The next time UCF’s football team returns to North Texas, if all goes according to plan for Scott Frost and crew, it will do so with a conference championship on the line.
On July 7, the Knights addressed local, conference and national reporters for the Big 12’s media days at The Star in Frisco, Texas — the headquarters of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. USA TODAY predicts UCF, coming off a 5-7 season, to finish 11th among the league’s 16 teams.
FanDuel Sportsbook gives the Knights long odds in returning to Arlington in just under five months to compete for the title and an automatic berth into the College Football Playoff. At a 40-to-1 underdog, UCF is only ranked ahead of Colorado, Cincinnati and Iowa State.
Frost, quarterback Alonza Barnett III, offensive tackle Preston Cushman, linebacker Lewis Carter and cornerback Jayden Bellamy made the trip, speaking on the first of the event’s two days.
Here is a short recap of the most notable takeaways regarding UCF.
Scott Frost will ‘roll with the punches’ on CFP expansion
Speaking with ESPNU’s Kevin Connors, Louis Reddick and Dusty Dvoracek, Frost said he is prepared to “roll with the punches” regarding potential shifts to college football’s postseason structure.
In May, the Big 12’s coaches unanimously voted in favor of doubling the CFP field from 12 teams to 24. Frost said the conference was a “little underrated,” considering its depth, quality and parity.
“If you’re a good team in this league, you’re going to have a chance to win every week. But every team can get you, too,” Frost said.
As a self-described “purist” who played a pair of Big 12 seasons at Nebraska, Frost still sees significance in winning the conference’s championship game — held this year on Dec. 5. However, he feels BYU was “penalized” for its pair of defeats to a top-five Texas Tech and not given consideration for its second straight campaign with double-digit victories.
UCF QB Alonza Barnett ‘ready to go’ for fall camp
Barnett said the words UCF fans have waited since April to hear.
“Right after spring ball, I got right back into it, working out with the guys. I’ve been full-go,” Barnett told Sons of UCF’s Adam Eaton.
The 5-foot-11, 210-pound redshirt senior led James Madison to its first CFP appearance as the Sun Belt Conference’s Player of the Year. He threw for 2,806 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and he rushed for 589 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Frost described the process of establishing Barnett as the team’s leader as “rocky” because he was held out of all 15 spring practices, but he has impressed since the start of summer activities.
“He walked in the first day like he’d been there for a long time. His command of everything that’s going on has been fun to see,” Frost said.
UCF football wants Isaiah Nixon to ‘take a step forward’
Perhaps the biggest question mark facing UCF’s roster this fall is needing to replace starting edge rushers Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly. The Cowboys selected Lawrence with the 23rd pick in April’s NFL draft, and Kelly signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.
Frost pointed out 6-foot-4, 245-pound St. Petersburg native Isaiah Nixon as an important figure going into his fourth year with the program.
“We need him to take a step forward for us, and he’s got the ability to be one of those guys,” Frost said.
Sincere Edwards continues to work his way back from a foot fracture that cost him the second half of his sophomore season. UCF brought in Bruno Dall and Ken Talley as transfers — from Akron and Arkansas, respectively — though the former missed a chunk of spring ball due to injury.
There is also the looming matter of former Kansas transfer Dean Miller, who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in Orange County seeking an extra year of eligibility. His hearing is set for Aug. 6, 28 days before UCF hosts Bethune-Cookman in its season opener, his attorney Darren Heitner told On3’s Pete Nakos.
Miller earned All-Big 12 second team acclaim in 2024 when he compiled 32 tackles, 10 TFLs and a career-high six sacks. Mike Dawson, UCF’s defensive run game coordinator and edge rushers coach, served as an analyst on Kansas’ staff that season.
Winning on the road is a primary goal for UCF football
One major reason the Knights have failed to reach a bowl game in back-to-back seasons is their inability to win away from the Acrisure Bounce House — including last year’s 0-5 mark. In those five contests, UCF averaged a measly 12.8 points offensively.
This fall, the Knights get an early chance to break their nine-game road skid, dating back to September 2024, with a non-conference trip to Pittsburgh. In Big 12 play, they will travel to Houston and Oklahoma State on consecutive weekends in mid-October, and to Kansas and Colorado in November.
“There ain’t no specific games, man. But I’m going to tell you this. We didn’t have a road-game win last year. I’m looking forward to that,” Carter told Sons of UCF. “Week in, week out, we’re ready to work. We’re ready to take on every team we get an opportunity to play.”
Big 12 enters multi-year partnership with Monster Energy
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark announced the conference has reached a multi-year partnership agreement with Monster Energy, including co-branded patches that will appear on jerseys for football and both men’s and women’s basketball. Co-branded logos will also adorn the fields and courts of all Big 12 stadiums.
According to the Sports Business Journal, the deal is worth around $20 million annually. Member schools will receive around $1 million per year.
“This is an important partnership for the Big 12 as we continue to grow our commercial business,” Yormark said. “Monster Energy is a global, culturally relevant brand that aligns with who we are and where we’re going. Together, we will bring the Big 12 to new audiences, expand our reach and deliver innovative experiences for our fans.”
In addition to the Big 12, Monster Energy’s sponsorship portfolio also includes NASCAR’s Cup Series and the X Games League.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 5 big things we learned about UCF football at Big 12 media days
Reporting by Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
