The 2019 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were led by second-year head coach Josh Heupel and played their home games at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Florida. They competed as members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference.
After consecutive undefeated regular seasons in 2017 and 2018, the Knights were looking for their third consecutive conference championship, and third consecutive appearance in a New Year's Six bowl game. They started the season ranked 17th in both the AP and Coaches polls. However, they suffered three road losses (by a combined total of 7 points) to finish 10–3 and in second place in the American Athletic Conference East Division. The Knights were invited to the Gasparilla Bowl where they defeated Marshall by the score of 48–25. At season's end, they ranked 24th in both final polls.
True freshman Dillon Gabriel emerged as the starting quarterback, earning the job over Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush, and returning redshirt sophomore Darriel Mack Jr., who had suffered a broken ankle during the offseason. The Knights finished the season riding a school-record 21 consecutive home game victories at Spectrum Stadium, and the senior class finished with a school-record 41 wins. UCF also established an NCAA Division I FBS record (since the poll era began in 1936) of most consecutive games scoring 30 or more points (31 total). The Knights finished 2nd in the nation in total offensive yards/game (540.5), 8th in passing yards/game (316.7), and 5th in points/game (43.4).College Football Team Total Offense Stats 2019 During the 2010s, UCF compiled a record of 88–42, the winningest decade in program history.
Preseason
AAC media poll The AAC media poll was released on July 16, 2019, with the Knights predicted to win AAC East Division. They were also predicted to win the overall AAC championship.
Spring game The 2019 UCF Spring exhibition game was held Saturday April 13 at Spectrum Stadium. The team was split into two squads for gameplay, Team Black and Team Pewter. Quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. threw for 171 yards, including a two-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the game. Four quarterbacks saw play during the game, including Quadry Jones, who threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Rahsaan Lewis.
Date Time Spring Game Site Result April 13 2:30pm Pewter vs. Black Spectrum Stadium • Orlando, FL 23–17
Training camp Just prior to the start of preseason training camp, quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. suffered a broken ankle in a non-football related incident. Mack had taken over for the injured McKenzie Milton in 2018. Mack was expected to miss all of training camp and part of the regular season. Much of the focus of training camp became the battle for the starting quarterback position between Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush, redshirt freshman Quadry Jones, and true freshman Dillon Gabriel. On August 22, one week before the season opener, head coach Josh Heupel announced that Wimbush would start, while Gabriel "will get an opportunity to play in the first game as well."
Ticket sales / stadium On August 12, the UCF athletic department announced that the entire season-ticket allotment was sold out for the first time in school history. Also published as: In addition, they created a formal waiting list for season tickets, also for the first time. In the press release, UCF athletic director Danny White teased a possible expansion of Spectrum Stadium in the near future if ticket demand remains high.
At the start of the season, the school announced that the field naming rights at Spectrum Stadium were acquired by RoofClaim.com. Logos for the company appeared on the field on 25-yard lines on both ends.
Schedule UCF's 2019 schedule would begin with four non-conference games, with home games against Florida A&M (MEAC) and Stanford (Pac-12), and road games against FAU (C-USA) and Pitt (ACC). In American Athletic Conference play, the Knights would play the other members of the East Division and face Houston, Tulane and Tulsa from the West Division. They would not play Memphis, Navy, or SMU as part of the regular season. UCF would be idle the weekends of October 12 and November 16.
Source:
Rankings
Game summaries
Florida A&M
UCF started the season, ranked 17th in both the AP and Coaches poll. The Knights hosted Florida A&M on Thursday night. Brandon Wimbush started at quarterback, but Dillon Gabriel and Quadry Jones also took snaps during the game. The Knights routed the Rattlers 62–0, including a school record-tying 31 points in the second quarter. The trio of quarterbacks combined for 356 passing yards. Wimbush threw two touchdown passes, Gabriel three, and Jones one. Adrian Killins Jr. rushed for 106 yards and one touchdown. The Rattlers were held to only 96 total yards, eight first downs, and had eleven drives go three-and-out.
The Knights extended their home winning streak at Spectrum Stadium to 16 games, and extended their NCAA Division I FBS record of scoring 30+ points to 27 games. However, their active streak of forcing at least one turnover was snapped at 32 games. Despite the big win, the Knights suffered a setback in when CB Brandon "Bam" Moore suffered a knee injury in the third quarter.
At Florida Atlantic
Freshman Dillon Gabriel started at quarterback, and led the Knights to a 48–14 victory over FAU. Quarterback Brandon Wimbush sat out the game, resting an injury. Gabriel only had 7 completions, but still threw for 245 yards and had two touchdown passes. The Knights rushing, led by Greg McRae, Bentavious Thompson, and Otis Anderson Jr., compiled 312 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. With 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, the game was halted due to lightning in the area. Minutes later, the game was called by the officials.
The Knights extended their regular season winning streak to 24 games, and their FBS record streak of scoring 30+ points to 28 games. The team also won their school-record extending 10th consecutive away game.
