF's national ranking through six games from 2007-11:
Season - Passing - Total
2007 - 98th - 49th
2008 - 110th - 118th
2009 - 89th - 106th
2010 - 99th - 70th
2011 - 52nd - 45th
2007 rankings only available through nine games
Defense Notes
DEFENSE RANKS NEAR THE TOP YET AGAIN
? For the second-straight season, UCF ranks in the top-20 in all five major defensive categories. This season, the Knights are in the top-10 in rushing, passing, pass efficiency, total and scoring.
? UCF's national ranking through six games from 2007-11:
Season - Rushing - Passing - Pass Eff. - Total - Scoring
2007 - 49th - 76th - 55th - 61st - 79th
2008 - 29th - 90th - 42nd - 51st - 76th
2009 - 10th - 102nd - 95th - 52nd - 41st
2010 - 17th - 10th - 3rd - 8th - 8th
2011 - 7th - 3rd - 4th - 3rd - 9th
2007 rankings only available through nine games
? In each of the last two seasons, John Skladany has been a member of the coaching staff as he was with the linebackers in 2010 before taking over as the defensive coordinator this year.
FORCING 3-AND-OUTS
? There have been a total of 63 offensive drives vs. the defense (not counting limited drives which end a half), and 23 of them were 3-and-outs as opponents had to punt. The SMU game was the first time this year that UCF did not record a 3-and-out.
? Meanwhile, five other drives witnessed the Knights produce a turnover on the third play.
? In all, 28 of 63 drives, or 44.4 percent, against the defense have ended in a 3-and-out or a turnover within the first three plays.
THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS
? UCF claims third in the nation by holding opponents to a 25.32 conversion percentage on third downs.
? FBS leaders in third-down defense:
1) Boise State - 21.79 (17-for-78)
2) Arizona State - 25.27 (23-for-91)
3) UCF - 25.32 (20-for-79)
4) Georgia - 27.08 (26-for-96)
5) Florida - 27.47 (25-for-91)
STANDING FIRM
? A total of 135 of 321 offensive plays against the Knights have gone for either no yards or negative yards. That means on 42.1 percent of the plays this year, UCF is not allowing at least one yard.
? And 198 of 321 plays, or 61.7 percent, have gone for three yards or less. ? Click on the full PDF of the game notes at the top of the page for a complete breakdown.
THE LAST ONE
? The Knights were the last team in the country in 2011 to surrender a passing touchdown when SMU finally solved UCF in the third quarter Oct. 15. In all, the Black and Gold went 26-straight quarters dating back to 2010 without allowing a TD through the air.
? UCF still ranks first in the nation with just two passing touchdowns against its defense.
? Fewest passing touchdowns allowed in the FBS:
1) UCF - 2
2) Wisconsin - 3
2) Temple - 3
4) Alabama - 4
4) Penn State - 4
4) Rutgers - 4
4) Stanford - 4
4) Boston College - 4
A DIFFICULT RUSHING DEFENSE TO FIGURE OUT
? In each of the last four seasons, UCF has ranked in the top-30 in the FBS in rushing defense.
? That includes sitting in seventh this year with just 78.17 yards allowed per game.
? The Black and Gold has permitted just two teams (FIU, BYU) in the last nine games to record at least 100 rushing yards.