ORLANDO - The stakes are getting higher as the NFL concluded an exciting wild card weekend, making way for the divisional round of the playoffs. Among the postseason rosters, several UCF alumni are set to take the field and square off against each other in these highly anticipated matchups.
BUFFALO AT DENVER – Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m. (CBS)
The Buffalo Bills advanced with an exciting win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday 27-24. Buffalo sits at 12-5 as they gear up to face the Denver Broncos on Saturday, setting up a battle between program alumni.
The Broncos last saw action in a Week 18 win against the Los Angeles Chargers that brought their record to 14-3, securing the top seed and a bye in the AFC. As they gear up to face the Bills, breakout rookie RJ Harvey is seeking to continue his success in the postseason.
The former Knight has had a strong inaugural season with Denver, tallying 12 touchdowns, 540 rushing yards and 356 receiving yards. Harvey received several nominations for Rookie of the Week, bringing home the award after his Week 8 performance against the Cowboys. It was during this matchup he became the first Bronco since Clinton Portis to have three touchdowns in a game.
For Buffalo, veteran kicker Matt Prater has been a driving force for the Bills throughout the regular season. The UCF Alumni has a 90% completion rate for field goals and has tallied 100 points in the process. As one of the NFL’s all-time leading point scorers, Prater (ranks 13th with 1,908 points scored) trails legendary kicker Sebastian Janikowski by just five points (12th with 1,913). Prater was perfect on his two field goal and three extra point attempts in the victory over Jacksonville on wild card weekend.
Sadly, Gabe Davis’ season came to an end in the wild card game, suffering a knee injury. Davis caught two passes for 14 yards in the wild card victory and finishes the campaign with 12 catches for 129 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Also rostered by Buffalo is Matthew Wright, who was added on the practice squad with an injury to Prater earlier in the season. Prater didn’t practice Tuesday but was a full participant in practice Wednesday. Tylan Grable was Buffalo’s starting left tackle in the final week of the regular season but was a healthy scratch for the team’s wild card game.
SAN FRANCISCO AT SEATTLE – Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. (FOX)
Another tilt of program alumni will take place in the NFC, as the San Francisco 49ers visit the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks, sitting at 14-3 on the year. The Seahawks beat the 49ers in Week 18, but San Francisco came out on top during the week one contest.
Amari Kight is on Seattle's active roster ahead of the playoff game. The offensive tackle has played in four games this season, making his NFL debut back on Sept. 25 and has played in each of the past three games leading into the playoffs. Cornerback Shaquill Griffin is listed on the Seahawks' practice squad ahead of this weekend's contest.
On the other side, the 49ers head into the game with a record of 13-5 and are fresh off a win after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on Sunday. Kalia Davis, in his third season with the 49ers, has appeared in 17 of 18 possible games on the campaign. Fighting through a broken hand, the defensive tackle ended the regular season with 28 tackles and half a sack. Wide receiver Javon Baker spent time on the 49ers practice squad this season but was recently waived.
WILD CARD KNIGHTS
A handful of former UCF players and their NFL teams saw action in wild card weekend but didn’t advance to the divisional round. Cornerback Mac McWilliams and long snapper Charley Hughlett competed in Eagles’ tilt with the 49ers but fell in the 23-19 decision. Both saw action in the wild card contest, as McWilliams finishes his rookie campaign with a pass breakup and a tackle in five games this season while Hughlett saw action in eight games.
Four additional Knights and their NFL teams were eliminated this weekend. Richie Grant (New England), Jordan Akins (Jacksonville) and Brandon Johnson (Pittsburgh) were part of their team’s practice squads while John Rhys Plumlee (Pittsburgh) was tabbed reserve/future.
Good luck to all our Knights in the NFL Playoffs ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/RhasFTkmzt
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) January 9, 2026
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.