2024 UCF Knights football team explained

Year:	2024
Team:	UCF Knights
Sport:	football
Conference:	Big 12 Conference
Short Conf:	Big 12
Coachrank:	RV
Record:	0–0
Conf Record:	0–0
Head Coach:	Gus Malzahn
Hc Year:	4th
Off Coach:	Tim Harris Jr.
Oc Year:	1st
Cooc1 Year:	2nd
Def Coach:	Ted Roof
Dc Year:	1st
Codef Coach1:	Addison Williams
Codc1 Year:	2nd
Stadium:	FBC Mortgage Stadium

The 2024 UCF Knights football team will represent the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They are led by Gus Malzahn in his 4th year as their head coach. The Knights play their home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium located in Orlando, Florida.

Offseason

Transfers

Incoming

Ja'Varrius Johnson	WR	Auburn
Agiye Hall	WR	Texas
Mac McWilliams	DB	UAB
Keegan Smith	IOL	Central Michigan
Sheldon Arnold II	DB	ETSU
Jacoby Jones	WR	Ohio
Peny Boone	RB	Louisville
Jacurri Brown	QB	Miami
Tre'Quon Fegans	DB	USC
Jack Bernstein	LS	Georgia State
Nyjalik Kelly	DE	Miami
Cedrick Hawkins	S	Ohio State
Evan Morris	TE	Michigan State
KJ Jefferson	QB	Arkansas
Ladarius Tennison	STAR	Ole Miss
Ethan Barr	LB	Vanderbilt
Jesiah Pierce	LB	Texas Tech
Antoine Jackson	DB	East Carolina
Xe'ree Alexander	LB	Idaho
Jabari Brooks	OL	Samford
Myles Montgomery	RB	Cincinnati
Daylon Dotson	DE	UTM
Zavier Carter	DE	UNLV
Goldie Lawrence	WR	Florida State
DeShawn Pace	STAR	Cincinnati
Byron Threats	S	Cincinnati
Wes Dorsey	OL	Western Kentucky
Reece Adkins	TE	Eastern Kentucky

Outgoing

Xavier Williams	QB	Middle Tennessee
Zavier Carter	DE	TBD
Jason Duclona	DB	Liberty
Ja'Maric Morris	DB	Georgia State
Stephen Martin	WR	Samford
Goldie Lawrence	WR	TBD
Nikai Martinez	DB	Michigan State
Timmy McClain	QB	Arkansas State
Josh Celiscar	DE	Texas A&M
Jarvis Ware	DB	UNLV
KD McDaniel	DE	Georgia State
Dallaz Corbitt	DE	Bethune–Cookman
Kervins Choute	DT	UConn
Isaiah Paul	LB	TBD
Amari Johnson	WR	Florida A&M
Corey Thornton	DB	Louisville
Keenan Cupit	LB	TBD
Tyler Griffin	WR	ULM
Jaylon Griffin	WR	Texas State
Jordan McDonald	RB	Boston College
Drake Metcalf	IOL	Virginia
Gunnar Smith	QB	Highland CC
Fred Davis II	DB	TBD
Demarkcus Bowman	RB	TBD

• Source:^[1]

Preseason

Spring game

The 2024 UCF spring exhibition game was played on Friday April 12 at FBC Mortgage Stadium. The team was split into two squads for gameplay, the Knights and the 'Nauts. Two 12-minute halves were followed by a series of player skill challenges. Quarterback KJ Jefferson threw for 271 yards and two touchdown passes.^[2]

Big 12 preseason poll

The preseason poll was released on July 2.^[3] First place votes are in parenthesis.

1	Utah (20)	906
2	Kansas State (19)	889
3	Oklahoma State (14)	829
4	Kansas (5)	772
5	Arizona (3)	762
6	Iowa State	661
7	West Virginia	581
8	UCF	551
9	Texas Tech	532
10	TCU	436
11	Colorado	400
12	Baylor	268
13	BYU	215
14	Cincinnati	196
15	Houston	157
16	Arizona State	141

Award watch lists

	QB	Maxwell Award Davey O'Brien Award Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
	RB	RJ Harvey Doak Walker Award
Lee Hunter	DT	Bronko Nagurski Trophy Outland Trophy Chuck Bednarik Award Lombardi Award
Xavier Townsend	WR	Paul Hornung Award
Kobe Hudson	WR	Fred Biletnikoff Award
Listed in the order that they were released

Schedule

^[4]

Game summaries

vs New Hampshire

See also: 2024 New Hampshire Wildcats football team.

Statistics	UNH	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
New Hampshire	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Sam Houston

See also: 2024 Sam Houston Bearkats football team.

Statistics	SH	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Sam Houston	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at TCU

See also: 2024 TCU Horned Frogs football team.

Statistics	UCF	TCU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
TCU	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Colorado

See also: 2024 Colorado Buffaloes football team.

Statistics	COL	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Colorado	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at Florida

See also: 2024 Florida Gators football team.

Statistics	UCF	FLA
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Florida	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Cincinnati

See also: 2024 Cincinnati Bearcats football team.

Statistics	CIN	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Cincinnati	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at Iowa State

See also: 2024 Iowa State Cyclones football team.

Statistics	UCF	ISU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Iowa State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs BYU

See also: 2024 BYU Cougars football team.

Statistics	BYU	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
BYU	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Arizona

See also: 2024 Arizona Wildcats football team.

Statistics	ARIZ	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Arizona	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at Arizona State

See also: 2024 Arizona State Sun Devils football team.

Statistics	UCF	ASU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Arizona State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at West Virginia

See also: 2024 West Virginia Mountaineers football team.

Statistics	UCF	WVU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
West Virginia	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Utah

See also: 2024 Utah Utes football team.

Statistics	UTAH	UCF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Utah	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
UCF	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024 UCF Football Transfer Portal. April 29, 2023 . On3 . en.
2. News: UCF Debuts 2024 Squad in Knights vs. ‘Nauts Spring Football Game. UCFAthletics.com. Justin. Wilson. April 12, 2024. July 29, 2024.
3. News: Utah Picked First in Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll. Big12Sports.com. July 2, 2024. July 29, 2024.
4. Web site: 2024 UCF Football Schedule . FBSchedules.com . 6 January 2024.