UCF will head into Saturday’s Big 12 matchup with TCU short-handed, and the biggest name on the injury report is linebacker Lewis Carter.
Carter, UCF’s leading tackler through three weeks with 24 stops, was one of 10 Knights ruled out Friday night on the conference injury report. He left last week’s win over Georgia State with a lower-body injury. The veteran linebacker also led UCF in tackles during the 2025 season, finishing with 92.
Knights247 has learned Carter is targeting a return for UCF’s Oct. 3 game at Houston, though it’s more likely he and starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III will be back for the Oct. 10 trip to Oklahoma State. Barnett is out with a hamstring injury.
UCF defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said this week he believes the rest of the linebacker group can handle the load, with Wisconsin transfer Tackett Curtis singled out as one of the players expected to step in.
"I like the room," Grinch said of his linebacker group. "The ability to play several guys helps.
It helps the guys that are playing the most snaps because they maybe don't have to play every snap. As you raise the floor, it also has a tendency to raise the ceiling in terms of what it takes to get on the field and the expectation of the room.
I've been pleased up until this point. The one thing about linebacker: you don't get a Saturday off.
There's a lot going on in terms of the run game, pass game, and everything else, so it takes more than just a couple to get you through a 12-game season."
Carter wasn’t the only absence for the Knights. Also ruled out for Saturday were wide receivers Jonathan Bibbs, Duane "Speedy" Thomas Jr., and Zack Palmer; quarterback Dante Carr; defensive back Antonio Branch Jr.; defensive tackle Trenton Turner; offensive lineman Owen Spell; and edge Alhassan Iddrissu.
There was one bit of good news for UCF, though. Tight end Dylan Wade was upgraded to “Available” after previously being listed on the injury report. Wade needs four touchdowns to become the program’s FBS-era leader for receiving touchdowns by a tight end.
TCU will have some names to watch on its side as well. Wide receiver Jordan Dwyer and running back Jon Denman were listed as probable Friday, while edge Zach Chapman, cornerback Deon Mays, defensive tackle Perry Cole Jr., kicker Kyle Lemmermann, linebacker Caleb Cortez, offensive linemen Devan Robison, Ryan Hughes and Creece Brister, and wide receiver Cooper Reid were ruled out.
UCF and TCU are set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday on FS1 from the Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando.
In Other News...
UCF Faces A Tougher TCU Test In Big 12 Home Opener
TCU brings a different kind of challenge into UCFs Big 12 home opener, and a big part of it is the return of Jordan Dwyer. The wide receiver is expected to make his season debut after being sidelined by a foot injury since last December, adding another layer to an offense that has already been reshaped and demands extra attention from a Knights defense that has spent much of this season answering problems as they appear.
UCF defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said the Horned Frogs adjusted scheme makes preparation tricky because it is not always clear how the pieces will fit together, especially with Dwyer back in the mix. Still, UCFs defense has shown a knack for resilience, creating turnovers and settling in after early-game hiccups, and now that group will have to do it again against an opponent bringing more uncertainty than the tape might first suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Watson Could Decide How Much UCF Can Trust Its Passing Game
Before UCF can sort out how much confidence it should have in its passing game, the Knights need to keep Duke Watson involved in the way that has made their offense dangerous. The running back has been a key piece for an offense trying to find better balance, especially after a tough showing against Pittsburghs run defense and a stretch in which quarterback Keyone Jenkins has had to work through some rough moments.
That is why TCUs attention is centered so heavily on Watson, even as offensive coordinator Steve Cooper looks for ways to spread the load and give Jenkins cleaner answers. Getting receivers Josh Derry and Tyren Hornes more involved would help, but the bigger question remains whether UCF can keep forcing defenses to honor the run well enough to open up the rest of the playbook during this difficult part of the season. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Opens Big 12 Play With Pressure Building On Its Offense
UCF heads into Big 12 play with a sturdy run game and a tight end who has become one of the most reliable red-zone options on the roster. Dylan Wade is closing in on a place in the program record book for receiving touchdowns by a tight end, giving the Knights a steady target as they prepare to host TCU in a conference opener set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The matchup comes with the usual early-league pressure, but it also arrives with the kind of home-stage atmosphere that can help a team settle in fast.
Sonny Dykes is already bracing for the noise, expecting a loud and supportive crowd at UCFs home stadium, and that setting could matter as much as any early-game execution. For the Knights, the bigger question is whether the offense can carry the momentum it has built on the ground into a conference game where every possession tends to get a little heavier. A strong start would do more than just protect home field, because Big 12 openers have a way of revealing whether a teams early-season identity can hold up when the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]