Since officially accepting the invitation to join the Big 12 Conference on Sept. 10, 2021, everyone connected with the UCF program has been looking forward to welcoming some of the nation’s best programs to FBC Mortgage Stadium. Knight Nation will have that opportunity on Saturday, as UCF hosts Baylor at 3:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.
The 2013 team that won the Fiesta Bowl against Baylor will be recognized on the field during Saturday’s game. The Knights finished that season with a 12-1 overall record, including a perfect 8-0 mark in their first season in the American Athletic Conference.
It was also a “Year of Firsts” highlighted by UCF’s first wins over Big Ten and Big 12 Conference teams, first top-15 ranking, first top-10 ranking (finished No. 10 in the AP Poll), first BCS bowl (Now New Year’s Six) berth and victory, first 12-win season, first time going undefeated on the road and first two victories over top-10 teams.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Talents: Eric Collins, Devin Gardner
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Spanish Radio: UCFKnights.com, YouTube.com/UCFKnights
Live Stats: click here
A UCF WIN WOULD...
• Mark the first Big 12 Conference win in program history.
• Mark the second win against Baylor in the second all-time meeting between the programs.
• Mark the third consecutive year that UCF has won its home conference opener.
• Give head coach Gus Malzahn his first win against Baylor in his first meeting against the program.
• Give Malzahn his 99th career win as a head coach, one shy of reaching 100 career victories.
• Be better than a loss
SERIES BREAKDOWN
| Overall | UCF leads, 1-0 |
| Neutral Site | UCF leads, 1-0 |
| Last Meeting | W, 52-42 (1/1/14) |
| Streak | UCF won 1 |
KNIGHT NOTES
• The last and only prior meeting between these two teams was in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl held in Glendale, Arizona, when UCF came away with a 52-42 victory in thrilling fashion. The Knights won their third consecutive bowl game with the victory and set a school record with their 12th win of the season. UCF came into the season with just one victory over a ranked opponent and ended the 2013 season with their second over a ranked squad this season alone.
• The 2013 football season was a “Year of Firsts” for the Knights, as the season was highlighted by UCF’s first wins over a Big Ten and Big 12 Conference team, the first top-15 ranking, first top-10 ranking (finished No. 10 in the AP Poll), first BCS bowl berth (Now New Year’s Six) and victory. Additionally, it was the first 12-win season, first time going undefeated on the road with a 6-0 record and first time recording two victories over top-10 teams. The team will be recognized during the first quarter of Saturday’s game against Baylor.
• Following the first four games, UCF ranks fourth in the nation in total offense, averaging 565.0 yards per game. The Knights have surpassed 400 or more yards in each game this season, including 723 yards in the season opener against Kent State, the second-most yards by any team in the country this year in a single game.
• Additionally, the Knights are third nationally in rushing offense with 260.2 rushing yards per game, behind Air Force (340.5), which runs the triple option, and Liberty with 271.2.
• Defensively, the Knights are allowing just 20.0 points per game and have recorded an interception in all four games this season.
SCOUTING BAYLOR
Baylor is in its fourth season under head coach Dave Aranda, who has compiled a 21-19 record during his time with the Bears. The Bears own a 1-3 record this season, but have played a challenging schedule with two of those losses coming against top-15 opponents.
Baylor was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll with 572 points. The Bears won the 2021 Big 12 Championship with a 21-16 win over Oklahoma State, as the Knights will face the previous two seasons champion in consecutive games. Sophomore running back Richard Reese was a Preseason Big 12 All-Conference Selection.
Saturday’s matchup will be the second all-time meeting between UCF and Baylor and the first since 2014. With the score knotted at 28-28 in the second half, the Knights accounted for four scores late to seal the win.
Junior quarterback Blake Bortles was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game after racking up 301 passing yards and three touchdowns to go along with a career-high 93 yards rushing and a touchdown. Terrance Plummer was named Defensive Player of the Game. The junior linebacker racked up a game-high 14 tackles, including half a sack.
