Getty Shaquan Davis looks to help S.C. State start strong after a big finish to the 2021 season.
Central Florida kicks off its final season before joining the Big 12 with a dangerous opponent in South Carolina State on Thursday, September 1.
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The game (7 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on TV, but anyone in the US can watch South Carolina State vs UCF live on ESPN+ right here:
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SC State at UCF Preview
Central Florida enters the new season with high expectations but faces a South Carolina State team that’s ready to pull an upset on Thursday.
South Carolina State stunned Deion Sanders’ Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl to conclude last season. Bulldogs head coach Buddy Pough wants his team looking forward, however, instead of relish’s last season’s big finish.
.@SCState_Fb UPSETS JACKSON STATE!
South Carolina State knows how to celebrate a @CelebrationBowl win 🔥
“We’re proud of what we’ve done, but that’s over,” Pough said via HBCU Gameday. “I got a chance to look at the schedule we’ve got in front of us now and that’s a sobering kind of experience just watching who we play in the coming month. I guarantee that championship is out of our system.”
UCF opened the season with S.C. State three other times since 2008. The Knights shut out the Bulldogs in all of those games with the closest coming in 2008, a 17-0 win.
“We’ve gotta be sound fundamentally on defense, reading our keys, reading the defensive fronts kind of stuff instead of looking at what’s going on in the backfield,” Pough said about facing UCF via HBCU Gameday.
The Bulldogs return a lot of talent on defense with junior linebacker B.J. Davis, who tallied 76 tackles last year. Other key returners include defensive linemen Jeblonki Green Jr., Octaveon Minter, and Patrick Godbolt. All three posted 3.5 sacks or better last season.
“You look at [S.C. State] last year, they won six of their last seven games, won the Celebration Bowl over Jackson State and were playing their best ball late,” UCF head coach Gus Malzahn said via The Times and Democrat. “They have most of their guys back so we know we’re going to get their best shot.”
S.C. State faces a tough task in slowing down the Knights’ rushing attack. Johnny Richardson rushed for 773 yards and three touchdowns last season. Isaiah Bowser rushed for 703 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021. Richardson and Bowser also have an experienced offensive line to run with this season.
𝙮’𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮?
“Our transfers solidified their starting positions, and fit in well with the team,” Malzahn said via The Times and Democrat. “That offensive line has continuity, and continues to get better during practice. I’m anxious to see how we do up front.”
UCF has a new quarterback under center in John Rhys Plumlee, who previously played for Ole Miss. Plumlee has been a versatile player in his college career with experience at quarterback and receiver.
“The guys have responded well to him, and he’s had an extremely good week of practice. I expect him to play well,” Malzahn said via The Times and Democrat.