No rah-rah speeches are needed in the halls of the Wayne Densch Sports Center this week.
Coaches and players know what’s at stake when UCF (5-6, 2-6 Big 12) hosts Houston (4-7, 2-6 Big 12) in its regular-season finale on Saturday. Win and the Knights are bowl eligible. Lose and the season is most likely over.
“It’s a one-game season. That’s what we’ve told our players,’ said coach Gus Malzahn.
While things haven’t gone as planned for UCF, a bowl appearance would mean a lot for the program in its first season in the Big 12. It also would mean a lot on Senior Day.
“It would be a big deal for us,” said fifth-year senior quarterback John Rhys Plumlee.“Coach Malzahn said it best that it would be a huge shot in the arm for us. It would be huge for the senior class to go out on that note.”
Added fifth-year senior linebacker Jason Johnson: “It’s another game, another opportunity, so we want to get that bowl game. Every game means a lot, so we’ll get that.”
Putting the one-point loss to Texas Tech behind them was what Malzahn emphasized to his team all week.
“We’ve done that this year. We’ve had quite a few of them,” he said. “Everybody knows that, but these guys rebound every time.”
Houston, like UCF, also is wrapping up a challenging transitional season. The Cougars have lost four of their last five and have been outscored in the Big 12 by 112 points. Still, playing the role of spoiler by beating the Knights could provide some consolation.
“If that helps to be a spoiler, so to speak, then sure, we’re always going to use whatever we can use from a motivational perspective to try and give you any kind of advantage,” said Houston coach Dana Holgorsen. “It’s important for us to go finish. We need to finish the right way.”
Coaches: Malzahn, 3rd season at UCF, 23-15 (100-53 overall); Holgerson, 5th season at Houston, 31-27 (92-68 overall).
Quick slant: This is the 11th meeting between the two former American Athletic Conference foes, with UCF holding a 7-3 edge. The Knights have won two straight games in the series, including the last time these two faced off in 2020. … Houston is making just its second trip outside Texas this season (Oct. 28 at Kansas State).
About UCF (5-6, 2-6 Big 12): The Knights have three receivers graded in the top 30 in the Big 12, per Pro Football Focus: No. 1 Javon Baker (79.3), No. 21 Xavier Townsend (70.8) and No. 27 Kobe Hudson (69.0). … Running back RJ Harvey is one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, given to the country’s top running back. Harvey needs 179 yards against Houston to move into the top 3 best rushing seasons by a UCF tailback.
About Houston (4-7, 2-6 Big 12): Edge rusher Nelson Ceaser, whose first collegiate snaps took place against UCF in 2019, leads the Big 12 in sacks (9.5) and is fourth in tackles for loss (13). … Cornerback Isaiah Hamilton is second in the conference in interceptions (4), including one against Oklahoma State last week that he returned 57 yards for a touchdown. … Freshman running back Parker Jenkins leads the Cougars in rushing (456) and has 20 runs of 10-plus yards.
Containing Donovan Smith. Houston’s dual-threat quarterback has nine games of 200 or more passing yards, including a career-high 378 against Texas, and has thrown multiple touchdowns in seven of his 11 starts. UCF has only allowed multiple touchdown passes three times (Boise State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech).
Pay attention to return game. Cougars receiver Matthew Golden has a league-best two kickoff returns for touchdowns, with the sophomore averaging nearly 35.7 yards per return. UCF hasn’t given up a kickoff return for a touchdown since Tulane’s Stephon Huderson returned a kick 98 yards on Nov. 23, 2019.
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Play mistake-free. UCF is 3-5 in games where the Knights have turned the ball over at least once and 2-3 when they’ve had multiple turnovers. Ten of the team’s 19 turnovers have come on interceptions, including four in the red zone.
Where: FBC Mortgage Stadium
When: Noon
TV: ESPN; Radio: AM 740/FM 96.9 The Game, Sirius/XM 199
Weather: 74 degrees, 24% rain chance
Favorite: UCF 13.5 points
Online: orlandosentinel.com/knights; @osmattmurschel on X (Twitter).
