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UCF Knights 2012 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (CUSA) – Central Florida Knights

Central Florida has been one of the top programs in Conference USA for the last few years. George O’Leary has done a lot for this program in his time at the school.

The 2011 season didn’t go as planned though, and the team finished 5-7.

Conference USA 2012-2013 College Football Previews: Central Florida Knights
Head Coach: George O’Leary
2011 Record: 5-7
UCF Gambling Odds from JustBet to win BCS Championship: (Part of Field) +1,800
UCF Gambling Odds from 5Dimes to win Conference USA: +275
UCF Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2012 Schedule –>

Hopes were high for this year, but a few days ago the school received a postseason ban for this year from the NCAA for major recruiting violations.

How will the team respond?

It is important to note that the school is appealing the football team’s postseason ban, but that usually doesn’t get very far with the NCAA. The Knights are the preseason favorites in Conference USA because of the talent that returns from last season. This is a rare team inside Conference USA that a very solid defense.

Team Strengths:

UCF has the kind of depth in the backfield that you would expect from a team in a power conference, not C-USA. Latavius Murray and Brynn Harvey are both back as talented seniors, but they might not get the majority of the carries now that Storm Johnson is eligible. Johnson transferred in from Miami and starred on the scout team last year. UCF is absolutely stacked at this all-important position.

The Knights front seven on the defensive side of the ball are great at stopping the run. It all starts with two great tackles in the middle of the front line. Josh Wofford and E.J. Dunston are big guys who clog the running lanes well. The linebackers and defensive linemen are all very quick, which helps the Knights cover the entire field well.

Central Florida has tons of quickness in the secondary. Josh Robinson went pro, but the team still has several stars in the secondary. A.j. Bouye and Jordan Ozerities look like guys who will step up and have big seasons. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Team Weaknesses:

One of the main reasons the Knights didn’t live up to expectations in 2011 was the poor play of their offensive front. This group didn’t open up running lanes the way they were expected to last season. It seems like this unit has improved in the offseason, but they have quite a ways still to go.

The defense has been terrific the last few years, but they need to get better at pressuring the opposing quarterback. Last year, UCF ranked 100th in the nation in sacks. Giving the opposing quarterback so much time to throw the football is a recipe for disaster, especially in a pass-heavy league like Conference USA.

2012-2013 UCF Knights Football Prediction: 8-4

UCF will play two opponents in Ohio in their first two weeks of the season. First, they’ll take on the lowly Akron Zips in the season opener. On September 8, the Knights will be at Ohio Stadium to take on the mighty Ohio State Buckeyes under the direction of Urban Meyer. That will be a major early test to see if this team can bounce back from last year’s disappointment. Inside the conference, UCF will have tough road tests at Marshall and Tulsa this year.

The Knights definitely have the best defense in Conference USA. They also have a terrific running game. If this team can put the postseason sanctions on the back burner, I expect them to have a nice bounce back season.

2012 UCF Schedule

8/30/12 7:00 PM ET @AKR
9/8/12 12:00 PM ET @OHIST
9/15/12 TBD FLINT
9/29/12 TBD MISOU
10/4/12 TBD ECAR
10/13/12 TBD SOMIS
10/20/12 TBD @MEM
10/27/12 TBD @MARSH
11/3/12 TBD SMU
11/10/12 TBD @UTEP
11/17/12 TBD @TULSA
11/24/12 TBD UAB

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By Kyle Hunter

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