UCF prepares for a tough test against Pittsburgh

Photo courtesy of Aryah Britt

The Knights look to build off an electric start to their season as they pack their bags and hit the road to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers this Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.

Both teams are coming off powerful blowout wins in their season openers this past week.

The Knights (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) tallied 360 yards on the ground as well as 200 yards through the air against Bethune-Cookman last Thursday.

Redshirt senior quarterback Alonza Barnett III went 11-for-18 for 158 yards and two touchdowns before being pulled early in the second half.

Although the Knights were dominant in their victory, especially on the ground, they may have to rely more on Barnett against a team that has historically stopped the run.

In terms of what the victory showed, head coach Scott Frost told reporters on Monday that there is still much to learn.

“We did what we were supposed to do Thursday, I don’t know how much I’ve learned yet,” Frost said. “When we go through some adversity, we’ll learn more about our team.”

Frost may get that chance this Saturday as they face a tough opponent on the road, an area UCF, as a program, has struggled with.

A big focus for this matchup is the Panthers’ (1-0, 0-0 ACC) sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel who threw for 453 yards and seven touchdowns against Miami University last Saturday.

“I thought Mason [Heintschel] played really well, he does a great job extending plays, keeping things alive, and running when he has to,” Frost said. “It’s certainly a different style than we’ve probably seen in a while.”

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch spoke to the media on Tuesday, highlighting the group’s maturity and emphasizing the importance of carrying it on the road.

“That maturity has got to travel, it’s got to come with us on the plane to Pittsburgh,” Grinch said. “It’s one thing to have it in the offseason, it’s another thing to have it in the power four specifically on the road.”

For a secondary with plenty of veteran returners and transfers, the Knights will lean on it to limit big plays downfield.

Additional aspects that will have to show from this defense are their ability to pressure the quarterback and force turnovers.

In the Knights’ matchup against Bethune-Cookman, the unit walked away with two sacks, one interception, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

Redshirt senior defensive tackle Horace Lockett said the team needs to play all four quarters and acknowledged that takeaways are vital to team success.

“We just got to do what we’ve been coached and been taught,” Lockett said. “The more possessions we have on offense, the great chance we have to win.”

With a bigger test coming for this group, the Knights now look to break a nine-game losing streak on the road in Pittsburgh in a series led by the Panthers 2-1 this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium.