EA Sports College Football 27 is set to hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC worldwide on July 9, 2026, and UCF fans already know where their Knights stand in the game.
EA Sports has rolled out the full team and player ratings ahead of launch, giving a first look at how UCF stacks up both inside its own roster and across the Big 12. The Knights come in at 82 on offense, 80 on defense, and 81 overall. That’s a step up from last year’s game, when UCF was rated 73 on offense, 80 on defense, and 78 overall.
The offense is led by tight end Dylan Wade, who checks in as UCF’s highest-rated player at 88 overall. Right behind him is quarterback Alonza Barnett III at 86, followed by wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. at 85. Running backs Duke Watson and Landen Chambers round out the top five offensive players at 83 and 82 overall, respectively.
Watson brings the fastest mark on the roster at 93 speed, while Barnett owns the team’s best awareness rating at 89. Thomas stands out for his explosiveness, posting 91 speed, 92 agility, and 93 change of direction. Wade, meanwhile, pairs an 88 overall with 87 awareness and 88 agility.
On the defensive side, cornerback Jayden Bellamy tops the list at 86 overall. Defensive tackle Horace Lockett follows at 82, then cornerback Braeden Marshall, edge Bruno Dall, and edge Sincere Edwards, each at 81 overall.
Lockett is the outlier in the trenches, carrying the team’s highest strength rating at 93 - the only UCF player above 90 in that category. Bellamy and Marshall both bring elite speed to the secondary, with Bellamy at 91 and Marshall at 92. Bellamy also posts 92 agility and 93 change of direction.
EA’s notes on the roster add a few more details: Watson, a transfer from the University of Louisville, has the highest speed rating on the team at 93. Lockett’s 93 strength is the best on the roster.
Barnett leads the Knights in awareness at 89. Four of UCF’s ten highest-rated players highlighted here are transfers.
In the Big 12 rankings, UCF lands ninth out of 16 teams with an 82 offense, 80 defense, and 81 overall. Texas Tech sits at No. 1 with an 87 overall, followed by BYU at 86.
Houston and Oklahoma State are tied at 83 overall, while Arizona comes in at 82. Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas State, UCF, and Utah all sit at 81 overall, though the order breaks down by unit ratings.
Below UCF are TCU at 80 overall, Baylor and Cincinnati at 79, West Virginia at 78, and Iowa State and Kansas at 77.
In Other News...
Braeden Marshalls Lake Mary Return Is A Proud Moment For UCF
Braeden Marshall spent a recent day back in Lake Mary, turning his hometown and alma mater into a place for giving back as he hosted a football camp for young players. For the UCF defensive back, it was a chance to reconnect with the field where his own journey started, reflect on how far he has come, and show local kids what it looks like when a homegrown player comes back with a purpose.
Marshall also used the moment to talk about the leadership role he has grown into with the Knights, where his voice matters as much as his play. His bond with cornerbacks coach David Overstreet has helped shape that approach, and the camp underscored why those relationships matter now, especially for a senior trying to set the tone while still carrying the pride of where he came from. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Just Got A Big 12 Outlook Knights Fans Wont Ignore
UCF is heading into the Big 12 with the kind of outsider label that can either fade quickly or turn into fuel, and Matthew Glenesks preseason ranking reflects the skepticism. The Knights landed at No. 11 in his conference power rankings, but there is still enough talent on the roster to make them a team worth watching rather than dismissing, especially with transfer quarterback Alonza Barnett III bringing a track record that suggests he can change the feel of an offense when he is right.
Barnett is part of a group that gives UCF some real upside, with tight end Dylan Wade and defensive back Jayden Bellamy among the players expected to matter most. Wades presence gives the passing game a reliable target, while Bellamy should help anchor the defense, and that blend is why the Knights have been mentioned as a dark horse in a league where every edge matters. The question now is whether that potential shows up soon enough to make the ranking look conservative instead of accurate. [Read more 🡒]