After a seven-touchdown explosion in the season opener, the Knights’ deep backfield blends elite speed with bruising power ahead of a defining road test against Pittsburgh’s defense.
UCF's running game was dominant in the Knights' 73-6 Week 1 victory over Bethune-Cookman, accumulating 360 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns.
Transfer running back Landen Chambers accounted for two of these scores, adding 56 yards on six carries.
Chambers also caught his lone target for 15 yards.
On Monday, he talked to the media about his performance, while expressing confidence in how good the running back room can be.
"We all have one goal in mind, so if we can all stay healthy and keep each other accountable, it can be real great, real special," Chambers said.
After UCF's defense forced a fumble in the second quarter, Chambers recorded 13 yards on a drive ending with a 2-yard score.
This was his first in a UCF uniform, and was the precursor to his 27-yard scamper a quarter later.
Going forward, having players like Chambers, Duke Watson, Agyeman Addae, and Taevion Swint in the backfield speaks to the depth of the unit, as each player found the endzone at least once in the opening victory.
Waston, like Chambers, believes UCF's room has the potential to be one of the best.
"I watch the guys practice every day," Watson said following the win. "They work hard, head down. They're great backs, you know. I feel like we got one of the best running back rooms in the nation."
Watson got off to a hot start in his UCF tenure, taking his first touch to the house for a lengthy score.
One positive about having both Watson and Chambers as the primary 1-2 punch out of the backfield is their contrasting styles of play.
Watson is a speedster, hitting holes and using his elusiveness to make people miss, while Chambers is a physical power back.
When asked about his role as the goalline and primary redzone tailback, Chambers said he is going to "take pride" in it, smiling and moving on to the next question.
This Saturday will be a big test for Chambers and the rest of UCF's backfield, as Pittsburgh is known for having a stout run defense.
According to Roundtable's Demetrius Montero, the Panthers have ranked within the top half of the ACC for the last several years in run defense, placing second last season (95.1 yards allowed per game), third in 2024 (112.8 yards allowed per game) and eighth in 2023 (150.2 yards allowed per game).
Getting off to a fast start against Pittsburgh, similar to Week 1, will be crucial towards giving the Knights some momentum early and allow the passing game to benefit from success on early downs.
