UCF Ranked in College Football America Top 30
2022 College Football America Yearbook Preseason FBS Top 30, which was released earlier this summer.
UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahn led UCF to a 9-4 season, capped by a 29-17 victory over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl in his first year at the helm.
The Knights are ranked No. 26 in the publication's preseason rankings and tabbed to win the AAC. UCF is seeking its first conference title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2017 and 2018.
UCF is loaded with returning starters, including seven on offense and eight on defense, led by quarterback Mikey Keene, and have three returning Second-Team All-AAC selections — wide receiver Ryan O’Keefe, offensive linamen Lokahi Pauole and safety Divaad Wilson.
The Knights were fourth in scoring offense (31.9 ppg) and third in scoring defense (24.5 ppg) in the AAC last season. UCF also has some momentum heading into the season, having won six of its final seven games in 2021.
The schedule is favorable for UCF, which gets defending conference champion Cincinnati, which made the College Football Playoff last season, at home. The Knights do not play Houston, last year's AAC runner-up, in the regular season.
The Top 10 includes Alabama at No. 1, defending national champion Georgia at No. 2, Ohio State at No. 3, Clemson at No. 4, Notre Dame at No. 5, Oklahoma at No. 6, Michigan at No. 7, LSU at No. 8, Oregon at No. 9 and Oklahoma State at No. 10.
Other AAC teams in the Top 30 are Houston at No. 27 and Cincinnati at No. 28.
The 2022 College Football America Yearbook features Houston quarterback Clayton Tune on the cover.
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Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist writes for CowboyMaven. He also writes for Inside the Rangers, CowboyMaven,DallasBasketball.com, Longhorn Country, All Aggies, Inside The Texans, Washington Football, covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and is the Editor of the College Football America Yearbook.