If UCF is going to finish off another regular season without a loss, they will do so from here on out without quarterback McKenzie Milton. Milton was carted off the field with his right leg in a cast on his way off the field with what appeared to be a devastating injury early in the second quarter. But UCF owns a 17-3 lead on South Florida in Tampa as this game shifts to a battle of backup quarterbacks.
South Florida is playing without Blake Barnett in the offense, instead going with Chris Oladokun and Brett Kean splitting the snaps as Barnett is banged up. In the absence of Milton, UCF is continuing on offense with Darriel Mack. Milton will not return to the game.
South Florida had a great opportunity to strike first in the first quarter but the Bulls failed to capitalize. Nick Roberts intercepted a pass from UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton and returned the football to the UCF 12-yard line. But the Bulls offense could not do anything with the red zone possession. Johnny Ford was handed the football on four straight plays, and the drive stalled at the UCF 3-yard line with a fourth-down stop by the Knights.
That was a problem for South Florida because UCF then marched quickly down the field for a 97-yard touchdown drive fueled by Milton through the air and Adrian Killins on the ground. A sideline catch by Gabriel Davis for a gain of 38 yards was the highlight of the drive, and Davis scored a touchdown on a free play on an offside penalty by South Florida.
Shortly after Milton was carted off the field, UCF extended the lead to 10-0 with a field goal off the leg of Matthew Wright. A 40-yard touchdown run by Greg McCrae later in the second quarter gave UCF a 17-0 lead.
Even without Milton, the UCF offense is still a stiff challenge for South Florida to figure out at the half. But the Bulls need to figure out how to crack the UCF defense first for any of that to mean anything after halftime.