No. 25 UCF (6-2, 3-1 AAC) at Memphis (4-4, 2-3), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Line: UCF by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: UCF leads 14-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
UCF may have moved into the AP Top 25, but the Knights have yet to win a game on the road in the American Athletic Conference this season. They also have not won in Memphis since 2018. UCF coach Gus Malzahn is 3-0 against Memphis, which starts a three-game home stand needing to snap a three-game skid. Two of the Tigers’ losses came by a combined three points, one in overtime on the road.
KEY MATCHUP
UCF ranks fifth nationally averaging 510.2 yards of total offense per game. Memphis ranks 97th in the country, giving up 410.1 yards per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UCF: RB Isaiah Bowser leads the league and ranks ninth nationally with 11 rushing touchdowns for a run game that is eighth in the country at 244.4 yards per game. He has at least one TD in eight of his last nine games and has 13 total TDs in that span.
Memphis: QB Seth Henigan. The only game he’s missed in his career because of injury was a 24-7 loss to UCF in Orlando last season. He ranks second in the league and 18th nationally with 2,224 yards passing. Henigan has thrown 15 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
FACTS & FIGURES
UCF has won six of eight games in this series in Memphis, though the Tigers won 50-49 in 2020 to snap a 13-game skid to UCF in the series. … UCF leads the nation in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 62% of 18 of 29 trips inside the 20 with only eight TDs given up. … UCF has held opponents to 21 points or less in 10 of its last 11 games. … UCF is the only team in the nation to top 600 yards of total offense in three separate games this season. … Memphis is 14-3 at home under head coach Ryan Silverfield. … Memphis is 8-10 against Top 25 opponents since 2015, a .444 winning percentage that is best of any non-Power Five team. … Memphis is 11-0 coming off an open date since 2014 and 3-0 under Silverfield. … Memphis ranks sixth for fewest penalties with 34 and seventh averaging 4.25 penalties per game.
___
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
