Advertisement

UCF gets road-trip reprieve in Year 2 of Big 12 schedule

matt murschel, orlando sentinel
·3 min read

UCF will finally get some relief in Year 2 of the Big 12, with a much easier travel schedule after last season’s grueling road trips.

The Knights traveled more than 17,000 miles for six games, but that won’t be the case in 2024 with a schedule that features five road contests and seven home games.

UCF opens the season by hosting New Hampshire on a Thursday night (Aug. 29). It’s the first meeting with the Wildcats, who finished 6-5 last season, including 4-4 in the Coastal Athletic Association of the Football Championship Subdivision.

The Knights face another first-time opponent when they host Sam Houston State on Sept. 7. The Bearkats finished 3-9 in their first season in Conference USA after transitioning from the FCS in 2022.

UCF athletics continues to build its budget with move into Big 12

UCF opens conference play on the road for the second straight season with a trip to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on TCU on Sept. 14.

After a bye week, the Knights will host Colorado on Sept. 28, led by coach Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes finished 4-8 in Sanders’ first season and are returning to the Big 12 after exiting in 2011.

A much-anticipated contest with Florida awaits UCF the following week (Oct. 5) as the team travels to Gainesville. This is the fourth meeting between the two in-state programs and the first since the Knights beat UF 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl in 2021.

UCF returns home to face a familiar foe in Cincinnati on Oct. 12. The Knights have won two straight in the series, including last year’s 28-26 win at Nippert Stadium.

The third trip takes UCF to face Iowa State on Oct. 19 in the first meeting between the programs.

The Knights return home for a two-game homestand against BYU (Oct. 26) and Arizona (Nov. 2). It’s the fourth meeting with the Cougars but the first since the 2020 Boca Raton Bowl. The Wildcats are making their first trip to UCF in their first season in the Big 12.

UCF’s Gus Malzahn shakes up coaching staff after disappointing 6-7 season

The remainder of November features road games at Arizona State (Nov. 9) and West Virginia (Nov. 23), bookending a bye week (Nov. 16). It will be the first trip to Tempe for the Knights since 2002, a 46-13 loss to the Sun Devils. A trip to Morgantown, will be the first since 2003, a 36-18 loss.

The season wraps up at home against Utah on Black Friday (Nov. 29). It’s the first meeting with the Utes, who debut in the Big 12 after 13 seasons in the Pac-12.

UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir, who is on the Big 12 football scheduling committee, was confident in the strength of the Knights’ schedule.

“I have a prediction that we will have the best schedule in the history of UCF,” he recently told the Sentinel.

UCF (6-7, 3-6 Big 12) is coming off its first losing season under coach Gus Malzahn. The Knights begin spring football camp March 11.

2024 schedule

Aug. 29 vs. New Hampshire*

Sept. 7 vs. Sam Houston State

Sept. 14 at TCU

Sept. 21 Bye

Sept. 28 vs. Colorado

Oct. 5 at Florida

Oct. 12 vs. Cincinnati

Oct. 19 at Iowa State

Oct. 26 vs. BYU

Nov. 2 vs. Arizona

Nov. 9 at Arizona State

Nov. 16 Bye

Nov. 23 at West Virginia

Nov. 29 vs. Utah#

* Thursday

# Friday

Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on X at @osmattmurschel.