UCF fired up for Florida Gators face-off in The Swamp: ‘A whole different ball game’

ORLANDO, Fla. – The buzz around UCF’s upcoming football season is electric, but there’s one game in particular that has Knights – players and fans alike – circling Oct. 5 on their calendars: the day they’ll face off against the Florida Gators.

Thursday afternoon was Media Day at UCF, where head coach Gus Malzahn and players and coaches on both sides of the ball spoke with reporters about the upcoming season. The Knights’ second season in the Big 12 Conference kicks off on Aug. 29 against New Hampshire – a game that several players said they were looking forward to.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 29: A general view of the pressbox at FBC Mortgage Stadium during a game between the UCF Knights and the Cincinnati Bearcats on October 29, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

“First game of the season. Set the tone. My focus is strictly on New Hampshire,” said UCF quarterback and team captain KJ Jefferson, who was recently plucked out of the NCAA transfer portal.

He made his debut for the Knights at the Spring Game earlier this year, throwing for 271 yards and two touchdowns.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 28: KJ Jefferson #1 of the Arkansas Razorbacks holds the Liberty Bowl trophy after defeating the Kansas Jayhawks after the AutoZone Liberty Bowl at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on December 28, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

“I’m ready for the first one. We have a lot of big games, so it’s nothing that I can’t, cannot look forward to,” said wide receiver Kobe Hudson. “It’s a lot of high expectations, and I’m just ready to go out there and prove to the world that we’re not an average team, we’re better than an average team, and I have high expectations for it. I’m just ready for the first game, and to see how the atmosphere is, and I know a lot of people are excited…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ucf-fired-florida-gators-face-215611204.html

Author : WOFL

Publish date : 2024-08-01 21:56:11

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