Omari St. Fort’s high school career ended with a burst of speed that fit the way he’s played all season.
The 2027 UCF running back commit ripped off a 70-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career, in Atlantic Community’s playoff loss to Miami Norland. He had already flashed that kind of breakaway ability earlier in the year with a 69-yard run against Spanish River on Oct. 21, but this one topped it.
St. Fort took a handoff, found daylight and turned it into six points, cutting inside after breaking a defender’s ankles before pointing to the sky as his teammates came flying in to celebrate. The score gave Atlantic Community an 18-13 lead over Miami Norland in the third quarter, and the Eagles added the two-point conversion.
Miami Norland, though, answered when Dorian Bently broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown on a key fourth-and-2 to tie the game and force overtime. Atlantic Community then handed the ball away on the first play of overtime with a fumble, and Miami Norland made the Eagles pay with a game-winning field goal to move on to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
For St. Fort, the senior season ended earlier than it did a year ago, when Atlantic Community reached the semifinals.
He finished with 411 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 72 carries, plus 83 receiving yards and one touchdown on 13 catches. He also added 200 kick return yards.
Now his focus shifts to Orlando, where he’ll head on a three-hour trip to begin his freshman season with UCF. The Knights landed the 6-foot-2 back in June after his official visit, and he chose UCF over UConn, East Carolina and UCLA.
He’s walking into a crowded backfield, too. Landen Chambers and Duke Watson will be seniors by the time he arrives, and he’ll also be competing with younger players like Kaj Baker and Arthur Lewis IV.
UCF’s run game is the engine of the offense, and coach Scott Frost and offensive coordinator Steve Cooper have leaned on Watson, Chambers and Taevion Swint to keep it humming. Watson has been the speed threat and workhorse, piling up 596 yards and three touchdowns on 94 carries this season.
Chambers handles the short-yardage work, especially on third-and-short and near the goal line. Swint gives the Knights another explosive option when they need to stretch the defense.
St. Fort will have to earn his place, but UCF has shown it will trust young backs who can produce. Under Frost, underclassmen have already played major roles in the Knights’ success this season.
In Other News...
UCF Faces A Bigger Bounce House Test Than Fans Expected
Saturdays matchup with Arizona State already carried real weight for UCF, but the timing and television change added another layer to a game the Knights need in a hurry. Scott Frosts team is trying to take the first step toward a bowl appearance with three games left, and the visit from the Sun Devils arrives with some familiar faces and a little more urgency than fans may have expected when the week began.
Arizona State quarterback Mikey Keene is set to return to the Acrisure Bounce House, where he once played for UCF, giving the afternoon a built-in storyline beyond the standings. The Knights should also get linebacker Lewis Carter back, while theyll have to navigate the absence of running back Duke Watson and wide receiver Waden Charles, which leaves Frost with a few important lineup questions as the season tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Faces A Brutal Pre-Kickoff Test At UCF
Arizona States trip to UCF turned into an unexpected travel headache before the teams ever got to the field, with a nationwide FAA ground stop forcing the Sun Devils to sit on a plane for two hours before heading back to their facility. The delay created an immediate logistical mess for a road team trying to get settled for a game in Central Florida, and it added another layer of inconvenience to what was already shaping up as a tricky trip.
The coaching staff now has to keep the focus on football while players adjust to the unusual rhythm of the day and the uncertainty that comes with a disrupted travel schedule. Kickoff was pushed back to 5:30 p.m. ET after the ground stop was lifted, but the bigger issue for Arizona State is how quickly it can reset and handle the kind of pregame disruption teams rarely have to navigate. [Read more 🡒]