UCF took a 14-8 second-quarter lead and had things rolling with Bo Schneider. But it was short lived in a loss to South Carolina.
UCF got the break it needed when Pharoh Cooper fumbled a punt inside the five. Finally UCF would start with a short field and give the offense a boost.
Nick Patti ran two yards for the touchdown the next play. Then Bo Schneider led UCF on a 93-yard drive to give UCF a 14-5 lead in the second quarter.
The memory of an anemic offense still struggling to get any positive yards and a safety early in the second quarter. An upset was within vision and in mind.
There was hope.
South Carolina’s talent took over and the team’s own anemic offense finally found itself. It took some crazy playmaking to do it — a redeeming 29-yard run from Cooper after his wide receiver throw broke down — and then South Carolina was off to the races.
The Gamecocks scored 23 points in the second half and defeated the Knights 31-14 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday.
For the second time against a Power-5 team, the floodgates seemingly came open in the third quarter after the offense could not move the ball. Or, in this case turned it over.
Bo Schneider threw two second-half interceptions on consecutive possessions to set up two South Carolina touchdowns. The decisive touchdowns.
Schneider had his struggles throughout the game but found a good groove at times. He ended up throwing for 189 yards on 20-for-35 passing with a touchdown. Tra’Quan Smith emerged as his favorite target with five receptions for 82 yards.
The Knights offense found a little bit of a groove in the second quarter. It was a sign for hope. Schneider found receivers and helped the team drive down the field. They took the lead for some reason. Capturing that will be the goal for the rest of the season.
The end result though was another poor offensive effort. The Knights had just 230 yards with 26 rushing yards.
The Knights defense was more than game as long as their offense could stay on the field long enough. That did not happen in the second half.
South Carolina quarterback Lorenzo Nunez threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns (both coming late in the game for South Carolina to gain distance). He found Cooper for a touchdown caught between two defenders. The Gamecocks just broke down an inexperienced and tired secondary.
The problems for UCF remain the same. The defense can stand tall and give the offense a chance. The offense has to take it.
Right now, the Knights offense is still a bit of a mess. It has not found its identity or much of a rhythm.
But maybe it found some of it in the way Schneider played in the second quarter in scoring the Knights’ 14 points. Maybe UCF found something to hold onto.
That might be more than looking at silver linings during what is UCF’s worst start since the winless 2004 season.
