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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: UCF Knights Picked Third in AAC Preseason Football Poll

By  //  July 30, 2022

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Knight won the AAC crown in 2013, 2014 and 2017

UCF is picked third in the 2022 American Athletic Conference football preseason media poll announced today by the league. (UCF Knights image)

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – UCF is picked third in the 2022 American Athletic Conference football preseason media poll announced today by the league.

The Knights (225 points, 7 first-place votes) finished behind only Houston (243 points, 7 first-place votes) and defending champion Cincinnati (242 points, 10 first-place votes).

UCF was picked to win the AAC in 2018, 2019, and 2020—accomplishing that feat in 2018.

The Knight also won AAC crowns in 2013, 2014 (shared with Cincinnati and Memphis), and 2017 when other league members were predicted first in the preseason.

2022 American Athletic Conference Preseason Media Poll

Team (First-Place Votes) Points

1. Houston (7) 243
2. Cincinnati (10) 242
3. UCF (7) 225
4. SMU 187
5. Memphis 162
6. East Carolina 157
7. Tulane 115
8. Tulsa 93
9. South Florida 71
10. Navy 61
11. Temple 28

Preseason Poll Notes

The favorite in the American Athletic Conference preseason media poll has ended up winning the conference title three times in the league’s first nine seasons:

■ Year Favorite Conference Finish Champion

■ 2013 Louisville 2nd UCF

■ 2014 Cincinnati t-1st UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis

■ 2015 Cincinnati t-3rd East Houston

■ 2016 Houston t-3rd West Temple

■ 2017 South Florida t-2nd East UCF

■ 2018 UCF 1st East UCF

■ 2019 UCF 2nd East Memphis

■ 2020 UCF t-3rd Cincinnati

■ 2021 Cincinnati t-1st Cincinnati

Fifteen returning starters (eight on defense, seven on offense) plus a handful of key specialists are back for Gus Malzahn in 2022. The Knights return a solid list of weapons for 2022:

■ their starting quarterback, Mikey Keene, threw for 1,730 yards and 17 TDs

■ their top five rushers, led by Isaiah Bowser, who ran for 703 yards and nine TDs in only eight games, and Johnny Richardson, who led the team with 733 yards and three TDs

■ five of their top seven receivers, paced by Ryan O’Keefe and his 84 receptions for 812 yards and seven TDs

■ two of their top four tacklers in safeties Quadric Bullard (83 tackles, 6 PBU) and Divaad Wilson (72 tackles)

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