ORLANDO — UCF’s blowout of Chapel Bill is in the books, and so too is its non-conference schedule for the 2025 season.
From here on out, the surging Knights (3-0) will battle Big 12 opponents exclusively, hoping to finally prove they belong among the league’s upper echelon.
UCF went 5-13 in Big 12 games under Gus Malzahn, including a 2-7 mark in 2024 that ultimately resulted in his resignation. Scott Frost will take his first turn through a league in which he once played, and earned second-team honors, back in the mid-90s.
Let’s look at the road ahead for the Knights, ranking their nine upcoming opponents based on difficulty as of Sept. 20. Forecasting anything in the Big 12 is a risk; such is the nature of the conference’s constant unpredictability.
But let’s give it a shot.
9. Oklahoma State
It can be argued Oklahoma State never truly recovered from the stunning 45-3 shellacking it endured in its last trip to the Bounce House. The Cowboys, ranked No. 15 in the country at the time, have won just seven of their last 18 games since learning what “Space Game” means in the college football lexicon.
Mike Gundy changed coordinators and overhauled his roster in the offseason, and yet Oklahoma State still looks like it will be rooted near the bottom of the Big 12. Starting quarterback Hauss Hejny underwent surgery for a broken bone in his left foot; since then, Oregon destroyed the Cowboys 69-3 in Eugene, and they lost at home to Tulsa for the first time since 1951.
Tied with Utah’s Kyle Whittingham for second among the longest-tenured head coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Gundy could be gone before Oklahoma State arrives in Orlando for the Nov. 22 rematch. UCLA and Virginia Tech made swift changes on the sidelines, and Gundy’s job appears to be in serious jeopardy.
8. Houston
Houston, at least from what it has shown to this point, is not the eighth-worst team UCF will face the rest of the way. The Cougars allowed a mere 29 points in wins over Stephen F. Austin, Rice and Colorado, and Conner Weigman has tossed four touchdowns without an interception in 70 pass attempts.
However, as mentioned earlier, UCF turns up for its annual Space Game in a truly astounding, unexplainable way. The Knights are 8-0 all-time in the event, beating their opponents by an average margin of 30.8 points.
UCF beat Houston 44-29 in the 2019 Space Game and has emerged victorious in eight of the 11 all-time, head-to-head meetings.
7. Cincinnati
UCF and Cincinnati used to face off for American Athletic Conference supremacy, occasionally in the national spotlight with College Football Playoff dreams on the line. But the last two meetings have foreshadowed Big 12 doom for the loser — the 3-9 Bearcats in 2023 and the 4-8 Knights in ’24.
Cincinnati evened the all-time series at five wins apiece last October, but the Knights have prevailed twice at Nippert Stadium, including Scott Frost’s last trip there in 2017.
Given UCF’s quarterback situation out of the bye week, this Oct. 11 matchup could pit former Indiana teammates head-to-head: Tayven Jackson and Bearcats starter Brendan Sorsby.
6. West Virginia
On the other hand, UCF has had no success against West Virginia — in any sport, to be quite honest. Pertaining exclusively to football, the Knights are 0-4 against the Mountaineers, including losses in each of the last two seasons.
West Virginia is a near-mirror image of the Knights for 2025. A beloved coach, Rich Rodriguez in this case, returned for a second spin behind the wheel with the hopes of restoring past glory and patched dozens of holes through the transfer portal.
The Mountaineers, who enjoyed a thrilling Backyard Brawl comeback against hated rival Pittsburgh, are 0-2 away from home following this weekend’s blowout versus Kansas. Jahiem White’s injury is a big loss in the backfield, but perhaps West Virginia will surge after last week’s win.
5. Kansas State
It’s been a brutal month for K-State, one of the Big 12’s trendy preseason championship picks.
The Wildcats lost a top-25 showcase in Ireland to Iowa State and spiraled upon their return. They needed a last-minute touchdown to avoid an upset to FCS North Dakota, then lost a buy-game to Army West Point and a non-conference contest at Arizona.
Fortunately, K-State gets a bye to regroup and two weeks to prepare for UCF’s third visit to the Little Apple on Sept. 27. The Knights lost both previous games, most recently a 44-31 contest in both teams’ Big 12 opener back in 2023.
4. Kansas
Even after falling short in its Border War against Missouri, Kansas is still receiving votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll — a testament to its talent. The Jayhawks are projected as the best visiting team UCF will face this fall.
Veteran quarterback Jalon Daniels is healthy and playing well, completing 66.7% of his passes for 817 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. Daniel Hishaw Jr. averages 5.1 yards per carry, and Leroy Harris III has 3½ of the Jayhawks’ 12 sacks.
Kansas has another home game, against Cincinnati, before hitting the road to face the Knights on Oct. 4.
3. Baylor
November looks like a meat grinder for UCF, with three long road trips against potential Big 12 title contenders. Up first will be Baylor, and its polished senior passer, Sawyer Robertson.
Robertson, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior, topped the 400-yard mark against both Auburn and SMU with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. Baylor’s challenges have come on defense; the Bears allowed 83 points in those contests, and they are ranked 115th nationally against the run (188.3 yards allowed per game).
Few players remain from UCF’s 2023 bout with Baylor, but fans will hope for revenge after the Knights surrendered a 28-point, second-half lead at home in a 36-35 loss. It still stands as both Baylor’s biggest comeback and UCF’s largest collapse ever.
2. BYU
Concerns about BYU in the wake of quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s honor code violation and subsequent departure from the team have temporarily quieted following a 2-0 start. The Cougars outscored Portland State and Stanford 96-3.
BYU entered the year with a .693 all-time winning percentage at home. UCF’s trip to Provo, Utah, will be its furthest (2,334 miles), its steepest (4,553 feet above sea level) and its coldest of the season considering the Nov. 29 date. Last Thanksgiving weekend, the Cougars hosted — and handled — Houston as the temperature dipped to 29 degrees at kickoff.
1. Texas Tech
Texas Tech went all-in before the revenue-sharing model was finalized in college football, spending big bucks in the transfer portal to finally build a Big 12 winner. That return on investment looked great in a dominant win at Utah.
Veteran quarterback Behren Morton spun it through the first three games, and Will Hammond shined in relief against Utah. Adam Hill, Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams have successfully filled in for the injured Quinten Joyner (torn ACL).
Texas Tech boasts one of the best front-sevens in the nation with edge rushers David Bailey and Romello Height, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and defensive tackle Lee Hunter, a UCF transfer. All of that plus Lubbock’s difficult conditions and noise will provide a monumental challenge for Frost and his team.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ranking UCF football’s most difficult Big 12 games as conference schedule arrives
Reporting by Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
