The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • C9

Sunday, September 11, 2016 Orlando Sentinel C9 COLLEGE FOOTBALL KNIGHTS GAME DAY REPORT Nov. 12 Cincy Time TBA TVTBA MiWHI Sept. 3 S.C. State 38-0 (1-0) Sept. 10 Michigan 51-14 (1-1) Sept.

17 Maryland 7 p.m. CBSSpt Net Sept. 24 FIU 7 p.m. beIN Sports Oct.l Carolina Time TBA TVTBA Oct. 7 Tulane 8 p.m.

ESPN2U Oct. 15 Temple Time TBA Time TBA Oct. 22 UConn Time TBA TVTBA Oct. 29 Houston Time TBA TVTBA Nov. 19 Tulsa Time TBA TVTBA Nov.

26 USF Time TBA TVTBA KNIGHTS' BRUISING LOSS Jordan Aldns' 17-yard reception late in the fourth quarter, UCF's longest receptions were 13-yard passes to Dredrick Snelson and Taylor Oldham from both Holman and backup quarterback Nick Patti. Patti completed 3 of 11 passes for 37 yards and was sacked just once. But Frost said Michigan's defense led by new defensive coordinator Don Brown played a bigger role in UCF's struggles. Brown joined Michigan's staff this season after helping Boston College's defense rank No. 1 in the country in 2015.

"Our execution in the passing game needs to be better, but that's their strategy is take away everything easy," Frost said. "Usually in games like that, you gotta hit some big plays or you don't get anything. We hit a few big plays just not enough of them." UCF players said they weren't hanging their heads after the 37-point loss. They have to prepare for another challenging contest next Saturday at home against Maryland. "I lliink we just have to take positives from week to week, win or lose.

We take a bunch of positives, stay together," Patti said. "The message from Coach Frost was for us to come together tighter and tighter as a team win or lose, and today was gonna test that. And we have to do a good job as seniors and the guys who have been around." sgreen orlandosentinel.com Holman sidelined during UCF's expected blowout defeat at Michigan By Shannon Green Staff Writer ANN ARBOR, Mich. -From the start, UCF knew it was facing a mammoth challenge squaring off against No. 5 Michigan on the road.

So the 51-14 loss wasn't the biggest blow for the Knights, who are climbing back from a winless 2015 season. The bigger challenge was losing senior quarterback Justin Holman, again, to an injury in the second game of the season Last year, Holman suffered a broken finger during UCF's first drive on the road against Stanford. On the road against Michigan, he appeared to tweak his hamstring during a 35 -yard scramble the team's second-longest rush of the game at the time late in the second quarter. Holman left the game in the second quarter having completed just 3 of 11 passes for 19 yards and no touchdown passes. He was sacked twice.

Holman did not return for the second half. "We have a policy where we won't talk about injuries," UCF coach Scott Frost said after the game. "He wasn't able to come back in the second half, and I'm not sure we would have played him just to make sure that he's healthy going forward. We look forward to having him back." The Knights (1-1), who Michigan's Rasha Gary wraps up UCF QB Justin Holman for Stadium. Holman, who passed for just 19 yards, left with an ERIC SEALSTNS a sack during the first half of Saturday's game at Michigan aparent leg injury late in the 2nd quarter and did not return.

Michigan led 34-7 at half-time. Senior inside linebacker Chequan Burkett served as a spark plug, filling in for Brim. Burkett contributed to two pass breakups against Michigan's tight ends in the second half and led the team with nine tackles. UCF's run defense showed the biggest improvement. Last week, Michigan running back Chris Evans rushed for 112 yards 87 of those coming in one spectacular run by freshman Adrian Killins.

He tied Kevin Smith's 2007 rush against Marshall for the longest touchdown run in school history. The Knights had some success on the ground and with their run defense, but they still have glaring holes in their pass game. UCF collected just 56 passing yards despite boasting a talented group of receivers. Before played in front of announced crowd of 109,295, had two additional players sidelined before halftime. Senior cornerback D.J.

