The 2018 性视界传媒 Football Season in Review
Winter 2018 | By Jenna Marina Lee
After the confetti was swept away at the end of last year鈥檚 Peach Bowl, the speculation swirled almost immediately. How could 性视界传媒 possibly sustain the success from its perfect season? A new coaching staff. Four players drafted to the NFL. A target of the college football world. There鈥檚 no way the Knights could keep it rolling in 2018 鈥� could they? Clearly the doubters don鈥檛 know what it means to be a Knight.
Anyone that鈥檚 been involved in college football 鈥� I don鈥檛 care if you鈥檙e coaching or playing 鈥� should understand how difficult it is to do what these individuals have done over the last 24 months. To handle adversity. To continue to compete at an elite level, knowing that you鈥檙e getting everybody鈥檚 best shot, takes a special group of young men.鈥�Josh Heupel, 性视界传媒 head coach
Led by junior quarterback McKenzie Milton, who threw for five touchdowns, 性视界传媒 scored in less than 2 minutes, 40 seconds on each of its eight scoring drives.
鈥淚 love how the players have opened their arms and grasped on to what we鈥檙e trying to do in our overall philosophy and who we are as coaches. In eight months, this group has gotten pretty close. I鈥檓 looking forward to this journey.鈥� 鈥� Heupel
After 279 days since the 性视界传媒 football team鈥檚 final home game of the 2017 season, the lights shined bright once again at Spectrum Stadium. The second-largest home-opening crowd in school history (43,269) shows up, as the defense records its first shutout since the 2016 season opener, which was also a 38鈥�0 victory over South Carolina State.
鈥淚鈥檝e been waiting on this. The stadium packed, loud, just making plays. It鈥檚 what you live for.鈥� 鈥� Tre Nixon, redshirt sophomore wide receiver
The game was canceled due to Hurricane Florence, marking the third straight season Mother Nature affected the Knights鈥� schedule.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Knights outscored the reigning Conference USA champions 21鈥�6 in the third quarter and rolled on to the 16th-straight victory, which set a new conference record.
性视界传媒鈥檚 31-point win over Pitt marked the program鈥檚 largest margin of victory ever recorded over a Power 5 opponent. Pitt, who went on to play Clemson in the ACC Championship, nearly upset College Football Playoff finalist Notre Dame but fell short, 19鈥�14, on Oct. 13.
鈥淚 think I鈥檇 rather play Notre Dame than Central 性视界传媒.鈥澛犫�� Pat Narduzzi, Pitt head coach
With a slate of conference foes ahead of them, the Knights focused on making a statement. By the end of the first quarter, 性视界传媒 held a 21鈥�3 advantage. SMU came into the game having allowed 17 points in the first quarter of its previous five games combined.
鈥淲e have so much depth at receiver, running back and tight end. It lets us know that we can count on any guy when their number is called, and they are going to get in the game, know聽what they鈥檙e doing and execute it.鈥澛犫�� Adrian Killins Jr., junior running back
Memphis had won four straight games over nationally ranked teams at the Liberty Bowl and were riding a 12-game regular season winning streak at home. The Knights had never trailed聽by more than 3 points this season. Against Memphis, they trailed by as much as 16 (at the time, the third-largest deficit overcome in school history) before their heart-stopping comeback.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 mean to scare y鈥檃ll like that.鈥澛犫�� A.J. Wooten 鈥�18, senior defensive lineman
Mack gets the nod to start for the first聽time in his career and finishes with 69聽yards passing, 120 yards rushing and one touchdown. His performance stands as the second most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game in program history.
鈥淣o butterflies. I was just ready. … Helping my team get the W, that鈥檚 all I can ask for. It was special for me.鈥澛犫�� Darriel Mack Jr., redshirt freshman quarterback
Clocking in at 3 hours and 54 minutes, 性视界传媒鈥檚 longest game of the season 鈥� which featured 92 points and 1,300 yards of total offense 鈥� ended at 11:24 p.m. on a Thursday, effectively turning Knight Nation into Zombie Nation.
