UCF @ SMU preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 22, 2014 ) Southern Methodist 7, Central Florida 53

Fans can expect a shootout in Dallas this week when 14th-ranked Central Florida travels to Gerald Ford Stadium to face SMU in an American Athletic Conference contest. Both teams know how to put points on the board while sitting in the top three of the league in scoring.

UCF leads the nation with 51 points per game and is coming off a school-record 73 in a victory against Austin Peay last Saturday. Sophomore quarterback McKenzie Milton leads the Knights' attack while topping the nation in passing efficiency (199.7) and tying for 14th with 19 touchdown passes. SMU enters its homecoming game with the ninth highest-scoring offense in the country, averaging 41.5 points per contest, and has been held under 30 points just once this season. Mustangs quarterback Ben Hicks has thrown for 2,305 yards while the trio of tailbacks - Xavier Jones, Braeden West and Ke'Mon Freeman - have all rushed for more than 400 yards and combined for 16 rushing touchdowns.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: UCF -14.5

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (7-0, 4-0 AAC): The high-octane Knights' offense deservedly received plenty of attention this season, but UCF has impact players in other areas as well. Defensive back Mike Hughes, a junior college transfer, is the first player in school history to return a kickoff, punt and interception for a touchdown during their career and the first player since 1984 to have a punt and kickoff return for touchdowns in the same season. Hughes is also tied for 14th in the country in passes defended at 1.4 per contest and boasts two interceptions to go along with eight pass break-ups.

ABOUT SMU (6-2, 3-1): The Mustangs have one of the most dynamic receiving duos in the country with Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn, who have combined for nearly 1,600 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns. Sutton, a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate, already has nine touchdowns - tied for third most in FBS - and averages 16.4 yards per catch on 43 receptions. Quinn, a junior transfer from LSU, leads the nation with 79 catches and earlier this season had three consecutive games with 15-plus receptions and enters Saturday with four consecutive 100-yard games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Central Florida K Matthew Wright needs three field goals to move in to sixth place on the school's all-time list.

2. UCF, which has reached the 30-point mark in every game this season, now owns the nation's longest streak for consecutive games scoring 30-or-more points after South Florida saw its record run end last week.

3. SMU is undefeated at home this season, starting the year with a 5-0 home record for the first time since 1982.

PREDICTION: UCF 48, SMU 38