UCF Emerges as the Legitimate Threat to Louisville in the AAC

Sep 14, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Central Florida Knights quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Central Florida defeated Penn State 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O

Don’t look now, but the UCF Knights are 3-0 and coming off a huge win in one of the toughest places to play in the nation against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Saturday afternoon, head coach George O’Leary marched his troops into Happy Valley in front of a hostile whiteout crowd and they walked out with a victory. Also, they beat a pretty good Penn State team strengthened by one of the best freshman quarterbacks in the game today.

But, while a tremendous victory, there’s a chance that it won’t be their biggest when this year is all said and done.

Throughout the BCS era, there always seems to be one program straggling around with the possibility to run the table and make us all unhappy at the mere thought of seeing them try to compete with someone who had just spent their season running a much tougher gauntlet. And, for the national championship, no less.

This season, that team is the Louisville Cardinals. Since they upset the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl back in early January, people looked at the team clad in red, especially since they would be returning a Heisman hopeful at quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, and deemed them to have a legitimate shot at playing for the crystal ball.

There was just one problem. As their lackluster 2013 AAC schedule was gazed at, the thought of seeing Louisville play for the title seemed a lot less appealing to the masses. What also doesn’t help is the fact that, through their first two games, the Florida Gators haven’t looked all that impressive overall, kind of leading people to believe that the Sugar Bowl win wasn’t all that extravagant.

Well, if you’re in that group that believes all of what I explained above, then congratulations, you’re now a UCF Knights fan because they seem to be the only one on the Cardinals’ schedule that can derail any hopes of an undefeated season.

On Friday night, Oct. 19, mark your calendars and plan your weekend festivities accordingly because these two will meet up on the field in Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Now you might be asking yourselves, what makes this UCF team so special that’s leading me to believe that they can dispose of Louisville on that night?

Well, QB Blake Bortles and RB Storm Johnson are one of the best one-two punches on offense in the nation, for starters. Bortles has tossed for seven TDs with just one interception through the first three games, and Johnson has rushed for 305 yards and six touchdowns. In that Penn State upset, both were phenomenal and showed that they can go head-to-head with a tough-nosed defense. Bortles finished Saturday 20-of-27 for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and Johnson racked up a career-high 117 yards with a touchdown, while also adding in a scoring reception as well.

Defensively, we still have more to learn about these Knights. It’s tough to gauge where they stand at the moment, given the fact that their first two opponents before Penn State were Akron and FIU. But again, should that game turn into a shootout due to a shoddy output by the defense, UCF has the firepower to go punch-for-punch with the Cards.

So, people who thumb their noses at teams from the former Big East that play a schedule they feel is beneath them, this Knights team is your only hope in all reality.

Oh wait. But, what if the Knights happen to upset South Carolina this week and THEY run the table?

No worries, the playoff is here next year, so simmer down and enjoy.