GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Nov. 29
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
TV Talents: Trent Rush, Robert Smith
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Radio Talents: Marc Daniels, Gary Parris, Scott Adams
Spanish Radio: UCFKnights.com, YouTube.com/UCFKnights
Live Stats: click here
FIRST AND 10
• UCF will host Utah in its season finale Friday night at 8 p.m. from FBC Mortgage Stadium. Trent Rush (play-by-play) and Robert Smith (analyst) will have the call on FOX.
• The game marks the first meeting between the programs, as UCF completes its slate of games against each of the Big 12 newcomers this season - the only team in the league to play all four.
• UCF is looking for its 300th win in program history against Utah, as the Knights look to close out the season with a victory and earn three conference wins for a second consecutive season.
• In UCF’s last outing, the Black and Gold couldn’t overcome a slow start at West Virginia and fell 31-21. The Knights outgained the Mountaineers, but WVU’s 37:50 to 22:10 edge in the time of possession proved to be the difference.
• Friday’s game features UCF’s high-powered offense against Utah’s stout defense. The Knights rank among the top five of the conference in total offense (first), rushing offense (first) and scoring offense (fifth), while the Utes are top five in total defense (third), scoring defense (third), fourth in rushing defense and fifth in passing defense.
• The Knights have now rushed for 2,804 yards with 32 touchdowns on the ground this season. UCF’s rushing yards average of 254.9 is nearly 30 more than the next-closest Power Four Conference team (Tennessee 227.5). The 254.9 rushing yards per game mark is 40 more than the next conference opponent (Kansas 211.5).
• UCF is second in the nation in explosive running plays, as the Knights have recorded 93 rushing plays of at least 10 yards. Additionally, the Black and Gold lead the league and rank seventh nationally in most offensive plays of 20 or more yards with 67.
• Running back RJ Harvey, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for the second consecutive season, leads the nation with 49 rushing plays of at least 10 yards, which is 12 more than the next Big 12 player. His 21 rushing touchdowns are the most in the conference and tied for the fourth most nationally.
• Harvey enters Friday’s game with 46 total touchdowns scored, tied with UCF Hall of Famer Kevin Smith for the program record. With a score against Utah, Harvey will stand alone as UCF’s record holder for career touchdowns scored. Harvey has 42 career rushing scores and four receiving TDs, while Smith had 45 rushing touchdowns and one receiving TD. To that end, Harvey is just three rushing touchdowns shy of tying Smith for career rushing touchdowns as well. are the third most in program history, just three shy Kevin Smith’s program record 46. Harvey’s 40 rushing TDs are second in the UCF record books behind Smith’s 45.
• Since the start of the 2017 season, UCF has accumulated 69 wins, the 13th-most nationally by an FBS program and the most by a team from the state of Florida. The Knights join Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan, Appalachian State, LSU, Oregon, Penn State and Boise State as the only programs to win at least 69 games since 2017.
A WIN WOULD...
- Give UCF its 300th all-time win as a program.
- Give the Knights their third Big 12 win of the season.
- Give UCF its first win against Utah in program history
- Give UCF head coach Gus Malzahn his first win against Utah in his first meeting against the program.
- Be better than a loss.
SCOUTING UTAH
Utah heads into this weekend’s matchup with an identical overall record as UCF at 4-7 and 1-7 in conference action. The Utes came up short against 22nd-ranked Iowa State, 31-28, on senior day in their last game. Now in his 20th season as a head coach overall and at Utah, Kyle Whittingham has compiled a 166-86 overall record during his tenure in Salt Lake City. Saturday’s contest will be the first meeting between Whittingham and Gus Malzahn as head coaches.
Heading into the final game of the season, Utah leads the Big 12 in third down (26.8%) and first downs (188) defense. Utah’s third down defense also ranks second in the FBS. The Utes lead the Big 12 in time of possession, spending nearly 32:31 on offense to rank 10th nationally.
CHASING HISTORY
Heading into Friday’s game, UCF running back RJ Harvey owns 46 total career touchdowns scored, which is tied with UCF Hall of Famer Kevin Smith for the program record. With a score against Utah, Harvey will stand alone as UCF’s record holder for career touchdowns scored.
Harvey has 42 career rushing scores and four receiving TDs, while Smith had 45 rushing touchdowns and one receiving TD. To that end, Harvey is just three rushing touchdowns shy of tying Smith for career rushing touchdowns as well.
