UCF Football: 3 Reasons the Knights will struggle at Boise State

2. Home Field Advantage

The Broncos are tough to beat against the backdrop of the blue turf. It’s the most recognizable home field in the sport, and Boise is tough to beat there.

Since 2015, the team has been 39-12 at home, a record that is even more concerning when considering UCF’s struggles on the road under Gus Malzahn. During his time in Orlando, the Knights are 4-7 away from home, a mark that includes losses to Louisville, Navy, SMU, and East Carolina, all in games that the Knights were more than capable of winning.

When Malzahn was at Auburn, his Tigers had the same struggles on the road. The most deflating losses of his time on the plains came on the road when Auburn was favored, including the 2020 loss at South Carolina, the 2018 loss at Mississippi State, and the 2017 loss at LSU. These were all games that dealt major blows to those squads, including that 2017 loss severely hindering the playoff chances of a team that beat Alabama and Georgia in the final month of the year.

Going on the road in college football is always going to be a tall task, but that is a much tougher proposition in one of the sport’s most unique environments. This game kicks off in the evening, so the atmosphere will be rocking. There’s no shot of a sleepy, slow-starting noon lull in Boise. UCF will get everything the Bronco crowd can throw at it.