The UCF Knights had a much needed bye week after back-to-back losses in Big 12 play, helping them regroup and get healthy again. That’s massive, with the No. 2 team in the country, the BYU Cougars, coming to town next Saturday.
It’s certainly an interesting choice in homecoming opponent for UCF. BYU is coming off a massive win over Notre Dame, and they look like a clear College Football Playoff team and contender to win the Big 12. That’s behind Bear Bachmeier at quarterback and one of the most physical offensive lines in the country.
Meanwhile, UCF has been good defensively this season. However, injuries and inconsistency on offense have led to a couple of potential upset bids falling short. Now, the Knights are 3-3 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play, looking to turn things around before their backs are against the wall in November.
UCF quarterback Alonza Barnett got injured at the end of the Pitt game in Week 2. He’s been replaced by Keyone Jenkins since then, but there is still hope he can return this season. Off a bye week against a marquee opponent would be massive. That’s still up in the air, though.
For now, BYU is going to be a pretty big favorite. Per DraftKings, BYU is at -6.5 for the game. They’re also at -265 for the moneyline, whereas UCF is at +215 there. The over/under is currently set at 43.5 points total.
How to Watch the UCF Knights vs. the BYU Cougars
This is going to be a massive game in the context of UCF history. At No. 2 in the country, BYU is the highest-ranked visiting team to ever come to Orlando to play in the Bounce House.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST on October 24th. It’s safe to bet that it will be a packed house for homecoming and a great matchup. However, for those who don’t have tickets to the game, it is also going to be available on television.
At the time of writing, the game itself is set to air on Fox, immediately following Big Noon Saturday. However, it’s still early in the week, and that is subject to change. Given the quality of the opponent, though, it’s unlikely to get moved.
History of the UCF-BYU Series
The UCF Knights and BYU Cougars have now played five times. It’s a 4-1 series lead for BYU, including three wins in a row. UCF has never beaten BYU when they were both members of the Big 12.
The two sides have played two non-conference games, with BYU winning in Provo in 2011 and UCF winning in Orlando back in 2014. They would also meet for the Boca Raton Bowl in 2020. That ended up being a blowout win for the Cougars.
Since joining the Big 12, BYU has added wins against UCF in Orlando and in Provo. The game in Orlando came back in 2024 and was a 37-24 win. Last season, BYU won 41-21 after UCF hung around for a moment early on.
So, UCF is going to need something to change. The series has more or less been dominated by BYU, especially lately. On top of that, the UCF program is treading water, trying to get bowl-eligible, while BYU is soaring to new heights and making a case for the College Football Playoff.
UCF vs. BYU: What to Know, How to Watch Key Big 12 Matchup