UCF came away with a win against the Cougars last season, but as the Golden Knights prepare to travel to Houston on Saturday in the first of five must-win games, they know the hosts likely will be ready with more than their share of tricks.
Last season the Knights held on for a 31-29 victory at home but needed a late-game stand by their defense to weather three touchdowns scored by Houston’s quick-striking offense in the final 18 minutes.
Using a variety of no-huddle and gadget-like trickery while substituting players, then-junior Cougars QB Kevin Kolb torched the Knights for 313 passing yards but was thrown off during his game-winning attempt by a sack and three straight incompletions.
This season Kolb has become the nation’s active leader in career passing yards and touchdowns.
In eight games, Kolb has racked up 2,303 total passing yards, including four 300-yard games. His total passing leads Conference USA and ranks seventh in the nation at an average of 287.88 yards.
UCF Coach George O’Leary said the coaching staff is doing its best this week to prepare its defense for the onslaught by quickening the pace with its scout team, but Kolb’s experience makes simulation of the Houston attack difficult. “He has been in that type of offense since he was a junior in high school,” O’Leary said.
Love, Bell formidable
Aside from Kolb, the Knights also will face one of the league’s best defenders and a special-teams star. Cougars senior NT Marquay Love and sophomore K Ben Bell were named C-USA defensive and special-teams players of the week. Love had a team-high seven tackles against UTEP. Bell nailed a career-best 42-yard field goal as well as a 35-yard attempt and all four conversions.
Texas 2-step
Saturday will mark the first time in school history that UCF has played back-to-back games against schools from Texas. The Knights, who have lost their past four games at home, also lost at Florida but won 23-22 at Marshall.
