Four score and seven years ago, a rivalry was born between the football teams of the University of Connecticut and the University of Central Florida. Their first meeting was on October 26th, 2013, with the Knights shooting down UConn in a 62-17 blowout. Future #3 overall pick Blake Bortles threw four touchdowns and ran for another against the winless Huskies. On November 1, 2014, the Huskies pierced the Knights’ armor with a 37-29 victory that accounted for UCF’s only conference loss of the season. Andrew Adams reeled in three interceptions to level the series at one win apiece.
UConn Head Coach Bob Diaco threw down the gauntlet in the off-season, declaring the confrontation a Civil ConFLiCT. But will his bravado awaken an 0-5 UCF team? The Huskies will march 1,214 miles south to find out. Perhaps the Floridian climate will warm up a UConn team that has lost three straight. Will the Huskies take the shine out of the Knights’ armor? Or will the Knights strike again?
Orlando-based UCF has Disney magic on its side. Its home winning streak against conference foes has reached lucky 13. Its starting quarterback (Justin Holman) has healed just in time for Saturday’s game. Its offense has been practicing all week to leave UConn’s defense Frozen. Its defense has been working on turning the Husky offense into a Sleeping Beauty. And its special teams has been working on getting UConn Tangled.
Will UCF have UConn running around like 101 Dalmations? Or will the Huskies have the ammunition to take the Lee-d away from their southern counterparts? We will find out on Saturday in a battle of the people, by the people, and for the people. Let the Civil ConFLiCT begin.
