Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
UCF Knights
Let’s be honest. The game this weekend against Central Florida looks more and more like a sure thing for a Gamecock football team that needs all the help it can get to try and turn things around quickly. UCF comes into the game with a shocking 0-3 record with their latest loss coming at the hands of the Furman Paladins.
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The bad news is that the Knights currently own the 24th ranked rushing defense in the nation, holding opponents to 105 yards per game on average. The Gamecocks are looking to minimize how much true freshman Lorenzo Nunez will have to think against UCF meaning they will probably look to run and to run often.
The Gamecocks average 207.7 rushing yards per game this season, a number that very well could increase with the presence of Nunez and a lightning fast backfield that will feature Shon Carson in his first start of the season and David Williams. If the Georgia game was any indication, we should be seeing some plays handed off to Pharoh Cooper as well.
UCF hasn’t allowed a team to rush for over 200 yards since 2013. Who was that team? Well, the Gamecocks of course.
UCF also dismissed their leading rusher and All-AAC running back Will Stanback from the team this week and are breaking in brand new players at the running back and quarterback positions as well. As poor as the offense has been for the Gamecocks this season, UCF finds itself in a worse position.
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