Following consecutive road games with the bye week sandwiched in between, it has been nearly a month since UCF football has played at home. After 27 days to be exact, the Knights are back at FBC Mortgage Stadium this weekend to host West Virginia on Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on FS1.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
Time: 12 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Talents: Eric Collins (PXP), Devin Gardner (Analyst)
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 Knights’ seventh consecutive win in their annual Homecoming game.
• Mark the first win against West Virginia in the third meeting between the programs.
• Give head coach Gus Malzahn his first win against West Virginia 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 | West Virginia leads, 2-0 |
| in Orlando | WVU leads, 1-0 |
| in Morgantown | WVU leads, 1-0 |
| Last Meeting | L, 45-20 (9/11/04) |
| Streak | WVU won 2 |
KNIGHT NOTES
• UCF has been tough to beat on its Homecoming Game, as the Knights own a 28-12 all-time record in such games. The Black and Gold have won their last six Homecoming Games dating back to the 2017 season. Last season, the Knights defeated No. 20/19 Cincinnati, 25-21, nearly a full calendar year ago on Oct. 29, 2022.
• The Knights are looking for their first Big 12 Conference win, after leading for a total of 86 minutes and 40 seconds of league play with a second-half lead in three of its four conference games. UCF led for seven minutes and 35 seconds in its conference opener at Kansas State, 56 minutes and 52 seconds versus Baylor and 21 minutes and seven seconds against sixth-ranked Oklahoma, nearly doubling the amount of time the Sooners had trailed all season.
• UCF’s offense continues to rank among the nation’s best, as the Knights are sixth in the country and lead the Big 12 Conference in total offense, averaging 499.6 yards per game. The Knights have surpassed 400 or more yards in five of its seven games this season, headlined by 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 fifth nationally in rushing offense with 232.4 rushing yards per game. UCF has rushed for 200 or more yards in five of its seven games this season, highlighted by 389 rushing yards in the season opener against Kent State, the seventh most by an FBS team this season and the second-highest mark in the Big 12.
• UCF is the only team to rank among the top six in the Big 12 in total offense (second), rushing offense (second), scoring offense (sixth) and passing offense (sixth).
SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia is in its fifth season under head coach Neal Brown, who has a 26-28 record including a 16-23 mark in conference play. Now in its 131st season of football, the Mountaineers are the 15th winningest program in college football with a 776-525-45 all-time record.
West Virginia has tallied more rushing attempts than any other team in the Big 12 and as a result, the squad ranks seventh nationally and leads the league in time of possession at 33 minutes and 24 seconds. The Mountaineers have connected on several big plays this season, as quarterback Garrett Greene leads the conference and ranks second nationally with 16.68 passing yards per completion.
Saturday’s matchup will be the third all-time meeting between UCF and West Virginia and the first since 2004 when the 10th-ranked Mountaineers earned a 45-20 victory at the Citrus Bowl in the debut of new head coach George O’Leary.
In the last meeting, WVU quarterback Rasheed Marshall passed for 225 yards and four touchdowns on 14-of-18 attempts to lead the Mountaineers to victory. West Virginia jumped out to a 14-0 lead and went on to earn the win despite UCF running back Alex Haynes rushing for 137 yards on 34 carries with a touchdown.
DOMINANT DUO
UCF’s Javon Baker and Kobe Hudson have formed one of the best wide receiver duos in the nation, as the Knights are one of just three schools nationally with two players that have recorded at least 490 receiving yards this season. Additionally, both players rank among the top five in the Big 12 Conference in receiving yards as UCF is the only team in the league with two among the top five and one of just two schools with two among the top 10.
Baker has reeled in 26 passes for 551 yards with four touchdowns and Hudson has 23 catches for 496 yards and two TDs. The latter is averaging 21.57 yards per catch and the former is averaging 21.19. Both marks are among top three in the league.
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK
The Knights’ defense has been able to get to the opposing team’s quarterback this season, as UCF’s 17 sacks are tied for the fourth most in the Big 12. UCF’s 139 sack yards are the most of any team in the conference. The Black and Gold have tallied a sack in every game this season with three in their most recent outing at sixth-ranked Oklahoma, the most the Sooners have allowed in a game this year.
