CSJ’s 2018 Week 7 Game Preview: UCF at Memphis
When: Saturday, October 6, 2:30 PM CDT
Where:Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tenn.
TV/Streaming:ABC/ESPN2 / WatchESPN
UCF Knights (5-0, 2-0 AAC)
The Knights have the longest winning streak in all of Division I football with an 18-game winning streak. So far, 20-points is the smallest margin of victory for UCF this year.
After leading the nation in scoring last season (48.2 ppg), UCF is currently seventh in the nation in scoring offense (48.6 ppg) and third in the nation in total offense (574.4 ypg).
The UCF defense has gotten it done through turnovers again in 2018. Last season, the Knights finished second in the nation with a +1.31 turnover margin and with 11 turnovers gained through four games this season, UCF currently ranks eighth in all of FBS with a margin of +1.40.
UCF leads the all-time series against Memphis, 11-1. The Knights hold a 5-1 advantage in games played in Memphis. Last season, UCF defeated Memphis twice, including the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. The lone loss for the Knights was when they were at the FCS level in 1990.
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Key Player: RB Adrian Killins Jr. was also named to the AAC’s Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. The junior rushed for a season high 113 yards and scored a touchdown in the victory over the Mustangs. He will be key to provide a compliment to the passing game of the Knights.
Fantasy Bonus Baby: QB McKenzie Milton has already passed for 1,501 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for five touchdowns this season, despite getting a good chunk of time off later in games as UCF pulls away for their wins. Look for Milton to again put up some great numbers in this one.
Memphis Tigers (4-2, 1-2 AAC)
Memphis is 4-0 at home this season and the offense has been clicking in each one of them. Memphis has outscored their opponents 232-85 in home games this season. But of course, none of those opponents are the caliber of UCF.
The Tigers have been a hard team to judge so far. They have looked great in those four wins but looked quite bad in the two losses to AAC foes Navy and Tulane–both of whom have not looked very good outside of their games against the Tigers.
But the offense should have some opportunities in this one to make some plays. The defense will be the key to stop the potent UCF offense.
Key Player: LB Curtis Akins has been the high tackler so far this year for the Tigers with 44. He and the rest of the defense will need to be on task and likely try to get some turnovers against the Knights offense.
Fantasy Bonus Baby: RB Darrell Henderson has been a great statistical player so far after already rushing for 934 yards and 12 touchdowns. Look for him to score and have several yards in what looks like a shootout type game.
Fearless Forecast: This game looks like it could be the toughest test for UCF thus far. It likely will not be more than a 20 point spread but the Knights really have too much firepower to be denied. I will take UCF by two touchdowns. UCF 51, Memphis 37
Originally from LaMoure, North Dakota, Kent is a 1996 graduate of North Dakota State University. His prior writing experience is over 15 years having previously worked with D2football.com, I-AA.org, and College Sporting News before coming to College Sports Journal in 2016. His main focus is college football is the Missouri Valley Football Conference within the Division I FCS. And in 2017, he began also to look at the FBS Group of Five conferences of the American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt.
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