UCF @ South Carolina preview
Williams-Brice Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2013 ) South Carolina 28, Central Florida 25
Following consecutive losses, including a 52-20 drubbing at the hands of No. 6 Georgia last time out, South Carolina looks to right the ship when UCF pays a visit on Saturday. The Gamecocks will go to their third quarterback in four games, with freshman Lorenzo Nunez taking the helm after sharing snaps with junior Perry Orth last week.
“That’s just where we are right now,” coach Steve Spurrier told The State. “Lorenzo gives us, maybe, a little spark in there that we need offensively.” Changes are afoot for the Knights as well, after running back Will Stanback was kicked off the team on Tuesday. “William Stanback has been dismissed from the football team for failure to comply with rules of the athletic policy on the team,” coach George O’Leary told reporters. UCF was expecting major contributions from Stanback this season after he earned all-American Atheltic Conference first team honors as a sophomore, despite missing three games to injury.
TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: South Carolina –15
ABOUT UCF (0-3): Stanback, who led the Knights with 697 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2014, had only 11 yards on 12 carries in UCF’s first two games prior to sitting on the sidelines last week, ahead of his dismissal. Freshmen running backs Taj McGowan and C.J. Jones will carry the load in traditional sets for now, after combining for 162 yards on 42 carries, while wide receiver Nick Patti, who has the Knights’ lone rushing touchdown on the season, is used in wildcat packages. Junior Dontravious Wilson, who started the season opener, remains out with a leg injury but O’Leary told the Orlando Sentinel, “He’s taking reps. Hopefully, he can get some things done.”
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-2): Nunez completed 4-of-5 passes for 18 yards and ran for another 76 on 10 carries against Georgia and heads into his first collegiate start sounding confident. “I feel pretty comfortable,” he told reporters. “I have been taking more reps throwing the ball at practice against the No. 1 defense.” Spurrier indicated, however, that the quarterback rotation might continue, unless Nunez quickly shows he can handle things on his own. “Perry and Michael (Scarnecchia) probably need to play some also,” Spurrier told reporters. “I don’t know that we’re a one-quarterback team completely but if (Nunez) plays very well and takes care of the ball, we could be.”
EXTRA POINTS
1. South Carolina has won all four previous meetings with UCF, dating back to 1996.
2. The Knights are 2-16 against SEC teams.
3. Nunez will become the second true freshman to start at quarterback under Spurrier, joining Jesse Palmer in 1997 at Florida.
PREDICTION: South Carolina 27, UCF 13