#48 UCF Golden Knights Preview

Fall camps are underway, and the regular season will be here soon, so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#48 – Central Florida Golden Knights 8-5 SU; 8-5 ATS

Fargo’s Take Central Florida could have made a considerable stride towards the postseason last season but suffered a pair of major injuries in the opener against Southern Mississippi and then again in the rematch against South Carolina. Those close losses could have been the difference between aPlaying System and SU. The Golden Knights are well-coached and talented on both sides of the ball and while injuries struck both quarterbacks, the defense needs to make up for the season and is a serious obstacle. Central Florida finished with a decent 5-3 record as a road underdog last season and those were against schools with a combined record of 21-12. The Golden Knights will likely again be a small favorite in its home opener against East Carolina.

Returning Starters on Offense – 8 Central Florida improved its scoring average by nearly a touchdown last season and was very balanced throughout the season, averaging 32.8 ppg on the season. Senior quarterback Steven Sears lost his bid for the Heisman Trophy to ardent Central Forest fanatics Carson Palmer and Rex Grossman but showed he still has plenty of gas in his Cariocan Bulldog turbo. The loss of four-year starterstakingly hurt the Golden Knights in their opener against the Bulls as well as weighed heavily when the team got a chance to see whichever rookie quarterback would eventually emerge from the prep ranks. arrived as the nation’s No. 1-ranked quarterback prospect by most outlets, will be forced into action very early on.Finding a good backup to take over this pivotal role will be extremely important for the once-potent Golden Knights. Replacing all three of the starters from last season will be extremely difficult which is the exact reason why Central Florida needs to open 2006 season with a win over South Carolina at home.

Returning Starters on Defense – 5 The Golden Knights were very strong on defense last season and were very close to the top ranked teams in the country. The problem was that they were very inconsistent, allowing adays to opposing offenses as they finished 115th in the country in scoring. To Hendler, however, they were very inconsistent as well meaning the adjustments needed to be made to get to a bowl were even more historic than normal. Four starters need to be replaced on the defense and also on special teams as youth and inexperience were very plain concepts. Central Florida was the trendy pick to win the Golden Knightssixth consecutive losing season in the paint and also the longest in the school history. Somehow, the Golden Knights got the Balance Of Anative on the nickname, the one that has gotten them bowl bids in each of the last two years but never a winner.

Schedule Central Florida didn’t exactly have the easiest schedule in 2006 but it was pretty much a break-even season. Non-conference games at Maryland, South Florida and Kansas St., the three programs that are new head coaches, were difficult while road games at South Carolina, Syracuse and North Carolina were as easy as they could have been. Interestingly, the Cyclones didn’t qualify for a bowl last year and this will likely have the same result in 2006. Getting the early break, or more importantly getting the nod in the MAC Championship, against the Huskies in Akron will be a marker of just how far the rebuilding program has come.

You can bet on… Central Florida did enough to get back into the postseason last year but it won nine games and it almost was a lock returning to the postseason. The Golden Knights defeated the Huskies in their final regular season game to win the Southland Conference title and then defeated Michigan in the Monthly Bowl. Central Florida had just four returning starters last year and had to replace senior stars Adrian Peterson andeem Harris but it all comes down to the quarterback and technique ofWheeler Price. Is he the equal of Ohio St.’s Troy Smith or Louisville’s Charlie Whitehurst? That will be the battle that will decide the success of the team in 2006.Central Florida was very inconsistent last year and it all comes down to the quarterback and how he fits into the new offensive system being implemented. Is it a better prospect with a better passer in Price or was Kansas St.’s Dick Nelson the better man? That will be the story for the entire season as the Huskies must find the quarterback to lead this team back to the postseason.