UCF Football: Knights put 20-game win streak on the line vs Temple

UCF football puts its 20-game winning streak on the line at home on Thursday night against Temple. Here is how to catch the action between the Knights and the Owls.

UCF climbed into single digits in the AP Top 25 after sitting out Week 9 on a bye. The Knights boast the nation’s longest winning streak at 20 games dating back to their perfect run in 2017. Josh Heupel‘s squad has their sights set on another American Athletic Conference title and a trip (at the very least) to another New Year’s Six bowl game.

Unlike last year’s team, which led the nation in scoring but struggled to contain opponents when on defense, this year’s Knights squad is dominant on both sides of the ball. UCF ranks fifth in scoring through the first two months of the season, and they also rank in the top 15 nationally in points allowed. The ingredients are all in place to keep the magical run going into November.

First, though, UCF has to take down a team that has been a perennial thorn in the side of AAC hopefuls. Two years ago, Temple ruined South Florida’s shot at perfection. This year’s Temple squad is tied with the Knights atop the AAC East standings, making this contest a battle for the division lead.

Temple boasts one of the best secondaries in the nation. The Owls rank second behind only Michigan in terms of opponents’ passing efficiency, and Temple ranks fourth in the country in passing yards allowed per game. They also rank third in the FBS in red zone defense, holding teams scoreless on more than one-third of their trips inside the Temple 20.

Strength meets strength on Thursday night in a key AAC East showdown. Here’s how you can watch the Thursday night game between No. 9 UCF and Temple:

Date: Thursday, Nov. 1
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: Spectrum Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

UCF, more than anything, needs to avoid beating themselves on Thursday night. The Knights rank in the bottom 10 nationally in penalties, which could prove costly against a defensively sound team like Temple. Special teams is also an area where the Knights could stand to improve, especially on punts where they give up more than 20 yards per return.

To pull off an upset in Orlando, Temple needs to avoid turning over the ball. The Owls rank 111th in turnovers lost this season, in large part due to the 14 interceptions thrown to date. Temple needs an efficient performance from quarterback Anthony Russo if the Owls are going to have any chance of winning on the road.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: UCF -10.5
Over/Under: 56.5

Prediction

This isn’t the 2017 UCF team by a longshot. Last year, the Knights would have to outscore opponents like Temple. This year, the defense will do its part to clamp down on the Owls as UCF runs away with the victory at home. Even a double-digit spread seems low in this contest, and whether or not the teams cover the total points will depend on whether Temple can crack the Knights defense.

Final Score: UCF 48, Temple 17