The Columbia Daily Tribune’s Dave Matter asked the Orlando Sentinel to answer four key questions about UCF entering Saturday’s big home game against Missouri.

The Knights are hosting an SEC team for the first time in school history. Kickoff is at noon Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Networks.

Here’s my take on the Knights:

Columbia Daily Tribune: What did you learn about this UCF team in the Ohio State game, when the Knights were more than competitive with the Buckeyes?

Iliana Limón Romero: I definitely think UCF was competitive with Ohio State. The Knight made some critical mistakes. Blake Bortles threw three interceptions that really helped Ohio State pull away. After giving some ground early, the UCF defense showed it could step up its play against a physical, big, athletic team. And on the offensive side of the ball, UCF evaded a strong defensive line. The Knights ran the ball relatively well and made plays in the passing game. Overall, it was a pretty encouraging performance for UCF in a hostile environment.

Daily Tribune: What are this team's most glaring weaknesses and biggest strengths?

Limón Romero: UCF has yet to get much production from its defensive tackles. In general, the defense has struggled at times to make sound open-field tackles, which makes the Knights vulnerable to big plays - especially against teams like Missouri with speedy athletes who can make big gains out spread offense plays.

UCF's biggest strength is its depth on offense. The Knights have a wide variety of players who can step up and contribute. One of the biggest challenges for a Conference USA team is to have the depth needed to compete in games like this one. It says a lot about the team's talent level that Georgia Tech senior transfer Phil Smith, four-star receiver prospect Josh Reese and four-star quarterback transfer Tyler Gabbert have all been limited to small roles off the bench.

Daily Tribune: What does UCF have to do well to beat Missouri? What are some matchups that might favor the Knights?

Limón Romero: On defense, UCF has to find a way to put pressure on the quarterback and tackle well in the open field. On offense, UCF has to make plays when it has the chance and avoid turnovers. In addition to the offensive and defensive lines, I think the Knights need Bortles and receivers Jeff Godfrey, J.J. Worton and Breshad Perriman to play well.

Daily Tribune: What's the UCF fan support/enthusiasm like right now? What's the feel about joining the Big East?

Limón Romero: UCF has a strong core group of fans, but it has struggled to consistently draw the last 5,000 fans to sell out the 45,000-seat Bright House Networks Stadium. The Knights are in a competitive marketplace, with Florida State and Florida drawing a lot of attention. We're also in an era where fans can bypass the stadium experience for a college football game day at home that allows them to see every game they want. I think with more wins, the Knights will get bigger and bigger crowds.

UCF learned it was moving to the Big East last year and won't join until 2013, so the excitement has been tempered a bit by that long delay. However, fans are definitely excited about the chance to play rival USF regularly. The two teams didn't play for a few years. There's a natural disdain for each other. The two schools are about an hour apart and the rivalry could really be a strong anchor for the struggling Big East.