Stanford
Freshman Dillon Gabriel started at quarterback for the second week in a row, and led the Knights to a decisive 45–27 victory over Stanford. Gabriel threw for 347 yards and four touchdown passes. The Knights led 38–7 at halftime, after touchdown catches by Marlon Williams, Tre Nixon, and Gabe Davis. Otis Anderson Jr. rushed for one touchdown, and Greg McCrae had a 1-yard touchdown run set up by an interception. Defensive Back Aaron Robinson intercepted Stanford quarterback K. J. Costello, returning the ball 40-yards for an apparent touchdown, but after review, it was determined that Robinson was downed at the 1 yard line.
In the second half, UCF added a field goal and another touchdown pass to Jake Hescock. Late in the fourth quarter, Quadry Jones took over at quarterback. With 1:41 remaining in regulation the Knights' only turnover occurred when a fumbled hand off was recovered by Stanford's Jonathan McGill. He returned the ball 28 yards for a Cardinal touchdown, and the 45–27 final score. The Knights won their 25th consecutive regular season game, extended their home winning streak at Spectrum Stadium to 17 games, and also extended their NCAA Division I FBS record of scoring 30+ points to 29 games.
At Pittsburgh
Pitt defeated the Knights by the score of 35–34, to snap UCF's regular season winning streak at 27 games. The Knights fell behind 21–0 in the first half, but rallied with 31 unanswered points to take a ten-point lead. In the final minute, the Panthers drove for the game-winning touchdown, scored on trick play dubbed the "Pitt Special".
Freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw two interceptions in the first half, though neither led to points for Pitt. Early in the second quarter, Pitt blocked a UCF punt, and it was recovered by Wendell Davis who returned it 18 yards for a Panthers touchdown. A. J. Davis and Nick Patti both had touchdown runs, and Pitt led 21–0 midway through the second quarter. Momentum would shift in the game, however, as on the next Pitt possession, Davis was tackled and fumbled. UCF recovered at the Pitt 27 yard line. Three plays later, UCF finally got on the board after an 11-yard touchdown run by Adrian Killins Jr. The Knights added a field goal with 4 seconds left in the half, and Pitt took a 21–10 lead into halftime.
The third quarter belonged to the Knights. They forced Pitt to punt to start the second half. Dillon Gabriel completed a 65-yard pass to Gabe Davis, which set up a touchdown and a 21–17 score. On the next possession, Pitt was forced to punt yet again. Otis Anderson Jr. returned the punt 87 yards for a touchdown, and the Knights took the lead for the first time. They extended their lead with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Davis, his second of the game. The UCF defense, however, gave up three costly penalties on the next drive. A Face mask, a Roughing the passer, and a Personal Foul on successive plays, set the Panthers up at the UCF 8 yard line. Nick Patti, in for Kenny Pickett, threw a touchdown pass to Dontavius Butler-Jenkins to make the score 31–28.
With 8:32 left to play, and UCF still leading 31–28, the Knights drove to the Pitt 15 yard line. Facing 4th down & 2, UCF elected to go for it on fourth down, but Greg McRae was tackled a yard short. The Knights turned the ball over on downs, but Pitt followed it up with a three-and-out of their own and punted. The Knights again drove deep into Pitt territory, facing another 4th down, this time at the Pitt 11. After brief consideration, Dylan Barnas kicked a 28-yard field goal, and the Knights clung to a 34–28 lead. Trailing by 6, Pitt drove down to the UCF 3 yard line with 0:59 seconds left in regulation. Facing 4th down & 2 at the 3, Pitt executed a trick play, which was a fake run to the right, then Aaron Mathews threw to on open Kenny Pickett for the game-winning touchdown.
The loss snapped UCF's 10-game away winning streak, but despite the loss, they extended their NCAA Division I FBS record of scoring 30+ points to 30 games.
UConn
UCF bounced back after losing the week prior by routing Connecticut 56–21. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 281 yards and three touchdown passes, despite only playing in the first half. The Knights led 42–0 at halftime, and extended their lead to 56–0 in the third quarter. Darriel Mack Jr. took over at quarterback in the second half, his first significant action since recovering from a broken ankle. Mack threw one touchdown pass and 97 yards passing, and 27 yards rushing. The explosive UCF offense had four touchdown drives under 1 minute in duration. The UCF defense also stifled the Huskies, forcing two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and two fumbles.
The Knights extended their home winning streak at Spectrum Stadium to 18 games, and also extended their NCAA Division I FBS record of scoring 30+ points to 31 games. The win marked UCF's 19th consecutive American Athletic Conference victory (including two conference championship game wins), dating back to the start of the 2017 season.
At Cincinnati
Cincinnati defeated UCF on Friday night by the score of 27–24, snapping the Knights' streak of 19 consecutive conference game wins and 31 consecutive games scoring 30+ points. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and was sacked three times in the loss.
UCF took a 16–10 lead into halftime, but had struggled in the first half. On their first drive, the Knights drove to the 7 yard line, but had to settle for a field goal. On their second drive, the Knights again drove inside the 10 yard line, but Cam Jefferies intercepted the ball at the 2 yard line after the intended receiver fell down. Later in the second quarter, a UCF fumble led to Cincinnati's first touchdown of the game.