UCF special teams terrible; UM leads 14-0

After Jabrill Peppers returned a UCF punt 11 yards across midfield – the third of four drives MI has started on the good side of the 50 – Wilton Speight fired a strike up the middle to a waiting Amara Darboh for another MI touchdown.

The U-M defense made UCF one-dimensional on offense, limiting the Knights to only 56 yards passing.

Jabrill Peppers led the Wolverines with eight total tackles and was a constant factor in the backfield, delivering a couple devastating hits.

Special teams played a huge factor in the outcome, as MI blocked a field goal (Wormley), partially blocked a punt (Tyree Kinnel) and recovered a fumble on a kickoff, while fifth-year senior Kenny Allen was a flawless three-for-three in field goal conversions.

MI benefited from good field position all afternoon and was able to total the 51 points on 447 yards of total offense.

Speight connected on 25 of 37 passes for 312 yards and four touchdowns, playing all but the final drive.

Speight then threw his second TD pass of the day, this time to Amara Darboh.

One of the highlights for the Knights was an 87-yard touchdown run by freshman Adrian Killans in the second quarter to make the score 31-7. Senior kicker Kenny Allen came on and make a 24-yard field goal. Three players later – on another third down – Speight and Butt reconnected for a 14-yard touchdown. The 87-yard touchdown run by freshman Adrian Killins not only was the first touchdown allowed by the MI defense this season, but it tied a Central Florida record for longest touchdown run in school history. Allen closed the first-half scoring with a 36-yard field goal, and MI went into the break up 34-7.

The fifth-ranked Wolverines (1-0) moved up a couple spots in The Associated Press college football poll and are expecting to keep rolling. Aside from the Crimson Tide, you can’t find a more complete team in the country than MI. Justin Holman added 40 yards and a touchdown in 12 attempts. Michigan’s playcallers stuck to the run while racking up 306 yards on the ground against the Warriors a week ago.

The homestand continues next Saturday (Sept. 17) when MI hosts Colorado. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.