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Mission X Set for Launch Friday Night vs. BaylorMission X Set for Launch Friday Night vs. Baylor

Mission X Set for Launch Friday Night vs. Baylor

by Ken Landis
Mission X: Origin Story Opens in a new window Space Game History Opens in a new window UCF Game Notes Opens in a new window Baylor Game Notes Opens in a new window Big 12 Conference Notes Opens in a new window Game Week Press Conference Opens in a new window Live Stats Opens in a new window Listen Opens in a new window Spanish Radio Opens in a new window

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Oct. 30
Time: 3:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
TV Talent: Mike Monaco (PxP), Jordan Rodgers (Analyst), Dana Boyle (Sideline)
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
Spanish Radio Talent: Carlos Bohorquez (PxP), Sergio Ruiz Torres (Analyst)

The Space Game
Acrisure Bounce House

The Space Game

UCF Knights
UCF Knights

4-3 (2-2 Big 12)

VS
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears

4-3 (2-2 Big 12)

A WIN WOULD...

  • Be better than a loss
  • Improve UCF to 9-1 in Space Games
  • Even the all-time series vs. Baylor at 2-2
  • Match UCF's highest win total in Big 12 Conference games in a single season (three Big 12 wins in 2023)
  • Snap a four-game losing streak on Fridays (last Friday win vs. South Florida, Nov. 26, 2021)
  • Be the second time winning back-to-back Big 12 Conference games (last at Cincinnati, vs. #15 Oklahoma St. in 2023)

1ST AND 10

HIGHEST RANKED WIN IN PROGRAM HISTORY
  • UCF welcomed the highest-ranked foe in Acrisure Bounce House history in Week 8 and made the most of the opportunity, toppling then-No. 2 BYU 39-31 in double overtime. The victory gives UCF its first win against an AP top-5 ranked opponent, fourth against a top-10 foe and 11th ranked win overall.
  • Head Coach Scott Frost is responsible for four of UCF's 11 ranked wins in program history, earning three in 2017 before adding the BYU win to the resume. He now has the most wins over ranked opponents out of any coach in UCF history.
  • UCF has defended home turf against ranked foes, winning three of the last four battles against a top 25 team in Orlando. The win snapped a six-game losing streak against ranked foes, five of which were on the road.
  • The contest was the third time UCF faced a top-two team and the second as an FBS program (previously 1995 at No. 1 FSU, L, 46-14; 2009 at No. 2 Texas, L, 35-3)
  • UCF improved to 23-1 under coach Frost in games they score 30+ points
  • In UCF's first overtime game since 2017, UCF QB Keyone Jenkins went three-for-five passing across both overtimes and tallied two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the air. He finished the game with four total touchdowns.
  • Freshman Tyren Hornes had a breakout game and came up big for UCF, hauling in six catches for 137 yards plus a two-point conversion grab in double overtime
THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM VS. RANKED FOE
  • UCF's win over No. 2 BYU was the last of a three-game stretch against ranked teams, previously falling to No. 20 Houston and No. 18 Oklahoma St.
  • The Knights either led or were tied with all three ranked foes at halftime, as UCF led in Houston 10-0 at the break and were tied 21-21 in Stillwater. UCF led BYU 17-14 at the break and came out on top in double overtime 39-31.
  • The contest against BYU marked the first time since 2017 that UCF faced three straight ranked foes. The Knights beat No. 22/19 South Florida 49-42 in the final game of the 2017 regular season, No. 16/14 Memphis 62-55 in the AAC Championship and No. 7/8 Auburn 34-27 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to finish 13-0 in 2017 to earn a National Championship.
THE SPACE GAME; UCF IS SPACEU
  • Played annually since 2017, the UCF Space Game makes its return for the 10th consecutive season. 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. The school was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978 as the academic scope expanded beyond its original focus on engineering and technology.
  • UCF is 8-1 all-time in space games following its first loss in the celestial celebration, falling 30-27 to Houston in 2025. The law of gravity states what goes up, must come back down...it had to end at some point.
  • A few reasons why UCF is the one and only SpaceU:
    • UCF is No. 1 nationally for placing graduates in aerospace industry jobs
    • UCF faculty & students have worked on 591 NASA projects since the '90s
    • 29% of Kennedy Space Center employees are UCF Alumni
    • 35+ space-related degrees are offered at UCF, including aerospace medicine and an online Space MBA
    • The 50-yard line of Acrisure Bounce House is on the exact latitude as Launch Complex 39A, NASA’s most historic launch pad, 31 miles to the east
MISSION X: ORIGIN STORY
  • 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the Space Game, as well as the 63rd anniversary of UCF's founding in 1963 as Florida Technological University
  • A double meaning, Mission X: Origin Story celebrates the origin of NASA in the early 1960s, as well as UCF's birth to help fuel the space program
  • This year's custom Space Game jersey honors the core of NASA during the 1960s decade, integrating the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions throughout the uniform. Each detail down to the stitching is integrated.
  • The helmet features a red stripe on top, a nod to the stripe on the helmet of commanders on the Apollo missions. The gold facemask is made to appear like the gold visors on the Apollo spacesuits
NATIONAL HONORS ACQUIRED AFTER WIN
WATSON RUNNING WILD
  • RB Duke Watson enters Week 9 boasting 6.79 yards per carry, which puts him 10th in the nation and third in the Big 12 Conference; his freshman season saw him lead the nation in rushing at 8.9 yards per carry in 2024 at Louisville
  • Watson ranks T-4th in the Big 12 in most rushing plays of 10+ yards this season with 19
  • Watson has a pair of 100+ yard rushing performances this season after having a total of two over his first two collegiate seasons
  • The Forsyth, Ga. native put on a show in Week 3 against Georgia State, rushing for a career-best 177 yards while scoring two touchdowns in the win. Watson's 12.6 yards per carry for against the Panthers was the second-highest mark in program history, behind Latavius Murray who averaged 13.27 yards per rush on Nov. 20, 2010 in a 61-14 win at Tulane.
RUN-STOPPING SUCCESS
  • UCF has allowed the fewest rushing plays of 10+ yards in the Big 12 this season, surrendering 16 runs of 10+ yards in 2026, which is tied for seventh in FBS, behind Iowa (9), Notre Dame (11), Miami (13), Michigan (14) and UConn and Wisconsin (15).
  • The Knights have improved their run-stopping compared to the previous campaign and have allowed just 118.0 rushing yards per game this season, compared to 150.7 allowed in 2025
  • UCF ranks second in rushing defense when looking at Big 12 Conference games, allowing 103.25 yards per game in league play in 2026
  • UCF's conference-opening win over TCU saw the Knights limit the Horned Frogs to 33 rushing yards on 27 carries before limiting No. 2 BYU to 116 rushing yards, nearly 100 below its average of 206.7 entering that contest
DEFENSE CREATING CHAOS
  • UCF has snatched seven interceptions so far in 2026, ranking fifth in the Big 12
  • The Knights had just nine interceptions in each of the last two seasons
  • UCF forced 14 turnovers last season and have forced 12 to this point in 2026
  • A turning point in the Knights' win over No. 2 BYU was a tipped ball by DT Thomas Collins at the line that was intercepted by LB Tackett Curtis. UCF was trailing 14-10 with BYU driving before the two-minute timeout of halftime. The takeway turned into seven points and a 17-14 halftime lead for the Black and Gold, going on to topple No. 2 BYU 39-31 in double overtime.
  • UCF returns four starters in the secondary from last year's defense: CB Jayden Bellamy, CB Antione Jackson, S Demari Henderson and NKL Braeden Marshall
  • UCF finished 2025 ranking third in the Big 12 and 22nd in the FBS in passing defense, allowing 185.1 passing yards per game, a clip that was third-lowest in UCF's FBS history and the best since 2001. So far in 2026, UCF has surrendered an average of 239.7 passing yards per game but has earned more interceptions.
STRONG FIRST IMPRESSIONS
  • Until last game vs. No. 2 BYU, UCF had held opponents scoreless on their opening drive of the game. Dating back to the beginning of head coach Scott Frost's second tenure in 2025, UCF has limited opponents to just four scores on opening drives in 19 games thus far. The Knights have forced two turnovers on the opening drive across its four Big 12 games in 2026.
  • UCF has scored a touchdown on its first drive in four of seven games this season, seeing a streak of four-straight come to an end vs. No. 2 BYU
WINS SINCE 2017
  • The Knights have compiled 78 wins since 2017, which is second-most in the state of Florida and third-most in the Big 12. UCF ranks 23rd nationally over that span, which includes a perfect 13-0 in 2017, 12 wins in 2018 and 10 in 2019.
  • In the Big 12, UCF trails only BYU and Utah who both have 81 victories. The Black and Gold are ahead of Cincinnati, which has 77 wins since 2017.
  • In Florida, Miami (80) edged in front of UCF (78) in wins since 2017, followed by Florida (67), Florida State (59), Florida Atlantic (58) and South Florida (53)

