Knight Nation, prepare yourself for a less-than-ideal 2025 football season. As a UCF student and avid football fan, I hate to admit that our team is the equivalent of seeing an empty spot in the parking garage during peak school hours, only to find out a motorcycle is parked there. However, I continue to hold onto a sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, UCF will rise out of the ashes and come out on top.
Boasting a current 3-1 record, UCF played its first Big 12 conference game on Sept. 27 against the Kansas State Wildcats. I had high expectations for our team, as Kansas State had a 1-3 record before the game. Those expectations were quickly shot down, though, after the Knights lost 20-34 to the Wildcats. So, now that we have had our first loss of the season, what is UCF doing right and wrong?
The Good stuff
UCF welcomed back Coach Scott Frost this season, a seasoned professional and ex-NFL player. Frost was selected in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft by the New York Jets, where he played as a safety. In 2001, Frost was waived by the Jets and signed with the Cleveland Browns. That same year, he was waived by the Browns and signed with the Green Bay Packers. In 2002, Frost was waived by the Packers and completed his final NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.
In 2015, Frost was hired as the head coach for UCF, and in 2017, he led the team to a 12-0 season and a 2018 Peach Bowl appearance with a win against Auburn. In 2018, Frost left UCF for his alma mater and took on the role of head coach at the University of Nebraska. Frost led the Huskers from 2018 until he was fired in 2022, and ended his career at Nebraska with a coaching record of 16-31.
Frost was then hired by the Los Angeles Rams as a senior football analyst in 2024 before making his return to UCF for the 2025 football season. Frost’s familiarity with UCF brings recruiting power, credibility with transfers, and a clear offensive/defensive philosophy to rebuild around.
Frost has also made his love for UCF clear, stating that “I don’t think I would have just come back to any place,” at his introductory press conference. Frost added, “This place gave me a start, and I kind of gave it a start in some way, or at least I had a hand in that.” Hopefully, his love for our team is enough to inspire a win in our next game against Kansas on Oct. 4.
UCF’s new quarterback, Tayven Jackson, has also shown major potential. Jackson transferred from Indiana, where he played for two games when starter Kurtis Rourke was injured. At the time of Rourke’s injury, Indiana was undefeated, and Jackson was able to keep the winning streak going before Rourke returned.
Through the first three UCF games, Jackson attempted 77 passes and completed 54 for a 70.1% completion rate. The quarterback also had 694 passing yards, which shows he can stretch the field. In the Kansas State game, Jackson completed a rushing touchdown of 13 yards. While the player needs to improve his decision-making and accuracy under pressure, he has shown that, in terms of raw ability, he could become a steady leader as the UCF football program rebuilds itself.
Special teams tend to be overlooked in sports, but for UCF, they have shown to be a strength. Kicker Noe Ruelas was able to drill a 53-yard field goal against Kansas State, marking it as one of the longest in program history. With a kicker who can consistently hit from beyond the 45-yard line, UCF can change the tide in late-half situations, potentially winning tight games.
Ruelas also allows UCF to have the kickoff advantage, often booting the ball deep enough to take pressure off of UCF’s coverage unit. The punting unit has also proven to be consistent, often pinning opponents deep and flipping field positions, which limits the opportunities for explosive returns. Our special teams have proven themselves to be solid and a force that can make a difference in close Big 12 games.
The Not So Good Stuff
Our starting lineup this season is essentially entirely new, hailing players from the transfer portal. The only players returning to the Knights team are right guard Paul Rubelt and right tackle Keegan Smith, which could pose a problem in future games.
Players who lack game time together may struggle with timing, communication, and trust, especially in our high-pressure conference games. This was evident during the Kansas State game, as UCF had three turnovers, which proved to be costly. Perhaps over the next few games, the chemistry between the players will grow, and they’ll learn each other’s tendencies throughout the season.
Our defense is also almost completely new, lacking the experience needed to push through games. Against Kansas State, UCF allowed 266 rushing yards. Our defensive linemen seemed to over-pursue, leaving receivers on the other team open for a touchdown. Missed tackles and poor gap discipline have shown to be recurring issues this season, and while they did not pose a threat in our first three games, they will as we get deeper into the season.
UCF’s defense also lacks pressure on the quarterback, giving the opposing team’s quarterback time to make decisions and accurate throws. While our defense is not hopeless, it’s tiny mistakes, such as these, that trip up our momentum. In the Big 12, where almost every game could be a competitive match, our weaknesses become evident.
Penalties have also been a defining issue for the Knights in 2025. During the Kansas State game, UCF committed six flags for 45 yards, with penalties including offensive holding, delay of game, and false starts. Throughout our four games, UCF has averaged about 5.3 penalties for around 48.5 yards per game. This may not sound catastrophic, but the timing of these penalties is detrimental to the team, and mostly due to a lack of communication between the players.
Frost has emphasized the importance of speed and aggression, but with a team full of young players, this aggressiveness quickly turns into recklessness. At this point in the season, UCF lacks the talent to consistently overcome giving away yards and downs to the other team. Focusing on discipline may be what UCF needs to do to stop giving away free points to its opponents.
The Bottom Line
Four games into the 2025 season, UCF has shown promise of becoming a formidable force. However, these flashes of promise remain challenged by the team’s inconsistency. If Frost and his staff can clean up the issues with penalties, shore up the defensive front, and better balance the offense, then the Knights have the potential to evolve from a squad that is rebuilding itself into a dangerous Big 12 team. Until then, we, as fans, will have to endure a season full of frustration and agony, supporting a team that is caught between what it is and what it hopes to become.