UCF Knights 2-1 (0-0) -/RV at Navy Midshipmen 0-3 (0-1) -/-
Saturday 02 October 2021
3:30 ET
Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis MD

TELEVISION: CBS SPORTS NETWORK (Online: cbssports.com/cbs-sports-network/)
Play-by-Play: Chick Hernandez, Analyst: Randy Cross, Sideline: Sheehan Stanwick Burch

RADIO: NAVY RADIO NETWORK
Play-by-Play: Pete Medhurst, Analyst: Joe Miller, Sideline: Keith Mills, Studio: Scott Wykoff, Pregame Commentary: John Feinstein
• Satellite: Sirius 134, XM 207, SXM App 967
• WBAL 1090 AM / 101.5 FM (Baltimore)
• WFED 820 AM / 94.3 FM (Frederick, Md.)
• WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.)
• WFED 104.5 FM (W. Fairfax / Loudon, Va.)
• WNAV 1430 AM / 99.9 FM (Annapolis)
• WBQH 93.5 FM (Washington, D.C.)
• WJBT 100.3 FM (Jacksonville)
• WGH 1310 AM / 100.9 FM / 97.3 HD2-3 (Norfolk)

OPENING KICK
• Navy and UCF meet for the third time in series history when the two square off on Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm ET) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Saturday’s game is presented by Truist.
• UCF is the only team Navy has not beaten since joining the AAC in 2015. Navy has also played fewer games against UCF than it has against any other team.
• The UCF game is the second of five-consecutive games in which the Mids will play
the top-five teams in the AAC Preseason Poll. UCF was picked second behind Cincinnati in the preseason poll.
• Navy will play the third-toughest schedule in the country based on opponent winning percentage from 2020. The Mids’ 12 opponents this fall combined for a 72-42 (.632) record last year. Only Arkansas (.644) and UMass (.644) have tougher slates based on last year’s results.
• Senior safety Kevin Brennan, senior wide receiver Mychal Cooper, senior linebacker Diego Fagot and senior slot back Chance Warren have been selected as team captains for the 2021 season.
• Cooper was also chosen to serve as the Captain of the Captains by a vote of the team captains of all 33 of Navy’s varsity sports. It’s the second time in three years that a football player has been selected. Ford Higgins was the Captain of the Captains for the 2019-20 academic year.
• Fagot is on the “Watch Lists” for the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award (Maxwell Football Club) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Football Writers Association of America) which are presented to the top defensive player in college football.
• Fagot was named a Third-Team Preseason All-American by Phil Steele’s College Football Magazine, while Fagot (first team), senior corner Michael McMorris (third team), sophomore nose guard Donald Berniard Jr. (fourth team), senior safety Kevin Brennan (fourth team) and junior kicker Bijan Nichols (fourth team) were named to Steele’s All-AAC team. Fagot is a two-time All-AAC performer, garnering second-team honors by the league’s coaches as a junior and first-team recognition as a sophomore.
• The Naval Academy Athletic Association will retire Chet Moeller’s No. 48 on Saturday. Moeller will be the first defensive player to have his number retired at Navy, joining Joe Bellino (No. 27), Roger Staubach (No. 12), Napoleon McCallum (No. 30) and Keenan Reynolds (No. 19).
• Head coach Ken Niumatalolo earned his 100th-career victory last fall (Oct. 10) when the Mids defeated Temple in Annapolis. He is the 24th active coach with 100-career wins and just the sixth active coach to achieve it at one school.
• Navy is 42-29 (.592) in the Niumatalolo era (2008-present) in one-score games (8 points or less).

