The no. 13/15 UCF football team (1-0) will head back on the road this weekend after defeating Georgia Tech in Atlanta to start the 2020 season. The Knights open up American Athletic Conference play at East Carolina (0-0) Saturday at noon with coverage on ABC and ESPN+ and FM 96.9 The Game.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26
Time: 12 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Live Stats: click here
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE GAME NOTES - UCF AT ECU
A UCF WIN WOULD...
• Be better than a loss
• Mark the Knights' fifth straight win in their conference opener
• Give UCF 37 wins in its last 41 games
• Bring UCF to within one game of ECU in the all-time series, at 10-9.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
| Overall | ECU, 10-8 |
| in Greenville | ECU, 6-4 |
| in Orlando | Tied, 4-4 |
| at Neutral Location | -- |
| Last Meeting | UCF 41, ECU 28 - Oct. 9, 2019 |
| Streak | UCF won 4 |
ABOUT THE PIRATES
• East Carolina is in its second season under head coach Mike Houston, who led the Pirates to a 4-8 record last season in his first year at ECU.
• Houston came to ECU after three seasons at James Madison, where he led JMU to two trips to the FCS title game and one FCS National Championship.
• Holton Ahlers returns at quarterback after passing for 3,387 yards and 20 touchdowns, while rushing for 359 yards and six scores a year ago.
• The Pirates' leading rusher from 2019 also returns this season. Demetrius Mauney finished last year with 446 yards on 125 carries.
ORLANDO'S HOMETOWN TEAM NOTE
knights in the top 25
• The Knights finished the 2019 season ranked 21st in both the AP Top 25 Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll, marking the fifth time in program history ending the season ranked in the top 25 (2010, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019).
• UCF entered the 2020 season ranked 21st in both polls, earning a preseason ranking for the third consecutive season.
• Before playing a game in 2020, the Knights moved up to 13th in the Coaches Poll and 14th in the AP Poll and now rank 13th in the AP Poll and 15th in the Coaches Poll.
• As it stands, UCF has been ranked in the Top 25 for 50 total weeks, and holds a record of 36-4 when ranked. The first times the Knights were ranked was Week 11 of the 2010 season. UCF's highest ranking was sixth, the final ranking of the 2017 season.
UCFAST NOTE
danger! explosives!
• The Knights were dangerous on big plays in 2019, recording 112 total plays of 20 or more yards in 13 games and they are at it again in 2020, totaling 10 plays of 20 or more yards in the first game of the season.
• Marlon Williams was epecially impressive as four of his career-high 10 catches were of 20 or more yards on Saturday.
• Williams is the third top returner in the category for UCF; Otis Anderson (18 explosive plays, 6 touchdowns), Tre Nixon (15 explosive plays, 6 touchdowns), and Williams (12 explosive plays, 5 touchdowns).
UCFIERCE NOTE
dominating defense
• For all of the accolades UCF's offense deservedly receives, the defense continues to show out as well, and that continued in the first game of 2020.
• The Knights forced five turnovers and blocked a field goal in the win over Georgia Tech
• Freshman Josh Celiscar was impressive in his collegiate debut, forcing a fumble, recovering it, and snagging a pick against the Yellow Jackets. He earned 247 Sports National True Freshman of the Week honors for his performance.
• Stephon Zayas (INT), Richie Grant (FR), Dyllon Lester (FR), and Noah Hancock (BLK) also came up big on Saturday.
DID YOU KNOW?
UCF is 11-7 all-time in conference openers, dating back to 2002, its first season in the MAC.