UCF Football: It’s time for Knights to break into College Football Playoff

1. The UCF offense shows no signs of slowing down with new quarterback

Entering the War on I-4, McKenzie Milton was a dark-horse candidate for a trip to the Heisman ceremony in Manhattan. He ranks third nationally in passing yards per completion, 10th in passing efficiency, and 20th in passing touchdowns. The Hawaiian star added nine rushing touchdowns, nearly one per game on average. Then a brutal helmet-to-knee blow knocked Milton off the field against South Florida and straight to the hospital.

In came Darriel Mack Jr., who struggled to get in the rhythm of the game against the Bulls. The freshman finished 5-of-14 for 81 yards through the air, and contributed another 51 rushing yards in the victory. Coming into the AAC championship game, Mack was the one question mark that could potentially hinder a national championship bid.

In the win over Memphis, though, Mack allayed those questions with a huge performance in victory. Even as the Tigers took a big lead in the first half, the freshman remained calm and kept guiding the Knights downfield. He finished with a half-dozen total touchdowns, going 19-of-27 through the air for 348 yards and a pair of passing touchdowns.

Mack also did major damage in short-yardage situations on the ground, finishing with four rushing touchdowns and 59 yards on 18 carries. It was a performance right in line with Milton’s productivity, and it means there is no justifiable reason to keep the Knights out just because they lost their biggest star to injury.