SCOUTING UCF
2-1 Overall | 0-0 AAC
Head Coach: Gus Malzahn
• UCF enters Saturday’s game with a 2-1 record, featuring an impressive 36-31 win over Boise State, as well as a 63-14 blowout of Bethune-Cookman. Its only loss was a 42-35 heartbreaker at Louisville. UCF is sixth in the country in points per game (44.3) and third in total offense (559.3 yds/gm).
• The Knights’ roster features 23 transfers from FBS schools, including 16 from the Autonomy Five. UCF has 13 more transfers from the FCS / junior college / prep school ranks.
• UCF has one of the top quarterbacks in the country in Dillon Gabriel, but it appears that Gabriel will not play on Saturday after breaking his clavicle on the final play of the Louisville game. Freshman signal caller Mikey Keene is expected to get the start.
• Northwestern transfer Isaiah Bowser is the team’s leading rusher, carrying the ball 51 times for 268 yards and 5 touchdowns. His 5 rushing touchdowns are the 20th most in the country.
• Sophomore speedster Johnny Richardson has run for 134 yards on just 15 carries (8.9 yds/carry). Richardson is also a threat in the return game where he is ranked 19th nationally in kickoff returns (26.0 yds/return). UCF ranks 12th nationally in rushing offense (252.3 yds/gm).
• Junior Ryan O’Keefe (15 catches / 229 yds / 1 TD), Tennessee transfer Brandon Johnson (15 catches / 151 yds and 3 TDs) and Oklahoma transfer Jaylon Robinson (12 catches / 234 yds and 2 TDs) lead the UCF receiving corps.
• The UCF offense has not lost a fumble all year.
• Sophomore defensive back Quadric Bullard leads the team with 25 tackles, while Kennesaw State transfer linebacker Bryson Armstrong has 18 tackles and a tackle for loss.
• Junior Dyllon Lester is averaging 1.3 pass deflections per game, which ranks 25th nationally.
• The UCF defense ranks 16th nationally against the run, givingup just 78.3 yards per game.

GAME DAY FESTIVITIES
• The Navy football team will arrive at the Blue Angel on the West (Blue) side of the stadium at approximately 1:00 pm. The team will walk down the sidewalk and through NavyFest before walking to the tunnel. Fans are invited to stand on both
sides of the sidewalk to cheer on the players.
• The March-On of the Brigade of Midshipmen will begin at 3:10 pm.
• The National Anthem will take place at 3:21:30 pm, followed by a flyover and a parachute jumper (3:28 pm).
• Kickoff on Saturday is slated for 3:32 pm. Please note there is a chance kickoff and all activities noted above could be pushed back by five minutes if the first game on CBS Sports Network is running long. That decision will be made before the 60-minute clock starts at 2:32 pm.
• The pilots from the pregame flyover will be recognized between the third and fourth quarters.
• Following the game, Navy’s alma mater, Navy Blue & Gold, will be played as the team stands at attention in front of the Brigade of Midshipmen. It is one of the best traditions in all of sports.

Trap game. I think Navy has a chance here. Gonna take them this week.

(09-30-2021 07:52 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  Trap game. I think Navy has a chance here. Gonna take them this week.

Navy offense needs to do for 60 minutes what they did in the first half against Houston. Bryant might wreak havoc, though.
Navy defense has been getting better, too, but UCF's ability to produce on the ground or in the air (even with Gabriel out) will be a challenge. IF the O can eat clock AND put points up, then maybe Newberry's chaos defense can force a freshman mistake or two with the pressure of limited possessions.

Second tough test of a long six weeks after an ugly start.

(09-30-2021 07:52 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  Trap game. I think Navy has a chance here. Gonna take them this week.

There are no “trap” games when you lose your starting quarterback.

(09-30-2021 07:52 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  Trap game. I think Navy has a chance here. Gonna take them this week.

Cent. Fla. will obliterate Navy.


I think

Navy is dreadful. Even with the backup QB’s this will not be close. Just make sure the front 7 wear knee braces

(09-30-2021 08:32 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(09-30-2021 07:52 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  Trap game. I think Navy has a chance here. Gonna take them this week.

Cent. Fla. will obliterate Navy.


I think

Navy actually has flashes of being great. I think they are due for a complete game.

This is a wacky football season.

I'm looking forward to it.

The 2017 UCF game is the only NMCMS game I've missed since returning from five years overseas (six counting deployment) in time for the 2015 season.

Perfect weather for another Navy Gameday

WAKE UPPPPP!!!

It's gameday.

True Freshman QB, I don’t have any expectations for this game. Hoping for the best.

That is a horrendous playcall on 3rd and 10

Again, Rip to my pick 'em. Congrats Navy.

Did I read that score right, or did ESPN Scoreboard have a glitch?

Congrats Navy

Nice work Navy!

Navy beats UCF!

Woo Hoo!

(09-30-2021 08:32 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(09-30-2021 07:52 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  Trap game. I think Navy has a chance here. Gonna take them this week.

Cent. Fla. will obliterate Navy.


I think

Ahem…

Home now.
What a game.

Very happy