UCF opens its 2026 season Thursday night against Bethune-Cookman, and fans will have a few different ways to follow along. ESPN+ will carry the TV and streaming broadcast, with Eric Rothman on play-by-play and Doc Halladay as analyst.
On the radio side, the English call will be on FM 96.9 / AM 740 with Marc Daniels, Gary Parris and Scott Adams. Spanish-language coverage is available on the UCF Knights YouTube Channel with Carlos Bohorquez and Sergio Ruiz Torres.
Kickoff conditions could be a little sticky. AccuWeather is calling for 80 degrees with a 29% chance of rain at kickoff, plus east-southeast winds at eight miles per hour. The highest chance of rain, according to the forecast, comes at 4 p.m.
UCF enters the matchup as a heavy favorite, listed by FanDuel Sportsbook as a 42.5-point favorite. The Knights also have the edge in the all-time series, holding a 12-5 advantage over Bethune-Cookman. The teams last met in 2021.
Bethune-Cookman arrives in its fourth season under coach Raymond Woodie Jr. after going 6-6 in 2025, including a 5-3 mark in the SWAC. That was a clear step forward from the Wildcats’ 2-10 season in 2024.
Early on, the defense looks like the strength of the group, with preseason All-SWAC first-team linebacker Stephen Sparrow Jr. leading the way and three second-team selections in defensive back Naim Lassiter and defensive linemen Malik Stinnett and Isaiah Washburn. On offense, preseason first-team pick Christian Loving anchors an offensive line that helped Bethune-Cookman finish 37th nationally in rushing offense last season and 35th in time of possession.
For UCF, the injury report and depth chart are already shaping the opener. Scott Frost said Monday that EDGE Bruno Dall will not play against Bethune-Cookman, though he added that he hopes to "get him back at some point." Dall’s absence was also reflected in the Knights’ week one depth chart.
That opens the door for some younger and less-established options at EDGE. Aymeric Koumba, the backup to Isaiah Nixon, could see action, while defensive tackle Josh Schell and linebacker Arthur Kingdom may also get snaps. Both were listed as third-string EDGEs on the depth chart, and Frost said Monday they’ve been tried there to build depth at the position.
Frost also said two other situations were still unresolved: defensive tackle RJ Jackson Jr. and wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr.
"R.J. Jackson's coming off an injury from spring, and I think he probably could play this week, and I don't know if we'll pull the trigger on that or not, and then Duane Thomas got tweaked a little at practice last week, and I think he'll be ready too, but we'll have to make a game-type decision on that one," Frost said.
If Jackson sits, UCF could lean a little more on Horace Lockett, Thomas Collins and Jeffson Lafontant, who are listed as co-starters at defensive tackle. That could also create more chances for Brad Gurley and Trenton Turner, the backups behind that group, and possibly Schell as well. Frost said Schell has "done a really good job."
Thomas’ status matters too, with DayDay Farmer listed as his backup. Still, with quarterback Alonza Barnett making his UCF debut Thursday night, more snaps for a receiver do not automatically mean more chances in the passing game.
One of the more interesting names to watch is Lafontant, who transferred to UCF from Bethune-Cookman ahead of the 2025 season. Thursday night gives him a chance to line up against his former team, and with Jackson Jr. possibly out, he could be in line for a starter-level workload in 2026 after appearing in 10 games off the bench last season.
"I think he's a unique combination of size and speed and twitchiness, and he's been a problem for us to block through spring ball and fall camp," Frost said during his Monday press conference. "I think he's geared up to be a real force for us, and I imagine he'll be in a rotation with some other guys, but he's going to get plenty of snaps and reps, and we're dependent on him, and I'm excited to see him play."
UCF also noted Lafontant as one of nine players on the roster who represent a country other than the United States. Though his hometown is listed as North Miami Beach on the Knights’ roster, he also highlights his Haitian heritage, from the flag in his Instagram bio to his handle, "bighaiti55."
In Other News...
UCF Transfers Just Gave Scott Frost The Start Fans Wanted
The new-look Knights wasted little time making a statement in Scott Frosts return, rolling past Bethune-Cookman 73-6 to match the program record for points in a game while setting the largest margin of victory in school history. It was the kind of opener UCF wanted after an offseason built around change, with the offense looking sharp from the start and the atmosphere quickly turning from curiosity to celebration.
Duke Watson helped set the tone with a burst that flipped the game early, and quarterback Alonza Barnett III added to the momentum in his UCF debut by finding the end zone through the air and on the ground. The result also kept two of the Knights more durable streaks intact: an 11th straight season-opening win and Frosts 25th victory as UCF coach, a strong first step for a team hoping this season feels different from the last few. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Just Got An Early Look At Two Big 12 Threats
Week 1 of the Big 12 season offered a useful opening-night glimpse for UCF, and not just because the Knights took care of business against Bethune-Cookman. Across a Thursday slate that included three conference games, the leagues early tone was set by a few teams likely to stay in the conversation, with Colorado edging Georgia Tech in a tight one and Utah handling Idaho in convincing fashion. For a UCF program trying to measure itself against the Big 12 field, it was the kind of first-night snapshot that can tell you plenty before the league grind really starts.
UCFs own showing fit the part of a team eager to make a statement, powered by a rushing attack that controlled the night and kept the game from ever feeling in doubt. The Knights did what they were supposed to do, but the more interesting part of the evening was seeing two potential conference threats already on the board, one surviving a nail-biter and another looking sharp from the start. Those are the kinds of early reference points that tend to matter later, when UCF starts comparing where it stands in a crowded league race. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Gave Fans Plenty To Love But One Bigger Test Awaits
The opener could hardly have gone much better for UCF, which rolled past Bethune-Cookman to start 2026 with a blowout that immediately put the offense in the spotlight. New quarterback Alonza Barnett III added two total touchdowns, six different Knights reached the end zone on the ground, and the team paired that balance with cleaner play in a few of the areas that mattered most, including penalties and turnovers.
Jayden Williams also gave the defense its own highlight with an interception return for a touchdown, a reminder that the Knights were getting contributions across the board rather than leaning on one phase alone. Still, the real question now is how much of that debut can carry over once the level of competition rises, because the kind of control UCF showed in Week 1 will be a much tougher act to repeat against a more demanding opponent. [Read more 🡒]