HUDSON OFF TO HOT START
Senior Kobe Hudson has turned in an incredible start to the season, as the wide receiver leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks fifth nationally with 463 receiving yards. The Pine Mountain, Georgia, native is averaging 115.8 receiving yards per game, which also ranks fifth in the country.
With 138 receiving yards at Kansas State, Hudson has now recorded three consecutive 100-yard games. He becomes the first player since Jaylon Robinson in 2020 with three straight games with 100 or more receiving yards.
After setting a then-career best at Boise State with 134 receiving yards, Hudson put together an even better showing in the Knights’ 48-14 win against Villanova. The senior caught six passes for a career-high 147 yards, headlined by a 58-yard catch, which was the longest play for either team in the game.
HARVEY’S FINDING THE ENDZONE
Running back RJ Harvey has scored five rushing touchdowns this season, which is tied for the conference lead in the Big 12. The Orlando native has scored a rushing TD in all four games, including a pair of TDs against Villanova. Those five rushing TDs rank 17th nationally.
His six total TDs is also tied for the most by any player in the conference this season.
MORRIS-BRASH MAKING HIS MARK
UCF’s Tre’mon Morris-Brash is tied for the national lead in tackles for loss with nine this season. Additionally, his 2.2 tackles for loss per game average is also tied for the best in the country. The Richmond, Virginia, native had a season-high three at Boise State and against Villanova at home.
JOHNSON AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
Jason Johnson’s 390 career tackles are the second most among active players behind Richmond’s Tristan Wheeler (412). The Chicago native leads the team and is tied for sixth in the Big 12 with 29 tackles this season.
Last year, Johnson led UCF with 126 tackles to rank 13th nationally and record the ninth most in a single season in program history.
MALZAHN APPROACHING 100 CAREER WINS
Now in his third season as UCF head coach, Gus Malzahn is just two wins shy of 100 for his career. His 98 victories are the fourth most among active coaches in the Big 12 Conference.
Big 12 Head Coaching Wins
1. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State, 159-76
2. Lance Leipold, Kansas, 158-56
3. Chris Klieman, Kansas State, 105-34
4. Gus Malzahn, UCF, 98-48
5. Dana Holgorsen, Houston, 90-63
Additionally, Malzahn’s .671 career winning percentage (98-48) ranks among the nation’s top 20 active coaches.
MATCHUP TO KEEP AN EYE ON
One of the key matchups in Saturday’s game against Baylor will be UCF’s rushing offense, which leads the conference and is third nationally with 260.2 rushing yards per game versus Baylor’s rushing defense. The Bears have allowed 171.2 rushing yards per game to opponents.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE
UCF’s all-time record of 80-24 (.767) ranks in the top 15 in the nation for best win percentage in a current home stadium. The Knights earned win No. 80 against Villanova.
Since 2017, the Knights are 37-4 in home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium.
The Knights finished last season with a 5-2 home record and were undefeated at home in 2021, marking the seventh time in UCF’s FBS era, the ninth overall, and the fourth time in the last five years.
UCF at Home
2017 (7-0)
W—Florida International (8-31-17)
W—Memphis
W—East Carolina
W—Austin Peay
W—Connecticut
W—#22 South Florida
W—#16 Memphis (AAC Championship)
2018 (8-0)
W—South Carolina State
W—Florida Atlantic
W—Pittsburgh
W—SMU
W—Temple
W—Navy
W—#19 Cincinnati
W—Memphis (AAC Championship)
2019 (6-0)
W—Florida A&M
W—Stanford
W—Connecticut
W—East Carolina
W—Houston
W—South Florida
2020 (2-2)
L—Tulsa (34-26, 10-3-20, ended 21-game home win streak)
W—Tulane
W—Temple
L—#7 Cincinnati (36-33, 11-21-20)
2021 (7-0)
W—Boise State
W—Bethune-Cookman
W—East Carolina
W—Memphis
W—Tulane
W—Connecticut
W—South Florida
2022 (5-2)
W—South Carolina State
L—Louisville, 20-14, 9-9-22, ended eight-game home win streak)
W—Georgia Tech
W—SMU
W—Temple
W—#20 Cincinnati
L—Navy
2023 (2-0)
W—Kent State
W—Villanova