UCF @ Tulsa football preview

Central Florida’s weather forecast with recent competition has been filled with – pardon the pun – a lot of hurricanes.

Two weeks ago, the Knights faced the Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes in Miami. On Sunday, they travel to Tulsa to take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. This is a re-match of the 2005 and 2007 CUSA championship games. Central Florida won both.

Based on what the Knight offense has done throughout the season, it could get really nasty. It’s bad enough that the Central Florida offense is struggling. Now it has to take on the Conference USA’s best team, which owns the nation’s best offense.

Tulsa is averaging 624 yards and 56 points per game and just put 77 points and 791 yards against UTEP last week.

“They are a fast break offense like in basketball,’’ Knights coach George O’Leary said. “Defending them, you have to be able to get after the quarterback with just your front four. Second, can [we] sustain drives so it is not three and out and our defense is in poor position out there.’’

Then flip that to UCF. At 17.7 points per game, the Knights rank 108 th out of 119 teams. At 248 yards per game, the Knights are the nation’s worst at 119th.

The Knights are coming off a tightly contested 20-14 loss at Miami (Fla.). But the offense only scored one touchdown. The other came on Johnell Neal’s 62-yard interception return.

Passing the football continues to be the major issue. Between Rob Calabrese and Michael Greco, the two have combined for 736 yards and five touchdowns. Greco was dealing with an ankle injury but O’Leary said he was back at full speed.

But the running game has been equally frustrating. After his 121-yard rushing performance two weeks ago, freshman Ronnie Weaver managed only 12 against Miami (Fla.). For the game, the Knights netted only four yards.

So there will be a lot pressure placed on the Central Florida defense. And the last time the Knights went on the road in CUSA play, it didn’t turn out so well as the Knights surrendered 55 points at UTEP.

Still, the Knights know that one way they can stay in the game is if they can limit the Golden Hurricane running attack. Tulsa will use reverses, lead plays and draws but have garnered a lot of success as it has averaged 267 yards per game, which is seventh in the nation. But the Knights rushing defense (108.3) is ranked 27 th in the nation.

They also need to force some turnovers. Their defense has 13 interceptions this year, which is tied for fourth in the nation. But the question will be kind of pass rush can it generate against Tulsa quarterback David Johnson who has thrown for 2,397 yards and 31 touchdowns.

If it’s a scoring frenzy, the Knights simply cannot keep pace.

Prediction: Tulsa 48, UCF 13

Notable

• UCF won both Conference USA championship games over Tulsa in Orlando.

UCF (2-4, 1-1) @ No. 19 Tulsa (7-0, 4-0)
Time: 8 p.m. Sunday
Site: Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium, Tulsa, Ok.
TV: ESPN
Series: 4th meeting. Central Florida leads, 2-1