Killings left due to an injury and linebacker Demeitrie Brim was ejected for a targeting penalty. Despite the losses on the defensive side of the ball, UCF was able to slow Michigan's offense, limiting the Wolverines (2-0) to 17 points in the second half. defense; we've got to find ways to throw the ball on offense. There's a lot to fix, but there's also a lot to be excited about." Normally, I would roll my eyes at such positive pabulum after such a blowout loss, but I was actually thinking the same thing as this UCF ran almost 300 yards Knights ran for more yardage fourth quarter just to get to 100. That tells me our guys are playing hard and fighting, and that's what I wanted to see today.

I wanted to see us come up here, accept the challenge and come out swinging." Actually, UCF came out stumbling. Who knows how the game might have progressed if the Knights hadn't started the game playing abysmally on special teams. The blueprint for playing in the Big House is to come out of the box with a bang and quickly take the massive crowd of 109,295 out of the game. Instead, UCF came out of the box with a whimper and got the crowd into the game. The Knights had their first punt partially blocked, their second punt almost blocked, a field goal blocked and ldckoff return blunder.

Michigan led 21-0 before the first quarter was even over with all the scores coming on short fields after UCF special teams miscues. Don't get me wrong, Michigan was the far superior team, but we knew that BIANCHI Continued from Page CI Michigan's powerful, pulverizing offensive and defensive lines, but that's not what happened at all. In fact, if the Knights had had a clue on special teams, the game might have actually been more of a game. Obviously, it depends on your perspective, but UCF coach Scott Frost and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh had completely different assessments of the game. Harbaugh, enjoying the resurgence of his alma mater, said his offensive and defensive lines took care of business and "got the job done physically." Frost, who inherited a winless team and is desperately searching for all the positives he can find, said UCF won the battle of the trenches.

"The score is what it is, but we out-hit those guys today," Frost said afterward. "Standing on the sideline, there's no doubt which team was hitting harder. We need to fix some things in pass UCF REPORT DAVE REGINEKGETTY IMAGES against Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines Saturday. The than any team on Michigan's schedule ran for a year ago. yards on eight carries against Hawaii.

He was held to just 35 yards on nine carries and the Wolverines rushed for 119 yards collectively. "Their entire run game was our target," Burkett said. "We were working to hold and stop the run game and make sure that we fit our gaps properly and make sure we tackle well." UCF's running backs combined for 275 rushing pared with Michigan's 119 rushing yards and 2.9 yards per carry. 'Jim Harbaugh teams are physical; that's what his teams are known for," Frost said. "It's rare you can come up to Michigan and run for 300 yards on them.

They had to run a fly sweep in the Parris was a 15th-round draft pick and journeyman tight end in the NFL; Dierdorf was an Ail-American offensive tackle at Michigan who would go onto to become an NFL legend. "It's sort of cool that we're both broadcasters now," Parris said with a smile. "The only difference is that he's a Hall-of-Famer." BIG HOUSE: The UCF at Michigan football game drew an announced crowd of 109,295 and was broadcast nationally on ABC. It was the largest crowd the Knights have competed in front of in school history and the first 100,000 audience it has faced since 2012. Overall, the program has played before crowd five times, with two of those contests coming against Perm State.

UCF played at Ohio State in 2012 in front of 104,745 fans, falling 31-16. UCF played at Perm State in 2002 in front of 103,029 coming in. The Wolverines are the No. 5 team in the country a big, fast, disciplined team with an elite coach who has restored the storied program's pride and passion. Michigan has won more games than any team in college football history; UCF didn't win a game last year.

