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Through 3 Quarters
Down one at the end of last quarter, the UCF Knights have now snagged the lead. Sitting on a score of 26-17, they have looked like the better team out there today, but there's still one more quarter to play.
WR Ryan O'Keefe has led the way so far for the Knights, as he has picked up 105 yards on the ground on three carries in addition to catching seven passes for one TD and 85 yards. One of the most thrilling moments was O'Keefe's 54-yard TD reception in the third quarter.
The Florida Gators have been riding high on the performance of RB Malik Davis, who has rushed for one TD and 81 yards on six carries.
Florida has lost 100% of the time when they were down heading into the fourth quarter this season, so this one seems just about wrapped up
Who's Playing
UCF @ Florida
Regular Season Records: UCF 8-4; Florida 6-6
What to Know
The Florida Gators and the UCF Knights will compete for holiday cheer in the Gasparilla Bowl Thursday at Raymond James Stadium at 7 p.m. ET.
It was all tied up 7-7 at the half for Florida and the Florida State Seminoles four weeks ago, but the Gators stepped up in the second half for a 24-21 win. No one had a standout game offensively for Florida, but they got scores from a handful of players including RB Dameon Pierce, QB Emory Jones, and TE Kemore Gamble.
Florida's defense was a presence, as it got past FSU's offensive line to sack the quarterback four times for a total loss of 31 yards. Leading the way was LB Brenton Cox Jr. and his three sacks. Cox Jr. now has six sacks through 12 games.
Meanwhile, UCF didn't have too much breathing room in their game with the South Florida Bulls four weeks ago, but they still walked away with a 17-13 victory. Among those leading the charge for the Knights was RB Johnny Richardson, who picked up 94 yards on the ground on eight carries.
The Gators are the favorite in this one, with an expected 6.5-point margin of victory. Now might not be the best time to take Florida against the spread since they've let down bettors for the past six consecutive games.
A pair of stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Florida is stumbling into the contest with the 248th most thrown interceptions in the nation, having thrown 18 on the season. The Knights have had an even harder time: they are 167th worst in the nation in thrown interceptions, having thrown nine on the season. It's possible one of these Achilles' heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Thursday at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Raymond James Stadium -- Tampa, Florida
- TV: ESPN
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Gators are a solid 6.5-point favorite against the Knights, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 6.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -112
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Series History
This is the first time these teams have played each other within the last six years.
