The UCF football team (4-3, 2-2 AAC) returns to the road this weekend to take on Temple (3-4, 1-2 AAC) in American Athletic Conference action. The Knights and the Owls are scheduled to kick off Saturday at noon with coverage on ESPN+ and FM 96.9 The Game.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Oct. 30
Time: 12 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Live Stats: click here
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE GAME NOTES - UCF AT TEMPLE
A UCF WIN WOULD...
• Be better than a loss
• Total 179 FBS wins for UCF in program history
• Earn the Knights their first road win of the season
• Be UCF's fifth straight win over the Owls
• Give the Knights a 7-2 advantage over Temple in the all-time series between the two teams
SERIES BREAKDOWN
| Overall | UCF, 6-2 |
| in Philadelphia | UCF, 3-1 |
| in Orlando | UCF, 3-1 |
| at Neutral Location | -- |
| Last Meeting | UCF 38, Temple 13 - Nov. 14, 2020 (Orlando) |
| Streak | UCF won 4 |
ABOUT THE OWLS
• Temple is in its third season under head coach Rod Carey, who spent the previous six seasons as head coach at Northern Illinois.
• The Owls went 8-5 under Carey in 2019, but were just 1-6 last season and have started the 2021 campaign at 3-4 with a 1-2 mark in the AAC.
• Temple is averaging 22.0 points per game and allowing 33.9 points per contest in 2021
• Amir Taylor leads the defense with 47 tackles to go with two tackles for loss. Manny Walker has two interceptions. Both Justin Lynch and D'Wan Mathis have seen time at quarterback, while Edward Saydee leads the way with 218 rushing yards and two scores.
TEAM NOTE
KNIGHTS IN THE NFL
• The UCF football team set a program record this spring when five Knights were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, topping the previous best of four, attained both in 2003 and 2018.
• Safety Richie Grant went to the Falcons in the second round, cornerback Aaron Robinson was picked by the Giants in the third round, wide receiver/tight end Jacob Harris was snagged by the Rams in the fourth round, cornerback Tay Gowan went to the Cardinals in the sixth round, and wide receiver Tre Nixon was picked by the Patriots in the seventh round.
• In all, UCF totaled more NFL Draft picks in 2021 than all other American Athletic Conference teams, 80 % of all Big 12 teams, 79 % of all Big Ten teams, 79% of all ACC teams, 75 % of all Pac-12 teams, and 57% of all SEC teams.
OFFENSE NOTE
RECEIVER ROUNDUP
• The top returning receiver target this season was Jaylon "Flash" Robinson, who totaled 979 yards and six touchdowns in his first season with the Knights in 2020.
• Jay Flash earned first-team all-conference honors in the AAC as a sophomore, ranking 14th in the nation in receiving yards. Robinson went over 100 yards six times on the season, which tied for the third most in UCF history.
• Robinson caught 12 passes for 234 yards and two scores in just over two games of action in 2021, but has missed the last four games due to injury. Brandon Johnson and Ryan O'Keefe have stepped up this season. Johnson leads the way with seven touchdowns after recording only one in his five seasons at Tennessee, totaling 281 yards and 24 grabs. O'Keefe leads the team with 41 receptions and 416 yards to go with two receiving touchdowns and one rushing. Amari Johnson has 18 catches for 112 yards, while tight end Alec Holler has 10 catches for 74 yards and a score.
DEFENSE NOTE
TURNOVER TOWN
• The Knight defense had success turning opponents over in 2020, ranking sixth in the nation with 22 turnovers gained, which helped the Knights rank fifth with a 1.20 turnover margin.
• In fact, UCF led the entire nation in fumbles recovered last season, totaling 13 in a 10-game season.
• The Knights were 6-0 when recording more takeaways than their opponent and 0-4 when having an equal amount of turnovers last season. UCF did not give the ball away more times than its opponent in any game in 2020.
• This season, the Knights rank 24th in the nation in turnovers gained with 13, totaling seven interceptions and six fumble recoveries. UCF is 3-0 when having fewer turnovers than its opponent this season and 2-0 when recording three or more takeaways.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Knights defeated Temple 39-36 in Philadelphia in the first meeting between the two teams in 2013, winning the game on a touchdown pass from Blake Bortles to J.J. Worton, known as "The Catch."