UCF Football: Knights look to tame Memphis Tigers

UCF football takes to the road against conference foe Memphis. Can the Knights slow down the Tigers’ stud running back Darrell Henderson?

More: Picks for the top games of Week 7 against the spread

The No. 10 UCF continues to hold onto the longest active winning streak in college football with an astounding 17 straight wins. The Memphis Tigers have looked incredible in most games all season long and could very well be the first legitimate threat to that very win streak.

Central Florida quarterback McKenzie Milton led the Knights to the number one offense in terms of points per game last season with .638 points per game and has actually improved upon that this season with .655 points per game (fifth nationally).

Milton is top-15 in passing yards, touchdowns, and attempts per game nationally and continues to help the Knights climb the AP Top 25 in the final weeks before the College Football Playoff Rankings are dropped. If the Junior quarterback can pass like we know he can against Memphis then he will surpass Blake Bortles‘ career passing mark with 7,598 yards (fourth all-time in UCF history).

Gabriel Davis and Dredrick Snelson continue to lead the way for the Knights through the air with a combined 48 receptions, 634 yards, and six touchdowns in the high-powered Josh Heupel offensive system.  Adrian Killins continues to do his part in this offensive system and averages over five yards per carry and has four rushing touchdowns this season. The one worry that the Knights should have this weekend is if their run defense can stop the beast that awaits them.

The Memphis Tigers are historically known for having a dynamic passing offense and a fairly okay ground game. This season, it’s all about running back Darrell Henderson and the fact that it’s just now Week 7 and he’s only 66 yards away from his second consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Henderson currently leads the nation in rushing yards with 934, yards per attempt with an unthinkable 11.82, and he’s tied for second nationally in rushing touchdowns with 12. Despite having such success in the backfield this season, the passing offense is currently a top-35 unit nationally and it’s for this reason that Memphis poses the greatest of threats thus far in 2018 to the longest active streak in college football.

Defensively, Memphis is allowing fewer yards per game than Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Army. The Tigers defense currently allows a full 118 fewer yards than they were a season ago and have one of the better turnover margins in college football (25th nationally). Leading the way on defense are linebackers Curtis Akins and Bryce Huff. Akins leads the team in tackles with 44 tackles while Huff has wreaked havoc in opposing backfields with 11 tackles for loss and five sacks in his own right.

Can the Tigers find the right formula to knock off the undefeated Knights?

Date: Saturday, September 13, 2018
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Memphis, TN
Venue: Liberty Bowl Stadium
TV: ABC/ESPN 2
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

Central Florida can’t let the Tigers run. It’s okay if they enter into a shootout with the Memphis Tigers and probably have the better chance to win considering they have one of the best quarterbacks in college football in McKenzie Milton. The Knight run defense hasn’t looked good in most games this season and this week they go up against one of the best running backs in college football. If the defense can make it a battle between Milton and Memphis quarterback Brady White then they will have the best chance to leave the state of Tennessee unscathed.

Memphis has to get Henderson involved. The Tigers will live and die by Darrell Henderson against the Knights who allow 181 yards per game to opposing teams. If Henderson can get going, they won’t have to put the game on Arizona Transfer-quarterback Brady White to win them the game. White just needs to do enough to keep the defense honest and keep the defense on their heels while Henderson carves up the front seven.

The defense has forced ten turnovers thus far this season and it wouldn’t hurt to make that eleven or twelve by the end of the day Saturday. And if they can force them, they must take full advantage or they will regret it because Milton isn’t the type to make mistakes.

Betting Odds

Points Spread: UCF -4

Over/Under: 75.5

Prediction

This could easily be one of the most entertaining games of the week and Vegas understands that as well due to the high over/under total. The game will take place in Memphis and won’t have too much weather to worry about compared to if the game took place in Orlando, FL. The game will likely come down to whoever scores last and it’s hard to bet against McKenzie Milton with the game on the line.

Final Score: UCF 49 Memphis 45