If FSU and other college stars are getting paid, then they should play in bowl games | Commentary

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on January 2, 2024. Posted in Columnists, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Miami Hurricanes, Opinion, Sports, UCF Knights.

With apologies to the the legendary Simon & Garfunkel and their iconic song Mrs. Robinson: “Where have you gone, Charlie Wysocki? A college football nation turns its lonely eyes to you — woo, woo, woo.” As I sat in the press box for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl matchup Monday between Iowa and Tennessee, I thought back to the first bowl game I ever attended in this same stadium more than four decades ago. I was a wide-eyed teenager as I excitedly watched the Charley Pell-coached Florida Gators play the Jerry Claiborne-coached Maryland Terrapins in the 1980 Tangerine Bowl. I don’t remember a whole...

Pictures: UCF Knights vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Gasparilla Bowl

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on December 23, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

UCF Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (10) runs the ball against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the NCAA College football game in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel) UCF Knights wide receiver Kobe Hudson (2) runs the ball against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the NCAA College football game in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel) UCF Knights fans show their Christmas spirit...

UCF eyes chance to wrap up season with win in Gasparilla Bowl

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on December 22, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

Lokahi Pauole has spent the last five years bleeding black and gold for UCF football. And like many of his teammates who are wrapping up their college careers Friday when the Knights (6-6, 3-6 Big 12) face Georgia Tech (6-6, 5-3 ACC) in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, this week has been a reflective time for the offensive lineman (ESPN, 6:30 p.m.). “They always say there are a lot of first lasts,” Pauole said after the Knights wrapped up their final home practice before traveling to Tampa. “I’ve just been soaking it all in. I’ve just been walking myself through memory lane. I remember...

UCF gets verbal commitment from top defensive lineman in South Carolina

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on December 16, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

UCF received a verbal commitment for its 2024 recruiting class from Marcus Downs, a three-star recruit from Riverside (Greer, S.C.) High School on Friday. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Downs was the No. 66 defensive lineman in the country according to 247Sports’ composite rankings and the No. 8 overall player out of South Carolina. He received offers from Tennessee, Florida, LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Virginia Tech and Michigan State, but committed to Georgia Tech on Aug. 5 before de-committing on Oct. 18. Downs had 37 tackles including 6 for loss and 3 sacks in 9 games...

Second-half surge not enough as UCF men lose at home to Ole Miss

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on December 11, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

If the UCF men’s basketball team wanted to get a true test as to what it could be like in its first season in the Big 12, the Knights got it Sunday afternoon. It was a furious finish and a heartbreaking loss. Shemarri Allen scored 14 points, including a one-handed dunk with 16:54 left in the second half that brought the fans at Addition Financial Arena to their feet and started a surge that helped UCF crawl back into its game with Ole Miss. But it wasn’t enough as the Knights ran out of gas late and fell to the Rebels, 70-68. “I felt it was like a Big 12 game or what I envision being in a Big...

Here’s hoping UCF isn’t ducking USF in a bowl game | Commentary

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on November 29, 2023. Posted in Columnists, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Opinion, Sports, UCF Knights.

Let’s get right down to it, shall we? UCF and USF should play in a bowl game. We want them to play in a bowl game. We need them to play in a bowl game. Any bowl game. Preferably right here in Orlando at the Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl, which has raised millions of dollars over the years for cancer research and is actually played in UCF’s home stadium. UCF-USF would sell out the Bounce House and raise even more money to help cure cancer. A good game for a great cause. Or if USF doesn’t want to play a bowl game in UCF’s home stadium then play the game in the Gasparilla Bowl at USF’s home field...

UCF stumbles in loss to Stetson despite career showing by Jaylin Sellers

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on November 27, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

UCF guard Jaylin Sellers scored a career-high 34 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Knights dropped a home contest Sunday against Stetson, 85-82. Sellers was 12-of-16 from the floor with 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Stetson’s Jalen Blackmon had 26 points, connecting on six 3-pointers, while Stephan Swanson added 19 points. UCF (4-2, 0-0 Big 12) was fresh off claiming the championship in the Jacksonville Classic after defeating South Dakota State (83-80) and Charlotte (74-71 OT) last week. “We got up by 13 in the first half and when we’re up like that, we have to learn to build off that lead,”...

FSU’s Jordan Travis, UF’s Graham Mertz epitomize football courage | Commentary

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on November 22, 2023. Posted in Columnists, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Miami Hurricanes, Opinion, Sports, UCF Knights.

At the time, three weeks ago, it seemed a bit out of place when Florida Gators coach Billy Napier began his postgame press conference after a devastating loss to Arkansas with a discourse on the innate quality that is a mandatory prerequisite to playing college football. “It takes courage to play this game,” Napier said. “Courage is giving your best with no guarantee of the outcome you want.” Napier should have added: “Courage is also giving your best with an absolute guarantee of an outcome you don’t want.” Like a devastating injury. Napier’s “courage” speech after the Arkansas game rings even...

UCF continues to struggle on road with loss at Texas Tech

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on November 19, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

LUBBOCK, Texas — If UCF is going to be successful in the Big 12, the Knights will have to find a way to win on the road. UCF (5-6, 2-6 Big 12) lost its fourth conference road game as Texas Tech (6-5, 5-3 Big 12) rallied from an early 14-0 deficit to win 24-23 at Jones AT&T Stadium Saturday night. “You’ve got to play good on the road in this league,” said coach Gus Malzahn. “This is our sixth road trip of the year and give Texas Tech credit; they found a way to win. Our guys battled hard and statistically we were better but didn’t find a way to win the game.” It was another example of missed...

How can UCF contain Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon? | Analysis

Written by Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Syndicated User on November 8, 2023. Posted in College Sports, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale Mortgage Rates, Latest Headlines, Sports, UCF Knights.

There’s little doubt that UCF’s Achilles’ heel has been its run defense. The Knights are No. 127 out of 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams after allowing 211.8 rushing yards in their nine games. A closer look shows those numbers grow exponentially against Big 12 competition, with the team allowing 259 yards through six games. Much of those yards have come on plays of 10-plus yards in which UCF has allowed 65. Twenty-two of those runs have been explosive plays (20-plus yards). In the win against Cincinnati last week, the Bearcats had five explosive plays, with one coming in the second half....

Category: UCF Knights