UCF tweaking travel routine for long road trip to Boise State
As most of UCF’s campus lay dormant during a restful Labor Day, crews began loading up the Knights’ football equipment truck.
In less than 24 hours, the 18-wheeler would hit the road for what is expected to be a 38-hour drive to Boise, Idaho, in preparation for Saturday’s road game at Boise State. It’s the first road contest and the longest trip of the season for UCF.
The Knights knew they would face a demanding schedule with six road games, starting with a 2,600-mile trek through two time zones before rolling into Idaho. To make matters worse, they would be facing a Boise State program that has spent the past quarter century building a reputation for success.
Only Alabama (90%), Ohio State (90%), Clemson (87%), Georgia (81%) and Oklahoma (78%) have a higher winning percentage than the Broncos (75%) over the past decade. A point UCF coach Gus Malzahn is acutely aware of leading into this week’s preparations.
“We’re going to Boise State, which has one of the best home records in all of college football since 2000,” he said Monday.
Boise State has been almost unbeatable at home, winning 90% (130-15) of its games at Albertsons Stadium over the past 22 seasons. It’s the second-best home-winning percentage in the country behind Oklahoma’s 90.8% (128-13). However, six of the Bronco’s 15 losses have come over the past three seasons, but a win on Saturday would mark the 22nd consecutive victory in a home opener.
Even though UCF (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) is coming off a 56-6 blowout of Kent State last Thursday, the coaches see plenty of areas in which the Knights can improve before facing Boise State (0-1, 0-0 MWC).
“We’re going into a hostile environment,” said defensive coordinator Addison Williams. “I believe over the last 20 years, they’re in the top five or top 10 in winning percentage, so understanding that we have to execute and being together is going to be the No. 1 deal.”
Added left tackle Tylan Grable: “We’re going against a great team and we’re going to be in a great environment. So the biggest thing we have to go out and do is look at what we can improve on from Week 1 because we know we’re going to face a tough opponent.”
Boise State returns home after a disappointing 56-19 loss at No. 10 Washington on Saturday. The Broncos allowed 568 yards of offense by the Huskies with quarterback Michael Pennix Jr. throwing five touchdowns in the win.
Another challenge facing the Knights will be the change in altitude.
Boise State’s Albertsons Stadium stands at an elevation of 2,695 feet above sea level, providing less-than-normal oxygen levels, making conditioning crucial for newcomers to the area. UCF may be forced to lean on its depth, rotating players more frequently than normal.
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“We’ll have to adjust and adapt,” said Malzahn. “It’s going to be a different deal with altitude, but we’re in solid shape, so we’ll just have to adjust once we get there.”
UCF has adjusted its typical road trip routine this week in anticipation of the journey.
The Knights plan to leave a little earlier than usual, allowing the team to acclimate to its surroundings following a five-hour flight.
“From a coach’s standpoint, you do your best to have a routine as best as possible,” said Malzahn. “When you got a five-plus hour flight, that’s not your normal deal, but it’s early in the season.”
The team also plans to alter its postgame, staying in Boise Saturday night rather than flying back after the game. The belief is giving the players a restful night of sleep before returning to Orlando on Sunday will help avoid fatigue that can come with long-distance travel.
Challenges aside, UCF is embracing the opportunity against Boise State.
“It just happens to be one of the toughest places to play in college football, but we’re looking forward to it,” said Malzahn. “It will be a good test to see where we’re at.”
Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.