UCF is expected to face No. 2 BYU on Saturday without Alonza Barnett III under center.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Tuesday that Barnett won’t start the game as he continues working back from a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the last four contests. With Barnett sidelined, Keyone Jenkins has handled quarterback duties and guided the Knights to a 2-2 record during that stretch.
There had been some optimism that UCF’s bye week would give Barnett enough time to get back on the field. But that now appears unlikely.
Scott Frost said Monday that Barnett is making progress in rehab, though the coach made it clear he doesn’t want to rush him back too soon.
“He looks good and is doing a lot of things, but I want to make sure he’s ready to go if we put him out there,” Frost said on Monday. “That’s a position where you might not have to run for 10 plays and then you’ve got to run away from some really big guys trying to get you.
“I just want to make sure if he’s out there, he’s not going to get hurt again.”
Offensive coordinator Steve Cooper stopped short of confirming the report on Tuesday, but he said Barnett has been working with the team on a limited basis.
“He’s getting closer,” Cooper said on Tuesday. “I’m really pleased with the progress that he’s made since the Pitt game and we’re still working through it. We still have a couple more days of practice, but we’re getting closer.
“There’s a fair chance that he’ll be ready to go if everything goes well this week in practice. That’s still to be decided.”
In Other News...
Bear Bachmeiers Breakout Just Took A Strange Turn After BYUs Upset
Bear Bachmeiers rise went from the center of BYUs biggest win of the season to an unexpected conversation topic almost as soon as the Cougars left the field. After helping BYU knock off No. 2 Notre Dame, 28-24, and move to 6-0, the freshman quarterback suddenly found himself attached to a broadcast-side anecdote that had little to do with the upset itself and a lot to do with how quickly his name is spreading beyond Provo.
The odd detour comes on the heels of Bachmeier also saying Notre Dame disrespected him and his family during his recruitment, adding another layer to a story that already had enough emotion wrapped around it. BYU has the kind of marquee win that can change the tone of a season, but in Bachmeiers case, the attention now extends well beyond the football field, with one loose, unconfirmed comment threatening to become part of the fallout from an otherwise statement-making night. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Crowd Watched One Student Turn Pregame Nerves Into A Fortune
Long before the first snaps of the night, one BYU student turned a routine pregame promotion into the kind of scene people at LaVell Edwards Stadium wont forget soon. Carter Smith, 21, stepped into Pat McAfees Kicking Is Easy contest and came through on his second field goal attempt, a pressure-packed swing that suddenly made him the center of attention for everyone in the building.
The result was life-changing, with Smith walking away $3 million richer and instantly drawing widespread recognition. Even with that kind of windfall, his plans remain grounded in the classroom and beyond it, as he intends to keep working toward his education and a future career in dentistry. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Is Still Right In The Big 12 Title Fight
The Big 12 will open the 2026-27 season with plenty of national respect, and BYU is part of that conversation even if the Cougars are sitting at the back end of it. The AP preseason poll put six league teams inside the Top 25, with Arizona pacing the conference at No. 5 and Houston right behind as the Big 12s other top-10 entry, a sign that the league again has the kind of depth that can shape the race from the start.
BYU came in at No. 25, a reminder that the Cougars are still carrying enough credibility to be in the preseason picture even with several league heavyweights ahead of them. Kansas, Iowa State and Texas Tech also checked in, while TCU landed among the teams receiving votes, giving the Big 12 another familiar look: a crowded field, a clear contender at the top and a lot of teams with a case to be heard once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]