GREENVILLE, N.C. — Heisman Trophy hopeful McKenzie Milton did not start or play at quarterback in No. 10 UCF’s 37-10 over East Carolina on Saturday.
Team spokesman Andy Seeley said before the game that Milton’s lineup absence was a game-time decision by coach Josh Heupel.
Darriel Mack Jr. made his first career start for the Knights (7-0, 4-0 American Athletic Conference), who extended their win streak to 20 games.
Milton went through warm-ups for UCF, was in full uniform on the sideline and did not show any obvious signs of injury.
Milton said earlier in the week that he tweaked his ankle while scoring the go-ahead touchdown a week earlier at Memphis.
With Milton sitting out and in full uniform from the sideline, Mack was 12-of-20 for 69 yards but was more dangerous with his legs, rushing 7 yards for an early touchdown.
Milton ranks seventh nationally with an average of 333.5 total yards and is 11th with an average of 299.5 yards passing for the Knights.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.