SMU @ UCF preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 7, 2013 ) Central Florida 17, Southern Methodist 13

UCF has its sights on a second straight American Athletic Conference championship, but a loss to SMU would cripple its cause. The Knights look to post their seventh win in eight games when they host the winless Mustangs on Saturday. With a 4-1 AAC mark, UCF enters the weekend a half-game back of Memphis (5-1) in the league standings and tied with Cincinnati (4-1).

"You've got to go out and practice every day and have a sense of urgency," Knights coach George O'Leary told the Orlando Sentinel. "(SMU) had a tough season, but I respect everybody. Again, you can't afford to have a letup at this time of the year, especially in the position we're in with three remaining games." The Mustangs have lost 11 straight dating to Nov. 23 of last season and suffered a heartbreaking defeat to South Florida last week. The teams also differ in their offensive production, as the Knights have averaged 31.3 points over the last three games while the Mustangs have scored more than 13 points only twice all season.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNews. LINE: UCF -28

ABOUT SMU (0-9, 0-5 AAC): The Mustangs fell to South Florida last week when they allowed a touchdown with four seconds left. “There were five or six ways we could have won the game,” SMU interim coach Tom Mason said after his team squandered a 13-0 fourth-quarter lead. “Whatever way you look at it, we didn’t get the job done.” Mike White (two TD passes) and Marlon Mack (98 yards on 18 touches) put SMU in position for its first win, but the team still came up short in a winnable game for the second straight week.

ABOUT UCF (6-3, 4-1): The Knights are seventh in the nation in total defense and passing defense, having given up 14 or fewer points in five of their last seven games. Justin Holman passed for a career-high three touchdowns in last week's 31-7 victory over Tulsa, while Dontravious Wilson had a career-high 87 rushing yards and scored his first collegiate touchdown. Wilson could provide a nice complement to fellow sophomore William Stanback, who struggled against the Golden Hurricane after enjoying the best game of his career (28 carries, 141 yards, two TDs) in the previous game against Connecticut.

EXTRA POINTS

1. UCF has won five of six all-time meetings with SMU.

2. SMU is averaging 10 points - the lowest figure in the FBS - and ranks next-to-last with 274 yards per contest.

3. Opposing quarterbacks have thrown 25 touchdowns and two interceptions against the Mustangs.

PREDICTION: UCF 44, SMU 19