What We Learned Against Marshall

The Knights came from behind to defeat Marshall, 21-20 on a nationally televised stage. Let's see how our keys to victory played out.

Keys to the Game for the Knights

1.) Stop Darius Marshall- The Knights did a solid job of bottling up Marshall as he gained 80 yards on 28 carries (2.9 ypc) with a touchdown.

2.) Be fundamental on defense- UCF tackled much better, but they were a victim of the penalty flag, as they were flagged eight times for 76 yards.

3.) Get Brynn going early and stick with him- Brynn Harvey had a tough time finding space, as he gained just 47 yards on 21 carries, but he did manage to find the end zone.

4.) Win the turnover battle- The Knights forced two turnovers, one of which led to the game winning score.

5.)Protect Hodges-The Knights offensive line didn't give quarterback Brett Hodges adequate protection, and thus he struggled for much of the game. Hodges showed great toughness as he took hit after hit, and persevered to lead the Knights to a much needed victory.

What to Look for:

1.) A big crowd- The final figure was 35,676, but it appeared as if far less were actually at the stadium.

2.) Intensity on both sides- There was hard hits throughout, and it really made for a classic game.

3.) Plenty of sacks- The two teams combined for seven sacks, four of which were from the Knights. Bruce Miller had two and a half.

4.) Another A.J. Guyton start- Guyton wasn't much of a factor in the first half, but he finished with five catches for 100 yards.

5.) A pick or two- UCF freshman corner Josh Robinson grabbed the game's only interception, helping nullify what was a tough day.

Predictions:

1.) UCF wins the rushing battle- The Knights won the rushing battle, ever so slightly. Final stats show the Knights with a narrow 59-56 edge in rushing.

2.) Marshall gets at least one big play- The Herd made a few big plays, as tight ends Cody Slate and Lee Smith, and wide receiver Aaron Dobson each had receptions of 40 yards or better.

3.) The kicking game improves- That didn't really happen. A missed field goal that looked as if it was blocked was returned for 68 yards and it nearly cost the Knights the game.

4.) UCF doesn't cover the spread-The Knights fell far short of covering the seven-point margin set by Vegas.

5.) UCF wins- The Knights came from behind in spectacular fashion as they moved to 5-3 on the season. It was an epic game for all in attendance.