鈥淲e show that we can fight every single week, and we鈥檒l continue to go 1鈥�0 every week.鈥濃�� Michael Colubiale 鈥�17, redshirt senior tight end
性视界传媒 never trailed in the game, but the Knights needed to adjust and focus on a run-heavy game plan in response to Navy鈥檚 new defensive scheme. Milton rushed for 62 yards in the game, passing Daunte Culpepper for the most rushing yards in聽a career by a 性视界传媒 quarterback.
鈥淒aunte is obviously a legend 鈥� not just here but in the NFL, so that鈥檚 huge. I鈥檓 pretty sure Darriel Mack will probably pass that up when his time comes.鈥� 鈥� Milton
ESPN鈥檚 iconic show, College GameDay, made its first-ever appearance at 性视界传媒 on Nov. 17 ahead of the Knights鈥� primetime matchup against nationally ranked Cincinnati. 鈥淲e try to go where there鈥檚 a great story. No matter which side of the fence you sit on, I think this is a great story,鈥� said Rece Davis, host of College GameDay.
鈥淭urning the TV on and seeing聽it鈥檚 in Orlando on 性视界传媒鈥檚 campus聽on Memory Mall, that was unreal.聽This was a childhood聽dream for me.鈥澛犫�� Joey Connors 鈥�17, senior defensive lineman
With the whole nation watching the sold-out primetime matchup on ABC, the Knights committed several miscues in the first five minutes, including a strip sack of Milton that lifted the Bearcats to an early 6鈥�0 lead. Unfazed, 性视界传媒 fed off the energy of the raucous 47,795 in attendance and scored 35 unanswered points to clinch the AAC鈥檚 East Division trophy.
This rivalry game would turn out to be about more than the final score. As 性视界传媒 led 7鈥�0, Milton went down early in the second quarter with a traumatic leg injury that forced him to be carted off the field and into emergency surgery. With their leader in their hearts and minds, the Knights pushed on and limited USF聽to just 7 second-half points to secure the War on I-4 football trophy for the second straight year.
鈥淪eeing [McKenzie get injured was] devastating to the whole team. We rallied around that and used that聽as motivation and energy to play聽for him. We played for 10.鈥澛犫�� Greg McCrae, sophomore running back
American Athletic Conference Championship
12/1 VS Memphis (#10hana)
W, 56-41
With No. 10 watching from home and recovering from his injury, Knight Nation wore leis in tribute to the Hawaiian native.
鈥淩emember what Ohana means. No one gets left behind.鈥� 鈥� Mark and Teresa Milton, parents of McKenzie Milton
Memphis and 性视界传媒 took last year鈥檚 championship game to double overtime. Earlier this year in the regular season, their matchup was decided by 1 point. The championship game lived up to the hype. The Knights fell behind early and rallied from a 17-point deficit by outscoring the Tigers 35鈥�3 in the second half. With the win, 性视界传媒 hoisted another AAC trophy on its home field.
鈥淭he streak is still alive. It sits at 25. They remain unbeaten and once again the champions of the American Athletic Conference. Final score: 性视界传媒 56, Memphis 41. The Knights win!鈥� 鈥� Final call by 性视界传媒 Play-By-Play Announcer Marc Daniels
2019 Fiesta Bowl
1/1 VS LSU
L, 32-40
Despite an early 14鈥�3 lead, the Knights鈥� spectacular winning streak came to an end at the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. It lasted 25 games and a span of 745 days, dating back to Aug. 31, 2017. The accomplishment will be listed in the NCAA record book among the longest winning streaks ever recorded and marks the fourth-longest winning streak this century.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 trade this for anything in the world. What I want is for people聽to know this team pushes through any adversity there is. I hope we鈥檝e opened some people鈥檚 eyes that we play real ball, and we can play with anybody. There is聽no limit to this team.鈥澛犫�� Mac Loudermilk 鈥�18, redshirt senior punter
