UCF faces the Miami Hurricanes in Dolphin Stadium

Relief might be the word Central Florida coach George O’Leary may have been searching for after the Knights ended a three-game losing streak and beat SMU last Saturday, 31-17.

But the Knights (2-3) face another major hurdle as they travel to Miami and face the Hurricanes (2-3) at Dolphin Stadium. It is the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

And when it comes to these Florida in-state matchups, these games take on a different personality. UCF has 18 players from the greater Miami area on its roster.

“I do think that kids from in the state get jacked up more,’’ O’Leary said. “The interest level from the in-state kids is higher than someone from out of state.’’

O’Leary doesn’t stray from playing a demanding non-conference schedule. South Florida, Boston College and Miami (Fla.) definitely validate the philosophy. The Hurricanes are averaging nearly 32 points per game.

“You aren’t just playing to play,’’ O’Leary said. “You have to win to not just get respect for your conference, but respect for your program too.’’

However, things are far from settled with who is going to be the starting quarterback for the Knights. Last week, Michael Greco relieved Rob Calabrese and helped the Knights score 21 points in the second half against the Mustangs to break a 10-10 tie. But that doesn’t necessarily mean Greco has the job again.

On the contrary, O’Leary said he plans to continue the quarterback competition between the two to see who can govern the offense the best that particular week. But Greco played himself into favor when he converted a 3 rd-and-18 with a 56-yard touchdown pass last week.

Running back Ronnie Weaver also broke out with 123 yards last week. However, this will be a better test against arguably the fastest team the Knights will face this season.

Miami (Fla.) is still in a different growth stage under second-year coach Randy Shannon. But the Hurricanes are also trying to find a way to finish games. While they have defeated their easier non-conference foes, they have lost to the other two in-state rivals in Florida and Florida State and then couldn’t finish off North Carolina.

Miami’s offense has had its moments with quarterback Robert Mavre who has completed only 57 percent of his passes with five touchdown passes. The UCF defense also has to find a way take away the effectiveness of the Hurricane rushing attack. Graig Cooper has averaged 5.4 yards per carry and carries big-play potential with a 51-yard touchdown.

The first quarter will tell a lot about the Knights staying with the Hurricanes. If they can, they set themselves up. But there’s a lot of pressure on the offense. It’s a given the Hurricanes will make some plays. The Knights have no choice but to do the same.

Prediction: Miami (Fla.) 33, UCF 10

Notable

• UCF is 11-13 all-time against other Florida schools since the program started in 1979.
• This is a homecoming for UCF athletic director Keith Tribble. He was the CEO of the Orange Bowl Committee for the 13 years before coming to UCF in 2006.

Central Florida (2-3) at Miami (Fla.) (2-3)
Time: 3:45 p.m. EDT
Site: Dolphin Stadium
TV: ESPNU
Series: 1st meeting between the two schools