In a commanding display of their ground game, the UCF Knights steamrolled the New Hampshire Wildcats 57-3 in their season opener on Thursday night. The Knights entered the season boasting one of the nation’s top running back rooms, and they delivered on that promise with an impressive 454 rushing yards, setting the tone for what could be a season defined by their powerful backfield.
Senior captain RJ Harvey led the charge, racking up 142 yards on the ground, 111 of which came in the first half. Harvey also found the end zone twice, making an early statement about his intentions for the season. His performance was pivotal as UCF reached 300 rushing yards as a team for the first time since last year’s opener against Kent State, where they amassed 389 yards. The Knights came tantalizingly close to breaking the school’s single-game rushing record of 461 yards, set back in September 1992 against Gardner-Webb.
“We’re hungry,” said running back Myles Montgomery, who added 77 yards on eight carries, including a touchdown. “We all have a why that we’re playing for. We make sure that we never forget that. We have a chip on our shoulder. Hopefully, there is more to come.”
UCF’s backfield depth was on full display, as the Knights became the only team in the nation to field two 1,000-yard rushers from last season. Harvey, one of those elite rushers, laid the groundwork for another standout year with his performance. The other, Toledo transfer Peny Boone, contributed 81 yards on just seven carries, highlighted by a 59-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Even quarterback KJ Jefferson got in on the action, rushing for 39 yards on 11 carries and scoring a touchdown. Jefferson also contributed through the air, throwing for 164 yards and two touchdowns, both to running backs—Montgomery for a 38-yard score and Johnny Richardson for a 22-yarder.
“They’re real running backs. They are all a bit different,” UCF head coach Gus Malzahn said. “First game is first game. We’re pretty vanilla. Sometimes when you are vanilla, it is what it is, but we have a lot of things to build upon.”
The Knights’ dominance on the ground meant their passing game took a back seat, but Jefferson still managed to connect on key plays. He finished 7-for-14 with 164 yards, as UCF’s offense overwhelmed New Hampshire, scoring 23 points in the second quarter and 28 more in the third.
With this impressive victory, UCF has sent a clear message to the rest of the college football world: their running game is a force to be reckoned with. As they move forward in the season, the Knights will look to build on this performance and continue to showcase the depth and talent of their backfield.
