UCF Football: 3 takeaways from runaway victory over FAU in Week 2

1. Knights defense tormented Chris Robison all night

One knock on UCF has been that they field a transcendent offense but have trouble fielding a competent defense. In the showdown in Boca Raton, the Knights looked great against both the run and the pass as they held the Owls to two touchdowns in the 55-minute contest.

What was especially impressive was the way in which the Knights showed a remarkable ability to make life miserable for FAU quarterback Chris Robison. Beaten and battered and scrambling with too much regularity, Robison managed to complete only 18 of his 40 passing attempts. The result was 177 passing yards and an interception.

That kept the running game from really getting off the ground. While FAU finished with 137 yards on the ground, but they needed 47 attempts to reach that mark. Averaging fewer than three yards per carry, the Owls generated 22 first downs and controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes but struggled to do anything with all that possession.

What tonight showed, more than anything, was the difference between a team that can compile numbers and a team that efficiently strangles its opponent into submission. UCF once again looks like the team to beat among the mid-majors hovering outside the power structure in the FBS.

With two opportunities against Power Five opponents coming up in the next few weeks, the Knights could leave the College Football Playoff selection committee with tough choices once again in December.