UCF Knights Football
2025: Big 12 Growing Pains
2025 Record: 7-5 (5-4 Big 12) | AP Ranking: Unranked | Bowl: Cure Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
Remember when UCF claimed a national championship? That energy has faded. — Mike
The offense can still score. The defense still can’t stop anyone. Classic UCF. — Jake
Quick Facts
| Location | Orlando, Florida |
| Stadium | FBC Mortgage Stadium (45,301) |
| Head Coach | Gus Malzahn (5th season) |
| Colors | Black & Gold |
| Mascot | Knightro |
| Conference Titles | 0 Big 12 (multiple AAC) |
Traditions: The self-proclaimed 2017 national championship (still controversial, still hilarious), Bounce House nickname (the stadium literally shakes), knight imagery everywhere, and being the biggest school in America by enrollment.
Mike & Jake’s Take
🛋️ Mike’s Take (Oklahoma State Fan)
UCF is exactly who I thought they’d be in the Big 12: an offense-first team that can score on anyone but can’t get stops when it matters.
The 2025 team averaged 34 points per game. That’s good! But they also gave up 31. That’s… not good. You can’t win consistently when every game is a shootout.
Gus Malzahn’s offense works. KJ Jefferson at quarterback was a smart portal addition — big arm, can run, makes plays. The receivers are talented. The offensive line is solid.
The defense is the problem. Has been for years. They give up big plays, can’t get off the field on third down, and don’t create turnovers. Until that changes, UCF will be stuck in the 7-5 range.
The ceiling is there. The roster is talented enough to compete for the Big 12 title. But the floor is also there — shootout losses that leave you frustrated. See where they landed in our standings.
Confidence Level: High-scoring and inconsistent
🍺 Jake’s Take (Texas Tech Fan)
UCF games are FUN.
I don’t care if they’re good or bad — every UCF game is entertaining. Points everywhere. Big plays. Chaos. It’s like a video game.
The BYU-UCF game this year was a perfect example. Final score: 45-42 BYU. Both teams scoring at will, nobody playing defense, 87 combined points. As a viewer, that’s amazing. As a bettor, that’s a disaster.
I took the over in that game, by the way. It was set at 56. Easiest hit of the season. More of my over/under takes in our Recliner vs Barstool explainer.
UCF’s problem is they can’t get stops. They’d be a top-four Big 12 team if they had even an average defense. But they don’t. So they’re 7-5 and hoping to beat Georgia Tech in a bowl game nobody watches.
Malzahn is an offensive genius, but he needs a defensive coordinator who can actually scheme. Until then, UCF is going to be a fun watch but a frustrating bet.
Confidence Level: Overs machine
2025 Betting Trends
| Stat | Record | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Against the Spread (ATS) | 6-6 | 50.0% |
| Over/Under | 9-3 O | 75.0% |
| Home ATS | 4-2 | 66.7% |
| Road ATS | 2-4 | 33.3% |
| As Favorite ATS | 4-3 | 57.1% |
| As Underdog ATS | 2-3 | 40.0% |
Jake’s Betting Notes: OVERS. 9-3. Seventy-five percent. If you bet the over on every UCF game this year, you made money. The offense scores, the defense bleeds, and totals hit. Simple. Full breakdown in our Big 12 Betting Guide.
Mike’s Betting Notes: The home/road ATS split is notable. UCF is 4-2 at home, 2-4 on the road. The Bounce House is a legitimate home-field advantage. Fade them on the road.
Key Players (2025)
KJ Jefferson — QB
248-of-378 (65.6%) | 3,234 yards | 27 TD | 9 INT | 154.7 rating
89 carries | 412 yards | 4.6 YPC | 6 TD
The Arkansas transfer was excellent. Big arm, can run, makes plays under pressure. First-team All-Big 12.
Javon Baker — WR
78 rec | 1,087 yards | 13.9 YPR | 11 TD
The top target. Baker is explosive and wins contested catches. Big-play threat every snap.
RJ Harvey — RB
201 carries | 1,156 yards | 5.8 YPC | 12 TD
Another excellent year for Harvey. Physical, explosive, consistent. First-team All-Big 12.
Rivals & Key Matchups
Cincinnati — AAC carryover. Both teams adjusting to the Big 12 together. UCF won 38-31 this year.
USF (Non-conference) — The War on I-4. In-state rivalry that gets heated. UCF has dominated recently.
Florida (Non-conference) — Scheduled occasionally. UCF always wants this game; Florida doesn’t always care.
More
- Big 12 Betting Guide — Everything you need before placing a bet on any conference game
- The Recliner vs The Barstool — How we rate games (and why we never agree)
- New Fan’s Guide to Big 12 Football — Just getting into the conference? Start here
- Current Standings | This Week’s Schedule
- Our Predictions Archive — Full transparency on every pick we’ve made