Central Florida @ Missouri preview
Faurot Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2012 ) Missouri 21, Central Florida 16
Central Florida has been a giant killer in recent years, but the Knights will have their hands full with a prolific passing attack when they travel to face No. 22 Missouri on Saturday. The Knights are aiming for their third straight win against a ranked opponent and their seventh consecutive road win. The Tigers, who won the only previous meeting 21-16 in Orlando in 2012, are trying to start 3-0 for the seventh time in the past nine seasons.
The Knights had a week off to regroup from a 26-24 loss to Penn State in the Croke Park Classic in Ireland, where Central Florida rallied to take the lead before the Nittany Lions hit a game-winning field goal as time expired. Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after passing for a career-high 325 yards and five touchdowns and adding a rushing score in last week's 49-24 win at Toledo. Mauk, who leads the FBS with eight touchdown passes, will look to exploit a Central Florida secondary that gave up a whopping 454 passing yards against the Nittany Lions.
TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: Missouri -10.
ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (0-1): The Knights had a dreadful first half in Dublin, but the offense came to life in the second half with backup quarterback Justin Holman at the helm. Holman went 9-for-14 for 204 yards and a score and also rushed for two touchdowns to earn the starting nod against the Tigers. While the offense lost a lot from last year's 12-1 team, including third overall draft pick Blake Bortles under center, the defense returned 24 letterwinners and was dominant against the run in the opener, holding Penn State to 57 yards on the ground.
ABOUT MISSOURI (2-0): Mauk had a chance to show Missouri what he could do when pressed into action last season, but there were major questions surrounding his receiving corps entering 2014. Bud Sasser has emerged as a big-time playmaker and hauled in five catches for 121 yards and a TD against Toledo, and Darius White has caught three TD passes and averaged 21.7 yards on his seven receptions. The defense has held its own despite losing three starters to the NFL draft, but has been far from dominant, allowing 387.5 yards and 21 points per contest.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Missouri has forced a turnover in 46 consecutive games dating to 2010, the longest current streak in the NCAA.
2. Central Florida WR Rannell Hall, who missed the Penn State game with an elbow injury, has caught a pass in 28 consecutive games. He is questionable versus Missouri.
3. Sasser, White and Jimmie Hunt each had at least five catches and one touchdown versus Toledo.
PREDICTION: Missouri 37, Central Florida 24