UCONN Hosts Central Florida (21) to Open Season

Can Central Florida Do it Again?

The Central Florida Knights and the UCONN Huskies will meet at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. This Thursday Night matchup will kick off the season for both teams. ESPNU has the kickoff at 7 pm.

Oddsmakers opened the Knights as -16.5-point favorites versus the Huskies, while the game's total opened at 69.5. The line is now Central Florida as 24-point favorites. The total is now 70.

Central Florida will be hard-pressed to match its magical undefeated 2017 season. The Knights begin a new campaign in the American Athletic Conference expecting to make noise again. After losing Head Coach Scott Frost it will be tough.

Former Missouri offensive coordinator Josh Heupel takes over as coach.

The Black Knights have won three of the five previous meetings. They had a 49-24 triumph last year in Orlando, Fla.

UCONN Looks to Improve in 2018

Coach Randy Edsall begins the second season of his second stint with the Huskies. He needs to replace nine starters on defense. He has told reporters this freshman class may be the best he has ever had at UConn.

The Huskies' offense is more seasoned with senior David Pindell taking over full time at quarterback. He passed for more than 200 yards in the last three games of 2017, including 201 against UCF.

Edsall told reporters of Pindell: "He seems a lot faster, looks a lot faster than what he was a year (ago). Not a guy that talks a lot, but the kid is really respected, and he's a hard worker."

The Huskies return their top rusher in sophomore Kevin Mensah. He had 561 yards and four TDs. Redshirt freshman Zavier Scott from Texas was listed as the starter on this week's depth chart.

Senior Hergy Mayala had 43 catches, 615 yards, and seven TDs in 2017. He keys the receiving corps that includes five players (also tight end Aaron McLean and wideouts Keyion Dixon, Quayvon Skanes and Tyraiq Beals) who registered at least 30 receptions last season.

Central Florida Has New Coach, but Plenty of Talent

Missouri finished in the top 10 in the nation for total offense last year under Heupel. Heupel is a former Oklahoma quarterback that excelled at his position. McKenzie Milton should prosper despite losing his top receiver Tre'Quan Smith to the NFL. It will be tough to match a 13-0 season.

Junior All-Conference center Jordan Johnson anchors the offensive line for the Knights. They return sophomore Otis Anderson and junior Adrian Killins Jr., who had 790 rushing yards, at running back.  Junior receiver Dredrick Snelson is back. He had 46 catches, 695 yards, and eight TDs.

New defensive coordinator Randy Shannon must replace some key people. Senior linebacker Pat Jasinski had 104 tackles. Senior safety Kyle Gibson had four interceptions. They are expected to lead Shannon's defense.

Junior quarterback McKenzie Milton, who was eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting last year, leads the way for 23rd-ranked UCF and

Prediction: UCF 42, UCONN 21

Recent Form

Name	Record	ATS	Offense	Defense	Diff	ATS Home	ATS Away	OU Record	OU Home	OU Away
Central Florida	13-0	8-4-1	49.50	25.31	24.19	4-3	4-1-1	8-5	6-1	2-4
Connecticut	3-9	5-7	27.67	37.92	-10.25	2-5	3-2	6-6	3-4	3-2

Power Stats

Yards Per Point

Name	Offense	Defense	Differential
UCF	10.25	16.91	-6.65
UCONN	17.68	13.69	4

Yards Per Pass

Name	Offense	Defense	Differential
UCF	14.02	13.35	0.67
UCONN	13.01	12.60	0.41

Yards Per Rush

Name	Offense	Defense	Differential
UCF	4.74	4.17	0.57
UCONN	4.80	4.97	-0.17

Team Records

Central Florida Knights

Name	Record	Home	Away	ATS	ATS Home	ATS Away	Offense	Defense	Diff
Overall	13-0	7-0	6-0	8-4-1	4-3	4-1-1	48.23	25.31	22.92
vs Conf	9-0	5-0	4-0	5-3-1	3-2	2-1-1	46.78	26.89	19.89
Last 3	3-0	2-0	1-0	2-1	1-1	1-0	48.33	41.33	7.00

