DATE CIRCLED: UCF gets long-awaited crack at Louisville after last year's damaging loss

ORLANDO — No sooner did UCF handle its business last Thursday night, with an expectedly comfortable 56-10 win over South Carolina State, did the Knights' attention turn to Louisville.

"Definitely got that game circled," fifth-year senior running back Isaiah Bowser said.

And with good reason.

Bowser exited in the first half of last year's trip to Louisville due to injury, a precursor for the rest of the evening. The Knights lost five starters, and then the game itself on Jaylin Alderman's stunning 66-yard interception return for a touchdown to put the Cardinals ahead 42-35 with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.

"That was a real challenge, and a lot of adversity we faced in that game," Knights head coach Gus Malzahn said this week.

"That's in the past. Our team rallied, and we handled ourselves like champions after that game. This is a new year. We're playing at home, and we need to play good football."

Louisville Cardinals: How Louisville football plans to counter UCF's up-tempo offense and defense

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has since transferred to Oklahoma, suffered what proved to be a season-ending broken collarbone. Wide receiver Jaylon Robinson would miss five games from a knee injury he sustained, linebacker Tatum Bethune and defensive back Corey Thornton left with concussions.

Without those five players, and despite having an extra week of preparation, UCF cratered in its next game at Navy, squandering a 13-point lead to start the fourth quarter in a 34-30 defeat.

UCF (1-0) managed to win seven of its final nine games to close the 2021 season, highlighted by a 29-17 triumph over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. Yet when Louisville fulfills the return trip of its home-and-home contract with the Knights tonight at 7:30 p.m., that could serve as the true litmus test.

"I feel like this game is going to tell a lot about our season," wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe said. "They are a really talented team. I feel like what they showed last Saturday really isn't who they are. We're going to get the best version of them. We've got to be the best version of ourselves and be ready to go."

Louisville (0-1) underwhelmed in its ACC opener, a 31-7 loss at Syracuse. The Cardinals were 7-1 in eight previous head-to-head meetings with the Orange since joining the league in 2014.

For the Knights, the primary mission will be slowing down redshirt senior Malik Cunningham, who was the standout performer in last season's contest. Cunningham rushed for two touchdowns and threw another, going 23 of 38 for 265 yards and adding 13 carries for 99 yards.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound dual-threat tossed two interceptions and lost a fumble against Syracuse, which turned a pair of those turnovers into points.

"It'll be a test for our whole defense," Malzahn said. "He's one of the best quarterbacks in college football. I know things didn't go as well last week, but he's a phenomenal player. We know that, and saw that firsthand last year."

Seventeen starters returned for Louisville, and one of the team's major transfer additions made an immediate contribution. Running back Tiyon Evans, formerly of Tennessee, broke free for the Cardinals' lone score — a 36-yard touchdown late in the first quarter.

Defensively, Louisville registered two sacks but could not generate a takeaway.

UCF, meanwhile, blitzed South Carolina State for 21 points in the first quarter as John Rhys Plumlee flashed his dual-threat, big-play ability. He passed for 308 yards, rushed for 100 and accounted for five touchdowns.

The Knights outgained their FCS opposition 605-91, limiting the Bulldogs to a paltry 1.6 yards per play. Walter Yates had a team-high seven tackles (five solo), Nikai Martinez and Justin Hodges recorded sacks on slot blitzes and Divaad Wilson snagged an interception.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NCAA football: UCF Knights get Friday rematch with Louisville Cardinals