UCF’s first Big 12 win of the season has given the Knights a little breathing room, but the calendar is about to demand a lot more than one good Saturday.
After knocking off TCU 21-13, UCF heads into October with a run that leaves very little margin for error. The Knights open the month on the road at No.
20 Houston on Oct. 3, then go to No. 19 Oklahoma State on Oct. 10 before a bye on Oct.
- When they return, they’ll face No.
10 BYU at home on Oct. 24 and Baylor on Friday, Oct. 31.
“It’s a challenging stretch,” head coach Scott Frost said Monday. “Those are three really good football teams. I think we’ve been improving, and we’ll see if we’re up for those challenges.”
The ranking-heavy slate is exactly the kind of stage some players want. Wide receiver Josh Derry called it a chance to enjoy the moment while trying to keep the Knights moving forward.
“It’s definetly a cool experience,” wide receiver Josh Derry said. “I want to do whatever I can to help this team win on offense or special teams.”
UCF’s road work is still a major storyline, too. The Knights have not won away from home in their last 10 road games, a skid that began before Frost’s return.
“This team has nothing to do with the team last year or the team two years ago,” Frost said. “I thought we played really physical and battled on the road against a good (Pitt) team a couple of weeks ago. We’re going to get another opportunity to do something cool and special.”
The quarterback situation remains unchanged for now. Alonza Barnett III is still sidelined by a hamstring injury, so Keyone Jenkins is expected to start again after going 19 of 20 for 160 yards and one touchdown.
Saturday’s game at Houston kicks off at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT.
In Other News...
UCFs Big 12 Statement Put Gus Malzahns Recruiting In Focus
The Big 12 home opener against TCU offered a clean snapshot of how much Gus Malzahns recruiting can still shape UCFs roster. Several players brought in during his era made their mark in a dominant Knights performance, giving the defense and offense steady contributions at key moments and helping set the tone in a game that mattered well beyond one conference win.
Braeden Marshall was among the names woven throughout the night, with Demari Henderson also flashing on the defensive side and Taevion Swint and Caden Piening providing scoring punch. For UCF, the takeaway was bigger than a single Saturday result, because the win doubled as a reminder that the foundation Malzahn helped build is still producing impact players when the Knights need them most. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Just Proved It Can Win Even When Everything Gets Tough
Week 4 in the Big 12 offered a little bit of everything, with Texas Tech, Baylor, Houston, Utah, Oklahoma State, Arizona and Cincinnati all coming away with wins. For UCF, the most useful takeaway may have been less about style points and more about resilience. The Knights navigated a difficult spot against TCU and found enough answers on both sides of the ball to keep their league push moving in the right direction.
Alonza Barnett III was out, which could have made the evening a lot more complicated for UCF. Instead, the Knights leaned on a defense that kept turning the game in their favor and a late drive to help seal things when it mattered most. The kind of win that can steady a team in conference play does not always look pretty, but it can say plenty about how a group handles pressure when the margin gets thin. [Read more 🡒]