Maybe it wasn't supposed to be quite this close, quite so nerve-wracking, quite so down to the wire—even if UCF football coach Gus Malzahn had suggested as much all week.
The Knights appeared to have plenty of elements in their favor this week:
--One final home game with a chance to finish 7-0 in 2021 in the Bounce House
--The emotion of some number of UCF players (in light of all the Covid-related options) potentially playing for the last time in front of the home crowd (20 of them were introduced on the field before the game)
--A matchup with South Florida, a team that stood 2-9, had lost four in a row and parted ways with its defensive coordinator earlier in the week
--A chance for UCF seniors to say they never lost to the Bulls if they could post a fifth consecutive victory against South Florida
--The first appearance of the new knight head as the secondary logo on UCF black helmets
--An opportunity for the Knights to salve their injury-wracked season with five wins in their last six outings
--Even the possibility that, at least for the time being given UCF's move to the Big 12, it may be South Florida's final visit to the Bounce House until and unless the programs decide to schedule on a non-conference basis
All that and more went into the run-up to the Knights' regular-season finale. Yet Malzahn was on the mark when he suggested the War on I-4 rivalry—even if he had only Auburn-Alabama and some long ago Arkansas high school tussles to compare—would likely trump all the other storylines.
A Super Bowl-like approach for the Bulls? That might have been a stretch, yet South Florida certainly had nothing to lose and it played that way right up until Bulls quarterback Timmy McClain went down at UCF's nine-yard line to preserve a 17-13 Knight victory.
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"You guys are ready to play. We've got to communicate early on what they're doing," Malzahn said before the game in reference to the South Florida defensive coaching changes.
"We're going to be very aggressive. Go downhill with a purpose.
"For some of you this may be the last home game you'll play, so take it in.
"Let's play our best football game of the year."
The homestanding Knights drove 57 yards with the opening kickoff, all the way to the South Florida 18. But a missed field-goal attempt by UCF foretold how difficult points would be to come by. Both teams missed an additional three-point attempt later in the first half, including one by South Florida's Spencer Shrader who had connected on nine in a row to begin the season (his only previous miss came a week ago from 51 yards at Tulane).
UCF freshman Mikey Keene threw for 83 yards in the opening period, backup quarterback Parker Navarro scored a touchdown for the third straight week—and Keene on third down from the South Florida seven found Brandon Johnson at the pylon with 11 seconds until halftime.
After Navarro's run, UCF held a 120-to-minus-one edge in total yards. The Knights led 14-7 at intermission.
"We're going to have to throw the ball some on first down and we're going to have to complete it," said Malzahn at halftime.
"They're playing man to man on everything—we've got to break their heart. On third downs we've got to get going.
"They shot their best shot. We know what they're doing now. We're going to have to be able to run the football, and they're going to dare us to throw."
The Bulls managed a pair of field goals on their first two second-half possessions while building a 12-minute advantage in time of possession and at one point having run 18 more plays than UCF.
Yet the Knight defense deserved plenty of credit for limiting those possessions to field goals—first after South Florida drove to the UCF 20 and the second after reaching the three (keynoted by a third-down Divaad Wilson sack and loss of 11 yards).
UCF's offensive plans went awry in that third period—with its two possessions accounting for six plays and 11 total yards.
With veteran Isaiah Bowser sidelined a third straight game by injury, Marc-Antony Richards played a major role, running for 26 yards on the fourth play of the final period. He added another 15-yard gain--and the Knights eventually made it as far as the Bulls' 14 before a Daniel Obarski field goal from 32 yards made it 17-13 (and ended the scoring) with 8:51 left in the game.
South Florida had two more chances. The first ended at the UCF 44 with a fourth-down false start that forced the visitors to punt. Johnny Richardson came up with arguably the biggest play of the evening for the Knights with a 42-yard dash on third and 14 that flipped the field.
UCF had to punt it from the South Florida 36 (it was downed at the Bulls' 11)—and the visitors had one final chance.
Wilson intercepted McClain on second and 18—but a UCF offside penalty negated the change of possession. On third and 13 McClain found Jaren Mangham for 30 yards and two plays later connected with Xavier Weaver for 35 more down to the Knights' 17 with under a minute to play.
Freshman backup safety William Wells came off the bench to make a huge sack for a 14-yard loss, prompting South Florida to call its final timeout at the 27-second mark.
On third and 10, McClain scrambled to the UCF three. Then McClain, on what proved to be the final play, optioned left and threw a desperation pass that Wilson intercepted. But officials had ruled McClain down at the nine (thanks to Tre'mon Morris-Brash)—and that prompted a crazy scene with both head coaches far onto the field as officials reviewed the play.
Maybe 40,000 fans have never been so collectively silent as referee Charles Lamertina announced that McClain was ruled down and the game was over.
That prompted an eruption from all corners of the Bounce House—and Knight players lingered on the field into the night, savoring a memorable if not artful finish.
The Bulls ran 11 plays and gained 80 yards on that last possession—but came away with nothing.
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"Seven and 0 at home this year," touted Malzahn. "We took the all-time lead in the rivalry. Give it up for our seniors.
"Eight wins—I'm really proud of you guys. A lot of times games like that are more rewarding than beating somebody by 30 points—because it challenges every one of us.
"There are a lot of winners in this locker room.
"I told you before, we're laying the foundation for something special. Seniors, you've got a lot to be proud of because nothing has been easy this year. You fought as a team."
The Knights (8-4 overall, 5-3 in American Athletic Conference play) walked out into the night appreciating that they finished with five wins in their final six outings.
A week from Sunday, they'll learn their postseason assignment.
Like most everything else in 2021, they won't be expecting anything simple.