The Central Florida Knights open up their 2012 season on the road against the Akron Zips on Thursday night. The Knights are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 5-7 season in 2011, and the odds makers think there is a good chance they get off to a good start, as they're favored by more than three touchdowns over Akron.
The Zips did not beat a single Football Bowl Subdivision team in 2011 -- their lone win came against VMI. They ranked 115th in total offense and 94th in total defense last season, so there is a lot of room for improvement on both sides of the ball as the Zips head into 2012.
Game time/date: 7 p.m. ET, Thursday
Location: InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field, Akron, Ohio
TV Schedule/Streaming: ESPN3/WatchESPN
Odds: Central Florida is favored by 24 points
For more on Central Florida football stay tuned to SB Nation Tampa Bay and for more on Akron head on over to the Hustle Belt.