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No. 21 UCF brings 13-game winning streak to opener at UConn
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — No. 21 UCF (13-0, 8-0 American) at UConn (3-9, 2-6), Thursday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Line: UCF by 23
Series record: UCF leads 3-2
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
UCF hopes to show that a coaching change (Scott Frost is off to Nebraska, replaced by former Missouri OC Josh Heupel) won't impact its status as the class of the American Athletic Conference and quarterback McKenzie Milton can establish himself early as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
KEY MATCHUP
Milton vs. UConn secondary. The junior threw for more than 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns last season, leading an offense that averaged better than 48 points per game. He threw for 346 yards and three scores in the Knights 49-24 win over the Huskies. UConn has 11 true or redshirt freshmen on its defensive two-deep roster and will start three sophomores and a freshman in the defensive backfield.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UCF: Milton. The dual-threat QB had seven 300-yard passing games last season, completed 67 percent of his throws and ran for 613 yards and eight touchdowns. He was the conference's player of the year and eighth in the Heisman balloting as a sophomore.
UConn: Senior QB David Pindell. The junior college transfer played in seven games for the Huskies last season, started the final three and established himself in the offseason as the team's offensive leader.
FACTS & FIGURES
UCF comes into the season with the nation's longest winning streak at 13 games after going unbeaten last year... The Knights scored 30 or more points in each of those contests... New coach Josh Heupel's Missouri offense led the Southeastern Conference in total offense and scoring last season... UConn had six true freshmen start at least one game last year and has 30 freshmen and sophomores and just seven seniors on its two-deep this season.
