UCF football cracks AP Top 25, USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches poll after win over Cincinnati

Chris Boyle, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·2 min read
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By ending Cincinnati's 19-game unbeaten run in the American Athletic Conference, UCF made its 2022 debut in both the Associated Press' Top 25 and USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll on Sunday afternoon.

UCF is ranked No. 25 in both polls with a 6-2 overall record, and a 3-1 mark in AAC play. The Knights control their own destiny for home field advantage in the league's championship game at the start of December.

More: Mikey Keene, R.J. Harvey lead UCF to pivotal 25-21 win over No. 19 Cincinnati

More: Red zone D, running games earn top midseason grades for UCF

The Knights rallied for a 25-21 victory over the Bearcats as RJ Harvey rushed for the game-winning touchdown with 48 seconds left in regulation. Mikey Keene entered at quarterback following an injury to starter John Rhys Plumlee that is believed to be a concussion.

UCF Knights quarterback Mikey Keene (13) rolls out of the pocket in the fourth quarter during a college football game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The UCF Knights defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 25-21.
UCF Knights quarterback Mikey Keene (13) rolls out of the pocket in the fourth quarter during a college football game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The UCF Knights defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 25-21.

Keene, who went 7-3 starting as a true freshman last year, completed 15 of 21 passes for 176 yards and engineered consecutive fourth-quarter scoring drives. Defensively, the Knights limited Cincinnati to 35 rushing yards and sacked Ben Bryant four times.

UCF is ranked in the AP poll for the first time since Sept. 27, 2020. Josh Heupel was the head coach that season; he's now in charge of No. 2 Tennessee.

UCF Knights running back Isaiah Bowser (5) and UCF Knights wide receiver Xavier Townsend (3) celebrate a touchdown run by Bowser in the fourth quarter during a college football game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The UCF Knights defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 25-21.
UCF Knights running back Isaiah Bowser (5) and UCF Knights wide receiver Xavier Townsend (3) celebrate a touchdown run by Bowser in the fourth quarter during a college football game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The UCF Knights defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 25-21.

The College Football Playoff selection committee releases its first set of rankings Tuesday night.

UCF visits Memphis (4-4, 2-3) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, hoping to curb a troubling trend away from home. Since Gus Malzahn took over as head coach last year, the Knights are 2-5 in true road games — with only one win coming in conference play.

Should the Knights prevail, they could set up a top-25 showdown with Tulane the following weekend in New Orleans. Tulane, the AAC's biggest surprise, jumped up to 19th in the AP poll and 21st in the coaches' poll.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NCAA football: UCF Knights ranked in Associated Press Top 25, USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches poll