A WIN WOULD...
- Be better than a loss
- Make UCF a perfect 9-0 in Space Games
- Make UCF a perfect 2-0 in Space Games vs. Houston
- Give UCF more wins than last season
- Be the 40th win of Scott Frost's career
LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED - 9 FACTS FOR MISSION IX
SEEKING TO CONTINUE SPACE GAME PERFECTION
- The UCF Space Game has been played annually since the 2017 season; the Knights are 8-0 all-time in space games after a 56-12 victory against Arizona on Nov. 2, 2024
- The game recognizes the University of Central Florida’s roots, founded as Florida Technological University in 1963 with the mission of providing personnel to support the growing U.S. space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. As the academic scope expanded beyond its original focus on engineering and technology, the school was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978.
- This year's Space Game theme is Mission IX: Hyperspace with the tagline Citius Est Futurum, meaning the future is faster. The UCF HyperSpace Center, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force, stands on the forefront of hypersonics and space propulsion research. This technology allows for air travel at speeds of Mach 6 to 17, meaning six to 17 times the speed of sound, or more than 4,600 to 13,000 mph; it means going from New York to London in less than 15 minutes. Far beyond science fiction, a team of 40 UCF undergraduates and 25 graduate students, led by Professor Kareem Ahmed, are turning theory into reality. Hypersonic technology holds promise for opening up the boundaries of space exploration, changing our perceptions of the impossible.
- The Knights, better known as the Citronauts during the Space Game, are averaging 50.6 points per game in Space Games, while opponents have been held to 19.9 ppg
LAWRENCE CLIMBING SACK LEADERBOARD
- UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence has earned 19 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
- Lawrence sits in a tie at No. 10 all-time in career sacks at UCF, tying Keenan Wimbley (1984-87) and sits 1.5 behind ninth place (Emil Ekiyor, 20.5, 1992-95)
- Lawrence has recorded back-to-back games with 2.0 sacks. He has tallied 6.0 on the season and is 1.5 away from tying his career high of 7.5 during 2023.
NO FLY ZONE
- The Knights have the 11th-ranked passing defense in the country, surrendering just 161.4 passing yards per game thus far
- UCF has allowed the third-fewest passing plays of 20+ yards in the Big 12, surrendering just 17. Arizona and Utah have allowed the fewest at 15 while UCF is tied for third with BYU. Additionally, UCF has allowed the second-fewest 20+ yard plays of any variety in the Big 12 with 22 and is tied for the ninth-lowest in the FBS.
- The UCF defense held Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels to no passing touchdowns for the first time this season (as of Oct. 4), he entered the contest vs. the Knights as the nation's fifth-most efficient passer
- 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.
FIRST QUARTER LOCKDOWN
- Entering the Baylor game, UCF had surrendered just seven points in the first quarter during the season. The Bears put up 14 in the first against the Knights, and now UCF sits ranked 16th in the nation in first quarter points allowed as opposed to third entering November.
- 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.
- 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
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
- The Knights have been sharp on defense in the fourth quarter, surrendering the 12th fewest points per game in the fourth this season with 33 total
- What's been more impressive is the amount of yards surrendered in the fourth quarter during Big 12 conference play
- 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
LONG SCORING DRIVES
- 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
HIGH-SCORING HOMECOMING VICTORY
- UCF scored its most points in a Homecoming game since 2020 in a 45-13 thumping of West Virginia, snapping a two-game Homecoming losing skid
- The Knights have won seven of their last nine, as well as 13 of their last 17 Homecoming games
- Chris Domercant caught his first two touchdowns at the FBS level, both in the first quarter, becoming the first Knight to snag two touchdowns in a single quarter since Oct. 13, 2022 when Ryan O'Keefe did so in a 70-13 win vs. Temple
- Jaden Nixon tallied another 100-yard rushing game, his second of the year and added another two touchdowns, his sixth of the season and 20th career
- With the final score, UCF has posted 30+ points for the third time this season. As of Nov. 1, UCF has scored 30+ points in 21 of Scott Frost’s 34 game
DEFENSE CLOGS COUNTRY ROADS WITH 8 SACKS
- UCF's defense compilied eight sacks in the 45-13 win over West Virginia, the most sacks for the Knights in a single game since Oct. 14, 2000 vs. Eastern Kentucky when the Black and Gold earned nine. The nine stand as the most in UCF's FBS history and the eight earned against the Mountaineers was one of just four times earning seven or more sacks since 1996 and becoming FBS.
- The Knights are one of six teams to record eight or more sacks in a game in the FBS this season and were one behind tying the top spot
- On top of his 1.5 sacks, Nyjalik Kelly forced a fumble which was returned for a touchdown for 32 yards by Keli Lawson. It was the second forced fumble of the season for Kelly, the other also was returned for a TD vs. N.C. A&T.
- The defensive line accounted for seven of the eight sacks, including 5.5 from the starters up front, earning the honor of Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week
- Malachi Lawrence earned 2.0 sacks, the first player to do so in a game in 2025
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
- The dozen drives of 75+ yards make up 34.3% of all UCF's scoring drives this season with 35 total scoring drives
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.