Fifth-year defensive lineman Tre’mon Morris-Brash leads the Big 12 with six sacks for a loss of 52 yards and redshirt sophomore Malachi Lawrence is tied for second with five sacks for 42 yards. UCF is the only program with two players among the top five.
BIG PLAY ABILITY
UCF’s offense has shown its big play ability throughout the season, as the Knights’ own the longest passing and rushing plays in the Big 12 this year. Javon Baker’s 86-yard touchdown reception against Oklahoma last week is the longest passing play of the season in the league and Johnny Richardson’s 79-yard touchdown run against Baylor is the longest rush of the year.
HARVEY’S ON ANOTHER LEVEL
Redshirt senior RJ Harvey has taken his game to another level this season, as the Knights’ running back is among the top 10 in the Big 12 in every rushing category. He’s tied for second in rushing TDs (6), sixth in rushing attempts (112), seventh in rushing yards (612) and rushing yards per game (87.43) and 10th in yards per rush (5.46).
RUNNING WILD
Harvey and backfield teammate Johnny Richardson have formed one of the Big 12’s best running back tandems, as UCF is the only team with two running backs that have rushed for 100 yards or more in two games this season. Harvey has recorded back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances with 133 yards at Kansas and 101 yards on a season-high 23 carries at Oklahoma, while Richardson tallied 100 yards on 12 carries in the season opener against Kent State and 105 yards on six carries versus Baylor.
CONNECTING THE BOOM
For the third time in his career, sophomore Colton Boomer connected on three field goals in a game at sixth-ranked Oklahoma last weekend. He connected from 21 yards, 48 and 46 to finish the day a perfect 3-for-3, while adding a pair of PAT attempts.
Boomer made four field goals earlier this season at Boise State and also had four against Georgia Tech last season.
FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION
Senior Quadric Bullard recorded his first career interception in last Saturday’s game at Oklahoma. Former UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s pass over the middle bounced off the receiver’s hands and Bullard reeled it in with one hand, as Gabriel threw just his third interception in 2023.
Bullard then returned it 27 yards to the Sooners’ 33-yard line to set up a Boomer field goal.
COACHING CONNECTIONS
UCF’s special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Brian Blackmon spent the 2018 season at Troy under then head coach and now current West Virginia head coach Neal Brown. The Trojans went 10-3 and 7-1 during the 2018 campaign with Brown hired in Morgantown following the season. Mountaineers assistant head coach/offensive line coach Matt Moore and defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach Jordan Lesley were also a part of that staff.
Knights co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Herb Hand spent six years (2001-06) at West Virginia, serving as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Mountaineers win three Big East Conference titles and go to five straight bowl games during the span, including a 38-35 victory over SEC champion Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl. In 2006, West Virginia finished with an 11-2 record with an offense that ranked second nationally in rushing, third in scoring and fourth in total offense.
MATCHUP TO KEEP AN EYE ON
One of the key matchups in Saturday’s game will be creating big plays in the passing game. UCF and West Virginia are first and second, respectively, in passing yards per completion this season.
UCF is eighth nationally at 15.20 and WVU is 13th at 14.62 passing yards per completion.
BOOMER WITH THE PAT
Sophomore kicker Colton Boomer has connected on 68 consecutive PATs, which is the fifth-longest streak in program history. The Lake Mary, Florida, native is 27-for-27 this season and has only missed one PAT in his career, which occurred in his collegiate debut at Florida Atlantic last year.
CONSECUTIVE PATS MADE
1. Matthew Wright 154 2017-18
2. Franco Grilla 103 1990-92
3. Charlie Pierce 81 1993-94
3. Shawn Moffitt 81 2012-14
5. Colton Boomer 68 2022-pres.
6. Michael Torres 67 2006-07
7. Javier Beorlegui 60 1999-00
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, 160-77
2. Lance Leipold, Kansas, 159-58
3. Chris Klieman, Kansas State, 106-35
4. Gus Malzahn, UCF, 98-51
5. Dana Holgorsen, Houston, 91-64
Additionally, Malzahn’s .658 career winning percentage (98-51) ranks among the nation’s top 20 active coaches.