BYU (10-1, 7-1) vs. UCF (5-6, 2-6)
- Kickoff: Saturday, 11 a.m. MST
- Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium (capacity: 62,073)
- TV: ESPN2
- Livestream: espn.com/live
- Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM/BYU Radio Sirius XM 143
- Series: BYU leads, 3-1 (last meeting: 2024)
The trends
For BYU: The Cougars scored another impressive road win at Cincinnati last week to move to 10-1, though they’re still currently on the wrong side of the College Football Playoff bubble.
But BYU still is just a win — or an Arizona State loss — away from clinching a spot in the Big 12 championship game next week, where the Cougars could determine their own destiny by winning there and securing an automatic CFP bid.
Through 11 games, BYU ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring offense (33.4 points per game) and second in scoring defense (17.5 PPG).
For UCF: The first year of Scott Frost’s second stint in Orlando has been disappointing, as the Knights currently sit at 2-6 in Big 12 play — though three of those losses came by nine points or fewer.
However, with a win over BYU, UCF would clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2023.
UCF ranks 13th in the Big 12 in scoring offense (24.6 points) and seventh in scoring defense (22.0 points).
What to watch for
UCF has a solid defense and BYU will likely be without top receiver Chase Roberts, who was listed as doubtful on this week’s availability report. Look for how the Cougars attempt to attack the Knights without Roberts in the fold.
BYU is undefeated at home while UCF is winless on the road. Watch for how comfortable each team appears early in the ballgame, especially considering the stakes for each side.
The Knights do run the ball well, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and 168.5 yards per game. BYU just smothered Cincinnati’s run game last week, so look for if the Cougars can do the same on Saturday.
Key player
Bear Bachmeier, freshman, quarterback, BYU. It’s been the year of the Bear in Provo.
The first true freshman starting quarterback in program history has been nothing short of outstanding for the Cougars. Bachmeier has lifted what was projected to be a 7-5, 8-4 campaign into a potential CFP berth. He’s answered every call and has a legitimate case for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors.
But now it’s time to finish the regular season fight.
With a win, BYU will earn a trip to the Big 12 title game and the opportunity for CFP inclusion. Bachmeier has already brought them this far, and the Cougars will need to ride him once again against UCF for an 11th win.
Quotable
“It’s going to be an emotional time for (the seniors) ... they can understand it, and then let’s go play the game and have fun and perform at our best. We do that and I think everything else will take care of itself.
“We can see on film (UCF is) a dangerous team and that their roster is full of talent and skill and speed, and so this is not going to be an easy game, but we feel good about getting the most out of our guys and performing at our best and seeing what happens.” —BYU coach Kalani Sitake
“We’ve been so close in a lot of games, but again, we have a great chance right in front of us. You know, (BYU is) probably one of the top teams in this league and we have to go out and play at their place and it’s certainly not going to be easy. I got a ton of respect for Coach Sitake, his program, and the guys that they put together, and they’ve had a really good year.
“So it’s a big challenge, but we got a group of guys that if we come together and play well, we can be dangerous. So that puts no pressure on us, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to go give it our best shot.” —UCF coach Scott Frost
BYU schedule
- Aug. 30 — defeated Portland State, 69-0
- Sept. 6 — defeated Stanford, 27-3
- Sept. 20 — defeated East Carolina, 34-13
- Sept. 27 — defeated Colorado, 24-21
- Oct. 3 — defeated West Virginia, 38-24
- Oct. 11 — defeated Arizona, 33-27
- Oct. 18 — defeated Utah, 24-21
- Oct. 25 — defeated Iowa State, 41-27
- Nov. 8 — lost to Texas Tech, 29-7
- Nov. 15 — defeated TCU, 44-13
- Nov. 22 — defeated Cincinnati, 26-14