GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Nov. 22
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Brian Custer (PxP), Leger Douzable (Analyst)
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Radio Talent: Marc Daniels (PxP), Gary Parris (Analyst), Scott Adams (Sideline)
Spanish Radio: UCFKnights.com, YouTube.com/UCFKnights
Live Stats: click here
Orlando, Fla. | Acrisure Bounce House
Senior Knight
UCF Knights
4-6 (1-6 Big 12)
Oklahoma State Cowboys
1-9 (0-7 Big 12)
Tv: ESPN+
A WIN WOULD...
- Be better than a loss
- Give UCF more wins than last season
- Keep UCF undefeated against Oklahoma State
- Be the 40th of Scott Frost's head coaching career
FIRST AND 10
SENIOR SEND OFF
- The Knights will salute their senior class with a pregame ceremony vs. OSU
- Three Knights have been with UCF since the beginning of their college campaign. OL Paul Rubelt has been with UCF since 2020, as has OL Pat Barnett. EDGE Malachi Lawrence has been with the Black and Gold for all four of his collegiate seasons, starting back in 2021.
- A handful of seniors who are in their first year with UCF have made a big impact, including Jaden Nixon, Cole Kozlowski, Phillip Dunnam and more
- UCF will celebrate 25 seniors and fifth years in their final home game
JADEN NIXON FACES SET TO FACE FORMER SQUAD
- RB Jaden Nixon is set to face the squad he started his college career with after spending his first three seasons with Oklahoma State.
- Nixon compiled 110 carries for 500 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. In his one season with UCF, Nixon has already topped his rushing yards from those three seasons, chalking up 517 rushing yards on 61 carries for an impressive average of 8.5 yards per carry. He's tallied seven rushing touchdowns with UCF.
LAWRENCE CLIMBING SACK LEADERBOARD
- UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence has earned 20 career sacks, propelling himself into the top 10 of active leaders in the FBS and all-time at UCF
- Lawrence sits at No. 9 among active FBS players in career sacks and is second among active players in the Big 12 Conference behind only TTU's David Bailey
- Lawrence sits alone at No. 10 all-time in career sacks at UCF, passing Keenan Wimbley's 19 compiled from 1984-87 and is one sack away from jumping into sole possession of ninth (see record watch later in notes)
- Lawrence recorded back-to-back 2.0 sack games at Baylor and vs. Houston, putting him at 7.0 on the season which is 0.5 shy of tying his career best
NO FLY ZONE
- The Knights have the second-best ranked passing defense in the Big 12 and 21st ranked in the nation, surrendering just 180.8 passing yards per game
- UCF has a chance to finish the campaign with its lowest mark in passing yards per game in the program's FBS history (joined in 1996). This season's clip is the best since 2001. UCF surrendered just 178.0 passing yards per game in 2001 and 179.7 in 1998, currently the only two FBS marks ahead of this season's 180.8.
- UCF is tied for the second-fewest passing plays allowed of 20+ yards in the Big 12, surrendering 22, one behind conference leader Utah. Additionally, UCF has allowed the third-fewest 20+ yard plays of any variety in the Big 12 with 31.
- UCF held West Virginia to just 79 passing yards, tied for the 17th fewest surrendered in UCF's FBS history. Earlier this year, UCF limited N.C. A&T to 40 passing yards, the fourth fewest allowed during UCF's FBS era.
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
- The Knights have been sharp on defense in the fourth quarter, surrendering the seventh fewest points per game in the fourth this season with 39 total
- What's been more impressive is the amount of yards surrendered in the fourth quarter during Big 12 conference play:
- Nov. 15 at #6 TTU - 34 yards, 5 first downs, 13 plays, 0 points
- Nov. 7 vs. HOU - 96 yards, 8 first downs, 22 plays, 6 points
- Nov. 1 at BU - 64 yards, 4 first downs, 16 plays, 7 points
- Oct. 18 vs. WVU - 7 yards, 0 first downs, 14 plays, 6 points
- Oct. 11 at CIN - 17 yards, 1 first down, 9 plays, 3 points
- Oct. 4 vs. KU - 12 yards, 0 first downs, 9 plays, 0 points
- Sep. 27 at KSU - 30 yards, 2 first downs, 17 plays, 3 points
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
- UCF has shutout its opponents in the first quarter in seven of 10 games this season, allowing 35 points.
- Prior to UCF surrendering 14 points at No. 6 Texas Tech in the first quarter, it had been remarkable at limiting opponents on the scoreboard in the opening frame. UCF was ranked 11th in the nation in fewest points allowed in the first, but now rank 37th. UCF entered November ranking third in the category after allowing seven points in the first quarter to Cincinnati on Oct. 11.
