UCF Football: 5 bold predictions for Knights in October 2019

4. Dillon Gabriel will top freshman passing charts at end of month

It might be too much to ask Dillon Gabriel to pass veteran quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, and Tua Tagovailoa in passing efficiency. Though they all have tough conference slates still to play, that trio is playing lights-out football that far surpasses anything other quarterbacks are doing around the country.

Gabriel, though, is right there in that second tier of quarterbacks. Among freshman starting at the FBS level, only Justin Fields at Ohio State has a higher passer efficiency rating at this point of the year. And as Fields gets into Big Ten play, that efficiency rating is going to take a bit of a dip.

The new UCF starting quarterback sits only 3.9 points behind Fields in passing efficiency, and Gabriel is going to put up huge games against Cincinnati, East Carolina, and Temple. The showdowns against the Bearcats and Owls will likely be close into the second half, meaning Gabriel will get even more playing time than he would in a blowout.

So even though he only plays three games this month, Gabriel is poised to post three huge statistical outings. He also sits only two passing touchdowns behind Fields, and only Boise State’s Hank Bachmeier is throwing for more yards per game. Gabriel will take over the lead in both of those categories as well as he positions himself as the best freshman quarterback in the country heading into the final month of the season.