About six minutes before kickoff Saturday afternoon at FBC Mortgage Stadium, the door to the UCF locker room was nearly bouncing off the hinges.
The Knights' opponent was 20th-ranked Cincinnati, the highest-rated foe to come to Orlando since the Bearcats' last visit in 2020 (Luke Fickell's team that time was rated seventh).
As UCF coach Gus Malzahn terms it, this challenge was a "real team."
So surely there was a fire-and-brimstone pregame speech to match the atmosphere all around campus, right?
But, no.
For a coach with a team with any amount of pride, none of that mattered or was required.
The opponent does the motivating for you.
That's what happened Saturday—and then the Knights went about dealing with adversity and producing a signature moment against the two-time defending American Athletic Conference champions.
The 25-21 come-from-behind (and in the final minute yet) victory marked the highest-ranked opponent to fall victim on home grass since UCF's win over those very same then-19th-ranked Bearcats in 2018.
For a whole list of reasons, this one might have been about as satisfying as it gets.
##########
"We're ready to play," Malzahn told his offensive players in the pregame locker room.
Added offensive line coach Herb Hand, "I feel great—because of you guys. I know you guys are prepared. I don't have anything else to say."
Defensive coordinator Travis Williams on his white board wrote "Your name!" and then explained.
"It matters. But if you don't get out there and fight, they don't remember your name. Protect your name!
"Look at my eyes after the first period . . . the second period . . . the third period . . . the fourth period.
"Because it ain't gonna change.
"Don't let yours change . . ."
Finished Malzahn to the full team, "Hey, guys, there's not gonna be any rah-rah-speech for this one.
"It's like I told you I told you all week, roll your sleeves up and hit these guys in the mouth and it's gotta be 60 minutes.
"It doesn't matter what the score is, leaders lead.
"I can't wait to watch you guys play."
Every week the number-one defensive objective on Williams' pregame board reads "Physically Stop the Run!" And, boy, did that play out Saturday.
The first two Cincinnati drives encompassed six combined plays, eight total yards, one rushing yard.
Colton Boomer connected on an early field goal for the home team—and then RJ Harvey ran to the end zone from 26 yards (on the longest drive of the day—84 yards) to make it 10-0 for UCF.
After a single period of play, the Knights led 181-30 in total yards, 120 to minus-seven in rushing yards and 10-1 in first downs.
Williams' consistent second challenge on the board to his defense is "Start Fast!"
Check.
The Bearcats bounced back with a pair of field goals in the second period to make it 10-6.
But the most conflicting moment came at 4:36 of the second period when UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, on a rushing carry that ended right in front of the Cincinnati bench, was crunched to the ground.
Plumlee came up a bit groggy. Enter Mikey Keene who hadn't seen any action in 2022 but somehow had seen this movie before.
By the end of the first half, Plumlee was back on the sidelines—still in his football cleats and football pants but wearing a hoodie.
At halftime Keene's name did not appear on the stat sheet.
##########
Late in that intermission Plumlee went around the locker room shaking hands with his offensive linemen.
Keene huddled extensively with his head coach.
Defensive end Josh Celiscar locked hands with center Matt Lee.
Defensive end Tre'mon Morris-Brash sought out Keene, then exhorted receiver Kobe Hudson to do his thing.
"We're right where we want it," said Malzahn at halftime.
"Let's put these guys away.
"There may be some ups and downs, but we're the best second-half team in college football. We win the game. Let's go."
The 302 yards of total offense produced by Keene and his mates over the final 30 minutes certainly gave UCF a chance.
After a three and out by Cincinnati, Keene completed four of his first five throws—and the Knights drove 69 yards to the Bearcat nine, only to have Isaiah Bowser lose the football on a second-effort push.
No matter.
On third down Celiscar hauled down Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant in the end zone. Originally called a touchdown recovery by Morris-Brash, review turned it into a safety and UCF led 12-6.
The Knights marched another 51 yards to the Cincinnati 14—only to see Keene and Harvey miss connections and fumble the ball away.
Shades of Greenville the previous Saturday.
The Bearcats then drove 84 yards to paydirt and their first lead with seven seconds to go in the third period.
UCF held up its rushing defense part of the bargain, allowing the visitors five rushing yards in the third period. But, by that time, Bryant had thrown for 229 yards and was six of nine for 77 on that lead-grabbing possession.
After holding Cincinnati at its own 32 and forcing a punt, Bowser ran for 11, Johnny Richardson added 11 on the next play, Harvey converted for nine yards—and Bowser regained an 18-13 lead for the Knights on a second-down, three-yard run at the 4:36 stoppage.
The defending champs wouldn't go away easily.
It took the Bearcats all of 1:32 on the clock to travel 77 yards, the final 39 yards on a Ryan Montgomery rush up the middle (one of his three carries all afternoon).
UCF trailed 21-18 with 3:04 to go.
Apparently there's no reason to doubt Keene.
From his own 25, the sophomore threw three straight times, all completions, for a combined 45 yards.
On second and 12 from the Cincinnati 32, Keene found Javon Baker for 12 and the first down.
On second and seven, Virginia transfer and Orlando product Harvey bounced his way off Bearcat defenders for the last giddy 17 yards with 48 ticks to go.
That was enough after an oft-battered Bryant was sacked on first down at his own five.
Ballgame.
##########
Malzahn was trying to be serious.
He wanted to compliment the UCF defense on holding Cincinnati to 35 net rushing yards (fewest in six seasons for the Bearcats).
He wanted to congratulate the Knight offense for piling up 258 rushing yards of its own.
There was only one problem.
Every water bottle in the locker room was spraying droplets all through the space—and Malzahn's drenched glasses made it difficult to work off his notes.
We all should deal with such challenges.
The Knights dominated other numerical comparisons: 30-18 in first downs, 505-333 in total yards, an amazing 37:05 to 22:55 in time of possession (UCF ran 20 more plays, including 34 more rushing attempts)—and had only a single penalty.
There were "booms" all around.
"We couldn't be more proud of you. That's something that will help us build from here on in," Malzahn told his team.
Malzahn wanted to turn on the jukebox, as he called it. Not sure all his players understood the term.
No matter.
The party was on.