- UCF didn't allow a first-quarter score through the first five games of 2025 and didn't allow a touchdown in the first half of the first three games of the season
- UCF and Pitt were the only two FBS programs to hold its opponents scoreless in the first quarter through the first six weeks of 2025. Both teams saw that streak snapped in week seven, each giving up a TD in the first quarter.
REMARKABLE RUELAS - LOU GROZA SEMIFINALIST
- Kicker Noe Ruelas was named one of 20 Lou Groza semifinalists on Nov. 18
- The last Knight to be a Lou Groza semifinalist was Matthew Wright in 2018
- Ruelas tied his career long with a 54-yard made field goal against Houston on Nov. 7, making him the first player in UCF's FBS history to hit three field goals from 50 yards or longer in a single season (54 vs. Houston, 53 at Kansas State and 51 vs. West Virginia). The program record for 50+ yarders in a season is four, acheived by Scott Ryerson in 1981, UCF's final D-III season.
- Ruelas had a streak of 11 straight field goals made prior to just his second miss of the 2025 season at Baylor on Nov. 1. He joined a group of just five Knights to make 11 or more consecutive field goals in the program's history, tying the legendary Matt Prater for 11 straight made. The last UCF kicker to hit 11 or more consecutive field goals was Shawn Moffitt who nailed 12 in a row across the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
- Prior to hitting his third, Ruelas and Colton Boomer were the only two Knights in the program's FBS history to make a pair of 50+ yard field goals in a single season, Boomer doing so in 2023.
DUNNAM DAZZLES WITH THREE SPACE GAME INTS
- Senior DB Phillip Dunnam had a career night in UCF's space game, becoming the first player in program history to snag three interceptions in a single game. Two of the interceptions were in the first half, and one ended in a 43-yard pick-six to put UCF up 24-14 late in the second quarter.
- Dunnam was honored as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
- He became the third player this season to have three interceptions, but became the only one to return it for a touchdown. Additionally, he became one of 13 players to have a three pick game in the Big 12 since 1996
- Oddly enough, this isn't the first time defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has had one of his players on defense earn three picks in a game. The other was Wyoming's Shamiel Gary in his first collegiate game against Weber State. Grinch was the defensive backs coach in Wyoming from 2009-2011.
LONG SCORING DRIVES
- UCF had two scoring drives of 90+ yards in the win over West Virginia, matching the two collected over the course of the season, now sitting at four
- Prior to the West Virginia win, the last time UCF had two or more 90+ yard touchdown drives in a single game was Oct. 19, 2019 against East Carolina
- Additionally, the Knights earned three scoring drives of 75+ yards against the Mountaineers, bringing the total to of 75+ scoring drives to 12 this season
- Now at 14 drives of 75+ yards, the 75+ yard drives make up 35% of all UCF's scoring drives this season with 40 total scoring drives
BIG GAIN RUNNING GAME
- J. Nixon has four runs of 50+ yards this season, all of thlem for touchdowns. Two of his long runs came in UCF's 68-7 victory over N.C. A&T, ripping off 87- and 66-yard touchdown runs. His third came at Kansas State, a 54-yard touchdown, making way for his 83-yard score against West Virginia.
- UCF is one of two Big 12 teams (Utah) to boast four different players with 100-yard rushing outings. Jaden Nixon, Myles Montgomery, Jacurri Brown and Cam Fancher have all earned 100+ rushing yards in a game this season.
- Additionally, Montgomery earned two long runs at Kansas State, scampering for 45 yards, his longest rush as a Knight, and later running for 44 yards for his highest career rushing total of 119 yards on 10 carries
ADDITIONAL NOTES
NEW VS. NEW
- UCF is one of 30 FBS teams that started 2025 with a new head coach; 28 of which are completely new while the other two were elevated from interim
- The Knights are a perfect 4-0 against teams with new coaches this season, beating Jacksonville St. with Charles Kelly, N.C. A&T (FCS) with Shawn Gibbs, North Carolina with Bill Belichick and West Virginia with Rich Rodriguez. All games were at home and decided by a margin of 164-39.
- UCF began the season with four scheduled games against teams with new head coaches, but now will have five after Oklahoma State's leadership change. The Knights' meeting with the Cowboys is the final game of 2025 against a new head coach, hosting interim HC Doug Meacham on Nov. 22
- Of the new crop in 2025, Frost and Rodriguez are the only pair of FBS head coaches to have coached at a school, leave, and return as head coach again
About UCF Athletics
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.