CAREER-HIGH FOR XE’REE ALEXANDER
UCF’s Xe’ree Alexander turned in his best collegiate performance in last Saturday’s game at West Virginia, as the sophomore linebacker tallied a career-best 17 tackles. That mark was a game high for both teams and is tied for the most by a Big 12 player this season.
That mark is also the most by a UCF tackler since 2021 and is the most in the program’s Big 12 Conference era. Alexander was all over the field Saturday night, recording 10 tackles in the first half and seven in the second half. In addition to his 17 tackles, he had a tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup.
Alexander is now second on the team in tackles with 63 behind Ethan Barr’s team-leading 65.
300 FOR PACE
Deshawn Pace recorded his 300th career tackle in last Saturday’s game, as he is now one of just 19 active FBS players to reach the milestone. That mark is the second most in the Big 12 behind Baylor’s Matt Jones.
This season, Pace is fourth on the team with 54 tackles, including a team-leading 37 solo tackles.
HARVEY A DOAK WALKER SEMIFINALIST
For the second consecutive year, Harvey is a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s best collegiate running back. The Orlando native is the first player in program history to garner the recognition twice or in consecutive years and is one of just three players nationally to be a semifinalist in 2023 and 2024.
The UCF standout is the first player since Marquette Smith (1994-95) and just the second in program history to record consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons after rushing for 1,416 in 2023.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE
UCF’s all-time record of 85-29 (.746) 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 in 2023.
Since 2017, the Knights are 42-9 in home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium.
The Knights finished last season with a 4-2 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 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 (4-2)
W—Kent State
W—Villanova
L—Baylor
L—West Virginia
W —#15 Oklahoma State
W—Houston
2024 (3-3)
W—New Hampshire
W—Sam Houston
L—Colorado
L—Cincinnati
L—#11 BYU
W—Arizona
BEST AMONG FBS
UCF’s Jacoby Jones has graded out at 92.2 on third and fourth down, which is the best among FBS wide receivers, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). Jones has reeled in 22 catches this season with 13 of them on third and fourth down.
In his last three games, Jones has 20 catches for 298 yards, including consecutive 100-yard receiving games. Against Arizona, Jones secured five passes for 106 yards with a touchdown and he had six catches for a season-high 116 yards against BYU.
RUNNING WILD
After ranking among the nation’s top 10 in rushing offense the past two seasons, UCF is in the midst of achieving that mark again in 2024. UCF has now rushed for 2,804 yards with 32 touchdowns on the ground this season.
UCF’s rushing yards average of 254.9 is nearly 30 more than the next-closest Power Four Conference team (Tennessee 227.5). The 254.9 rushing yards per game mark is 40 more than the next conference opponent (Kansas 211.5).
The Black and Gold rushed for 454 yards in the season opener against New Hampshire, the second most in program history. Additionally, UCF’s 8.4 rushing yards per carry were the second most in a single game in program history.
The Knights were fourth nationally in rushing offense with 228.2 rushing yards per game last season. UCF rushed for 200 or more yards in nine of its 13 games in 2023 and has picked up where it left off.
PROLIFIC OFFENSE
The Knights’ prolific offense ranks 13th nationally and leads the conference with 454.0 yards per game. UCF has recorded 400 or more yards in seven games this season, including 602 in the 56-12 victory against Arizona, the most in a Big 12 Conference game by any team.
Additionally, the Black and Gold’s 261 first downs this season are second in the conference and rank 11th nationally. UCF has achieved 151 by rushing, 94 from passing and 16 from penalties by the opponent. In contrast, the Black and Gold’s defense has allowed 220 first downs.
BIG-PLAY ABILITY
UCF’s offense leads the conference and ranks 20th nationally in passing yards per completion with 13.60. The Knights have 37 passing plays of 20 yards or more this season with wide receiver Kobe Hudson reeling in 15 of those to rank sixth in the conference in explosive receiving plays.
ADAMS, HARVEY EARN SENIOR BOWL INVITES
UCF’s RJ Harvey and BJ Adams have accepted invitations to compete in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, which will be held in Mobile, Alabama, on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the South Alabama campus.
The postseason college football all-star game showcases the best NFL draft prospects among players who have completed their college eligibility.