UCF is walking into the Big 12 with a chip on its shoulder and a lot of confidence behind it.
The preseason projections haven’t exactly been kind to the Knights, with most of the buzz placing them in the middle of the league or down in the bottom third. But inside the program, the message has been much different. The theme all offseason has been consistency, focus and a belief that this group can push past those expectations.
That confidence starts with head coach Scott Frost, who has a track record of making big strides in his second year at UCF. During his first stint, that sophomore season ended with a "National Championship". This time around, he’s leaning on roster continuity and the kind of buy-in that has players and coaches saying the same thing over and over: be the best in the conference.
That idea has shown up everywhere in the building. Whether it’s been the offensive line, the receivers or the defensive backs, the standard has stayed the same. On Wednesday, First and 16 - A Big 12 Podcast even framed the Knights as the conference’s “under the radar” team, then asked “and why is it UCF.”
The Big 12’s recent history only adds to that conversation. Over the past six seasons, the league has produced six different champions, a stretch that has kept parity at the center of the race. UCF is trying to turn that reality into an opening.
Transfer quarterback Alonza Barnett III has become one of the voices pushing that belief. In early August, he pointed to the conference’s recent turnover at the top and made the case that UCF belongs in the mix.
"The one thing that's being reiterated is six championship teams in the past six years," starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III said in early-August. "So why not, why can't it be us? We have the talent."
Barnett said the team is taking things one day at a time and building through the small gains that add up over the course of a season. Frost has been saying much the same thing, and he doubled down on that feeling at Big 12 media day.
"I'm really confident," Frost said at Big 12 media day. "Everything just feels so much better than it did before."
The optimism isn’t limited to the offense. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said the staff has seen a noticeable jump in effort from the group, which has allowed coaches to focus more on details instead of constantly pushing players to simply play hard.
There’s also a major boost coming on that side of the ball with Cole Kozlowski’s pending return. Thanks to the recent landmark court ruling involving 2022 high school graduates and additional eligibility, Kozlowski is back in the picture for UCF.
His status has already been visible around practice. Earlier this week, Kozlowski was seen in street clothes before moving into a different-colored jersey, and on Monday he was back in the Knights’ normal white practice uniform.
Kozlowski’s first season at the Power 4 level last year was a strong one. He earned All-Big 12 Third Team honors and emerged as a vocal presence for the defense. Now, with him back, Grinch has the chance to pair him with Lewis Carter and give UCF a strong linebacker duo in the middle.
In Other News...
UCFs Linebacker Picture Just Got Much Murkier Before The Opener
The linebacker group at UCF was already a position to watch, and it got a lot more complicated with the season opener nearing. Cole Kozlowski, who had been granted a fifth year of eligibility by a U.S. District Court judge, is now ruled ineligible to return after the NCAA obtained a stay from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The uncertainty leaves the Knights trying to sort out a key piece of their defense with little time left before games start counting.
Coach Scott Frost has made it clear the situation is still fluid, which fits a roster that has already seen some help arrive through the transfer portal to soften the impact if Kozlowski is ultimately unavailable. For now, UCF is left waiting on what comes next while preparing as if the answer could still shift, and that kind of uncertainty is never ideal when a team is trying to settle its linebacker rotation before Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Needs A Healthy Horace Lockett More Than Ever This Fall
Horace Locketts return gives UCF something it badly needs on the interior, especially after he missed most of last season with a torn pectoral muscle. The defensive tackle is back for his final college campaign and is expected to battle for the starting nose tackle job, a role the Knights need solidified if they want more consistency up front.
Locketts offseason also has put him on a more visible pro path, with a spot on the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 drawing notice around the program. His journey to this point has not been straightforward, and the reason he chose to stay in Orlando when he had other options says plenty about what this season means to him and to UCF, even as the bigger question is how much he can give them now that he is healthy again. [Read more 🡒]
Lewis Carter Is Becoming The Standard For UCF's Defense
Lewis Carter has spent the offseason collecting the kind of recognition that usually follows a breakthrough year, not just another preseason. The UCF linebacker, who paced the Knights in tackles last season, has been placed on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List after posting a career-high 92 stops and earning a spot on the leagues radar with All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and preseason second-team nods from Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
For UCF, the broader significance goes beyond the individual honors. Carter is starting to look like the standard by which the Knights measure their defense, the player opposing offenses have to account for first and the one his own team can point to when talking about consistency and production. The next step is where the real pressure comes in, because the watch lists are in place and the accolades are stacking up, but the season will determine whether Carter can turn that status into something even bigger. [Read more 🡒]