UCONN Huskies

Name	Record	Home	Away	ATS	ATS Home	ATS Away	Offense	Defense	Diff
Overall	3-9	2-5	1-4	5-7	2-5	3-2	23.58	37.92	-14.34
vs Conf	2-6	1-3	1-3	5-3	2-2	3-1	26.25	38.25	-12.00
Last 3	0-3	0-1	0-2	2-1	0-1	2-0	20.33	36.67	-16.34

Supergrid

Title	Stat	Rank	Stat	Rank
Away Team Overall Scoring vs Home Team Overall Defense	48.23	1	37.92	121
Away Team Road Passing vs Home Team Home Passing Defense	282.67	22	338.71	128
Awy Team Road Rushing vs Home Team Home Rushing Defense	190.00	36	200.86	106
Home Team Overall Scoring vs Away Team Overall Defense	23.58	102	25.31	52
Home Team Home Passing vs Away Team Road Passing Defense	288.00	31	236.50	69
Hme Team Home Rushing vs Away Team Road Rushing Defense	146.57	96	149.17	36

Head To Head Summary

Name	Record	ATS	OU	Score	Rush	YPR	PA	CP	PY	TY	TO +/-
Central Florida	3-2	2-3	4-1	35.40	127.40	4.14	42.00	61.43	310.60	438.00	2.20
Connecticut	2-3	3-2	4-1	26.80	164.60	4.01	30.00	54.67	199.20	363.80	1.40

Head To Head Detail

Date	Away	Home	Score	Line	Total	OU Result	ARY	APY	ATY	ATT	HRY	HPY	HTY	HTT	Away Team Attempts	Home Team Attempts	Away Team Completions	Home Team Completions
Nov 11, 2017	UCONN	UCF	24-49	212	201	413	2	173	346	519	1
Oct 22, 2016	UCF	UCONN	24-16	83	317	400	0	171	242	413	0
Oct 10, 2015	UCONN	UCF	40-13	170	263	433	0	60	255	315	4
Nov 1, 2014	UCF	UCONN	29-37	145	284	429	4	179	148	327	1
Oct 26, 2013	UCONN	UCF	17-62	91	142	233	4	176	351	527	2

NCAA Football Betting and Odds Trends

UCF Knights
Central Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Central Florida's last 5 games
Central Florida is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Central Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Central Florida's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Central Florida's last 5 games when playing Connecticut

UCONN Huskies
Connecticut is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Connecticut is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games
Connecticut is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Connecticut's last 7 games
Connecticut is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games at home
Connecticut is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Connecticut's last 20 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Connecticut's last 5 games when playing Central Florida

Team Last 5 Games

Central Florida Knights

Date	Opponent	score	Result	line	ATS Result	offensive rush yards	offensive passing yards	offensive total yards	defensive rush yards	defensive passing yards	defensive total yards	turnovers	Location
Jan 1, 2018	AUBRN	34-27	W	15/70.5	W/U	169	242	411	90	331	421	-2	A
Dec 2, 2017	MEMPHS	62-55	W	-6.5/80	W/O	232	494	726	282	471	753	2	H
Nov 24, 2017	USF	49-42	W	-10/65	L/O	160	373	533	150	503	653	-1	H
Nov 18, 2017	TEMPLE	45-19	W	-13/58.5	W/O	130	254	384	196	201	397	-5	A
Nov 11, 2017	UCONN	49-24	W	-39.5/64	L/O	173	346	519	212	201	413	-1	H

UCONN Huskies

Date	Opponent	score	Result	line	ATS Result	offensive rush yards	offensive passing yards	offensive total yards	defensive rush yards	defensive passing yards	defensive total yards	turnovers	Location
Nov 25, 2017	CINCIN	21-22	L	6.5/58.5	W/U	176	273	449	136	199	335	0	A
Nov 18, 2017	BOST.C	16-39	L	21/51	L/O	171	241	412	330	55	385	2	H
Nov 11, 2017	UCF	24-49	L	39.5/64	W/O	212	201	413	173	346	519	1	A
Nov 4, 2017	USF	20-37	L	23/63.5	W/U	148	176	324	217	385	602	-1	H
Oct 28, 2017	MIZZOU	12-52	L	13/75.5	L/U	121	233	354	175	408	583	0	H

Next up:
UCF home to South Carolina State Saturday, September 8
UCONN at Boise State Saturday, September 8

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