Throughout Central Florida’s nation-leading, head-turning 25-game winning streak, star quarterback McKenzie Milton had unquestionably been the Knights’ heart and soul.

Embraced by a fan base in ways few players experience, Milton was the physical embodiment of UCF’s rise to national prominence, his stardom growing with each win and each touchdown pass.

That special connection to the fans made it that much more devastating when he suffered a gruesome, season-ending knee injury in the Knights’ regular-season finale against South Florida on Nov. 23.