ADDITIONAL NOTES

CENTER STAGE ON NATIONAL TV

  • For the first time in its Big 12 era, UCF football will air back-to-back home games on the primary channel of a network. The Knights hosted No. 2 BYU on Saturday, Oct. 24 on FOX before hosting Baylor on Friday, Oct. 30 on ESPN for this year's Space Game.
  • The Knights and Cougars' double-overtime battle drew 4,743,000 viewers, with a reported peak of 10 million viewers at one point; the 4.7 million number makes it the fifth-most watched UCF game in program history and the second-most watch in a regular season UCF game. The 4.7 million also made it the most watched Big 12 Conference game at the time.
  • The two game stretch will be the third time in UCF's Big 12 tenure that the Knights will play back-to-back games on a primary channel. 2024 saw UCF air consecutive games on FOX (W at TCU, L vs. Colorado) while 2023 saw UCF on FOX and ABC in back-to-back weeks (L at Kansas, L at Oklahoma).

THIS WEEK IN THE BIG 12

  • The Big 12 Conference has four teams with a win over an AP Top-15 team this season, which is the second-most nationally behind only the SEC. All other FBS conferences have combined for one such win in 2026.
  • Conference of QB’s: Big 12 quarterbacks are averaging 252.4 passing yards per game in league play this season, which leads the nation. That passing average would rank as the Big 12’s best mark since 2019.
  • Through the first eight weeks of the season, the Big 12 is the highest scoring conference in FBS at 32.31 points per game
  • With seven wins by the home team last week, the Big 12 has a mark of 55-11 at home this season and is on pace for the best home record by any FBS conference since 1996
  • The Conference has No. 6 Utah, No. 8 BYU, No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 18 Houston, No. 22 Arizona and No. 24 Oklahoma State in this week’s AP Top 25, giving the Big 12 six ranked teams for the first time since 2012

BERTRAMS BOOTING IT FAR

  • Punter Atticus Bertrams enters Week 9 ranked 10th in the nation and second in the BIg 12 in average distance per punt with a 46.4 clip.
  • Bertrams is in range to set a new UCF record for average punt distance, which is currently held by Matt Prater who averaged 47.9 yards per punt
  • Bertrams' career-high mark for average yards per punt in a season was 45.3, set during his 2024 campaign at Wisconsin
  • The Sydney, Australia native was named to Ray Guy Award Ray's 8 for his efforts in UCF's win over No. 2 BYU (more on page 10)

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.