ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The No. 12/14 UCF football team returned home and defeated visiting UConn 49-24 at Spectrum Stadium Saturday. The Knights are now 9-0 and have scored 30 or more points in all of their games in 2017.
Here's Why We Won
We got out to a usual #UCFast Start
After going 78 yards on 11 plays for an Otis Anderson touchdown on our first drive of the game, we kept the hot start going, scoring on four of our first five drives against the Huskies.
It marked the seventh time in nine games that we scored on the first drive of the game. On Saturday, we jumped out to a 28-10 lead and never looked back en route to the 49-24 victory.
"It's a shot of confidence, because we expect to score on the first drive." - Tre'Quan Smith
Our defense got key stops and turnovers
Both Tony Guerad and Mike Hughes came up with big plays on the defensive side of the ball to help us keep our lead in the first half.
- Guerad recorded his first career fumble recovery in the first quarter
- Hughes made a ridiculous diving catch in the second quarter to get us the ball back, tying Kyle Gibson for the team lead with three interceptions
We also tied a season high with three fourth down stops to thwart the Huskies' comeback attempt.
- Gibson broke up a pass in the second quarter on 4th-and-5
- In the third quarter, it was Gabriel Luyanda coming up with the stop on 4th-and-1
- Late in the game, UConn went for it on fourth one more time, and it was Pat Jasinski and Chequan Burkett teaming up to stop the Huskies on 4th-and-2
A pair of freshmen had career days
Otis Anderson recorded his first multi-score game as a Knight on Saturday. He got things started for us on the first drive of the game, running in from three yards out to give us an early 7-0 lead. Early in the fourth quarter he sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-17.
Anderson rushed nine times in the game for a career high 84 yards on the ground. He also caught one pass for 37 yards in the victory.
Gabriel Davis hauled in a career high eight catches on Saturday. He finished the day with 95 yards, including a long of 30.
Our stars on offense shined again
McKenzie Milton and Tre'Quan Smith were outstanding once again.
- Milton: 24-for-36, 311 yards and 2 touchdowns – 10 rushes, 52 yards and 1 touchdown
- Smith: 7 catches, 120 yards and 1 touchdown
"I thought he played a clean game today. Their defense did a good job and took away some of the things we thought we were going to have, and that made us sputter a little bit. Some of our mistakes made us sputter. But when we need plays, McKenzie makes them and he's been lights out from a decision making standpoint all year. So another good performance by him." – Scott Frost
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