All UCF fans could hope for on Saturday was something anything to feel good about They, at least, got that How's this for progress: UCF scored more points on Michigan than the Florida Gators did in the Citrus Bowl last season. How's this for progress: The worst offense in the country last year (UCF) ran for more yardage on Saturday than any team on Michigan's schedule ran for a year ago. "Hail! to the moral victors, Hail, there's no reason for dread, Hail, hail to U-C-F, They almost covered the spread!" mbianchi orlandosentinel.com SATURDAY'S BOX Michigan 51, UCF 14 UCF Michigan 0 7 21 13 7 0-14 10 7-51 First quarter Butt 3 p.f. Speight (Allen kick), 8:48 Hill run run (Allen kick), 3:29 Darboh 45 p.f. Spght (Alln kick), 1:55 Second quarter FG Allen 24, 14:17 Butt 14 pass from Speight (Allen), 11:30 UCF: Killins 87 run (Wright kick), 11:10 FG Allen 36, 6:07 Third quarter Hill 1 run (Allen kcik), 11:47 FG Allen, 37, 9:44 UCF: Wilson 36 run (Wright kick), 8:03 Fourth quarter Darboh 30 pass from Speight (Allen kick), 10:24 TEAM STATS UCF First downs 15 23 Rushes-yards 46-275 41-119 Passing 56 328 Comp-att-int 6-22-0 27-41-0 Return yards 61 59 Punts-avg.

Fumbles-lost 3-1 2-0 Penalties-yards 9-76 2-20 Time of possession 25:35 34:25 Rushing: UCF, Killins 1-87, D.Wilson 17-81, Holman 7-46, Hamilton 12-39, Patti 8-21, Snelson 1-1. Michigan, D. Smith 10-38, Evans 9-35, Higdon 6-21, McDoom 1-16, Crawford 1-11, Hill 5-9, Isaac 3-6, O'Korn 2-4, Hirsch 1-2, Allen l-(-ll), Speight 2-(-12) Passing: UCF, Patti 3-11-0-37, Holman 3-11-0-19. Michigan, Speight 25-37-0-312, O'Korn 2-4-0-16 Receiving: UCF, Oldham 3-29, Akins 1-17, Snelson 1-13, D. Wilson l-(-3).

Michigan, Darboh 5-111, Butt 7-86, Chesson 4-84, Poggi 2-10, Hill 2-9, Bunting 2-6, D. Smith 2-3, Jocz 1-12, McDoom 1-5, Evans 1-2 Crowded sideline forces UCF to miss anthem game progressed. You take away the sacks and UCF ran for 312 yards, including an 87-yard TD run by freshman speedster Adrian Killins and a 34-yard run by senior training back Dontravious Wilson Even with the sacks, UCF ran for 275 yards and six yards per carry; com Saturday they were rivals in the radio booth with Dierdorf serving as the color analyst for Michigan and Parris as the color analyst for UCF. "It's been a long time since I saw him; I'm surprised he actually remembered who I was," Parris said from his radio perch at Michigan Stadium. fans, falling 27-24.

UCF played at Penn State in 2004 in front of 101,715 fans, falling 45-20 And UCF played at Texas in 2009 in front of 101,003 fans, falling 35-3. CAPTAINS: UCF brothers Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin, tight end Cal Bloom and offensive lineman Wyatt Miller were selected as game captains for the game against Michigan. Saturday's contest marked the ninth time UCF played a Big Ten team in program history. SCOUT WATCH: At least six professional football scouts were scheduled to attend the game, with the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers and the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders reserving seats for the contests. Shannon Green and Mike Bianchi UCF drew some fan criticism on Twitter for not making it out to the field in time for the national anthem.

Players stood in the tunnel as Michigan's band started to play the star-spangled banner and volunteers, standing near the Knights' sideline, pulled out two large flags. "They wouldn't let us out there and there wasn't any room on our sideline, anyway. I would have loved to have been out there," UCF coach Scott Frost said. "There were 100 people on our sideline and they held us in the tunnel." FIRST LOSS: Entering the Michigan game, Frost hadn't lost a game since Oct 10, 2015, a 45-38 overtime loss to Washington State when he was the offensive coordinator for Oregon. Overall, Frost is 104-19 since becoming a full-time assistant coach at Northern Iowa in 2007.

UCF is his first head DAVE REGINEKGETTY IMAGES Running back Dontravious Wilson celebrates with teammates after scoring a third-quarter touchdown Saturday. coaching job and he holds a 1-1 record. RADIO REUNION: UCF and Michigan have never played each other, but there was still a reunion in the Big House press box. Dan Dierdorf and Gary Parris were teammates for the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals in 1979 and 1980, but.