UCF football: 3 takeaways from lopsided win over Kent State

3. UCF football is tuned up for Boise State road trip

The Knights weren’t perfect on Thursday night, but they were close. Next week, it will be a lot tougher to say the same thing, as they take a trip to Boise for a big non-conference showdown with the Broncos on the blue turf.

These teams played the first game of this home-and-home in 2021, with UCF football grabbing the victory at home in Malzahn’s debut campaign. It was a different world back then, as the Knights were led to a 36-31 win behind the arm of quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the legs of tailback Isaiah Bowser.

Now it will be Plumlee, Johnny Richardson, and RJ Harvey leading a road effort for the Knights. Harvey and Richardson both averaged over eight yards per carry against Kent State, and nothing is more valuable on the road than an effective rushing attack. Boise has a passionate fan base, and if the Knights’ two-headed rushing attack can have similar success next week, they can mitigate the home-field advantage for the Broncos.

On the other hand, mistakes on the road can be absolute killers. If John Rhys Plumlee doesn’t protect the ball, the Boise crowd will pounce.

Malzahn and Co. have a tough test ahead of them, but they couldn’t have asked for a stronger way to head into this game. If the Knights come out of the box as hot as they did on Thursday, they could grab one of the most important victories of the Malzahn era.