Inside The Knights Staff Score Predictions: UCF at East Carolina
With the UCF Knights coming into Saturday’s game with a four-game winning streak, it’s a highly anticipated matchup in Greenville, N.C. with the East Carolina Pirates.
UCF is 2-0 versus the American Athletic Conference after knocking off the Temple Owls 70-13.
Here’s how the Inside The Knights staff feels about how the UCF at East Carolina game will go, including the final score.
Jack Edwards - Staff Writer
The Knights are riding high on four straight dominant victories and will travel to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium looking to make it five. The offense is firing on all cylinders thanks in no small part to the return of wide receiver Kobe Hudson. His presence has opened up the field and given John Rhys Plumlee another reliable option as a pass catcher. After 121 yards and two touchdowns versus Temple, expect another big game from Hudson against an East Carolina defense that is 14th worst in the country in passing defense, allowing 278 passing yards per contest.
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UCF’s defense has been elite, but they are in for a challenge this weekend as they look to contain Holton Ahlers. Ahlers is a top 15 passer in the country so far, throwing for 303 yards per game. He will make a few plays but the Knight defense will for the most part shut the East Carolina offense down. UCF has allowed just nine points all season in the fourth quarter, and that trend will continue Saturday night as the Knights will pull away in the second half.
UCF 41 East Carolina 17
Guilherme Leal - Staff Writer
Following a big 70-13 against Temple last week, UCF should have all the motivation and momentum ahead of Saturday's matchup at East Carolina. It seems John Rhys Plumlee and his receiving group are finally in sync. Defense is also stepping up, especially in the red zone. Still, Pirates quarterback Holton Ahlers is experienced and deserves some extra attention. Keaton Mitchell's impact on the ground will also require a strong showing from the Knights' defensive line.
This should be a hard-fought battle that will become a game of chess. Don't be surprised if it comes down to the final minutes. Still, I believe the Knights should return to Orlando with an important win.
UCF 31 vs 27 ECU
Andrew Johnson - Staff Writer
UCF will travel into Greenville, North Carolina to settle conference history with ECU likely for the last time. The program series is tied 10-10 between the two with UCF moving on to the Big 12 next season.
The Knights are coming off two consecutive conference wins after scoring 70 points against Temple last week. John Rhys Plumee has put the pieces together and will look to continue utilizing UCF’s skill talent. The offense accumulated over 700 yards versus the Owls but I don’t expect that same output against ECU. The Pirates come into the matchup with high energy after beating Memphis in a four overtime thriller.
Look for UCF’s offense to motion players around early on to confuse the defense with deceptive plays. The Knights won’t be able to simply run the ball against ECU’s No. 23 ranked rushing defense (109.9 ypg). I expect various calls of jet sweeps mixed with RPO options for Plumlee. Look for UCF’s passing game to play a big role as well. ECU is struggling in that area, giving up nearly 300 passing yards per game (278.3).
UCF’s stout defense will be the factor as it has since defensive coordinator Travis Williams set the culture. The Knights are the only FBS team in the country that has not allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points in a game this season. Knight Nation should expect ECU to give it all they have in what could be the final regular season game between the two programs for some time.
UCF 34 East Carolina 30
Brian Smith - Publisher
There will be two primary factors in this game. Can UCF’s passing defense start fast and also create turnovers? If the Pirates do not start fast against the Knights, they will struggle to win this contest. The Knights often give up a lot of passing yards early but rarely give up many points beyond the middle of the second quarter.
That fact combined with quarterback John Rhys Plumlee running and passing the football well is going to create issues for the Pirates. The Knights provide an offense that keeps a defense off balance by how it can run or pass the football. Going against East Carolina’s mediocre defense is a recipe for another explosion.
UCF will struggle to pull away early, but the East Carolina defense is no match for what UCF will throw at them. Look for the UCF defense to come up with a critical turnover, too. Gus Malzhan and the Knights roll on.
UCF 42 East Carolina 20
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