By Garin Turner
Week 0 starts next week for the 2026 college football season. We’re going to dive into the UCF Knights as they open their season on September 3rd against Bethune-Cookman.
Last Season
The Knights finished last year with a disappointing 5-7 record, just missing out on a bowl game. They started 3-0 before losing its next three. They followed that with a win against West Virginia before losing three straight again. They went on to beat Oklahoma State but then lost the last game of the season to #11 BYU.
Key Starters
The Knights will have a new quarterback this year in James Madison transfer Alonza Barnett III. He’s undersized at 5’11 but that didn’t stop him from throwing for 2,806 yards, 23 touchdowns to eight interceptions and a 61.6 QBR rating while leading James Madison to the College Football Playoffs last season. Barnett III is on the Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch list and the Manning Award Preseason Watch List. In addition to those awards, he’s also on the Maxwell Award Watch List.
Tight End Dylan Wade has been named to the John Mackey Award Watch List. Wade set records last year at the tight end position with 43 receptions for 523 yards and five touchdowns. The touchdowns were first on the team and second in yards.
Offensive lineman Owen Spell is up for the 2026 Wuerffel Trophy Watch list. Running back Duke Watson has been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List for the upcoming season. Watson transferred from Louisville after two seasons with them. Last year he finished with 158 yards and a touchdown in seven games, his freshman year, he lead the nation with 8.9 yards a carry with 597 yards and seven touchdowns.
On defense, Jahleel Culbreath was named to the Butkus Award Watch list. He’s another transfer having played at Old Dominion last year. He had a career high 71 tackles which ranked fourth on his team. He was also second in tackles for a loss with nine along with three sacks. UCF’s leading tackler is back this season. Lewis Carter is up for the Chuck Bednairk Award Watch List. He finished last year with 92 tackles, 52 were solo. His performance earned him All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
Athlon Sports All-Big 12 Preseason Team
Carter and Defensive Back Jayden Bellamy earned Second Team Defense honors. Watson, Wide Receiver Duane Thomas Jr., Wade, and Offensive Lineman Preston Cushman were named to the Fourth Team Offense. Defensive Back Demari Henderson was named to the Fourth Team Defense.
Head Coach
This is the second season in the second stint as UCF head coach for Scott Frost. Frost coached the Knights for two years back in 2016-2017 going 6-7 the first year including a Cure Bowl game loss and then the 13-0 season with the Peach Bowl victory.
2026 Schedule
Thu, Sep 3 vs. Bethune-Cookman 6:00 PM
Sat, Sep 12 @ Pittsburgh 2:30 PM
Sat, Sep 19 vs. Georgia State 6:00 PM
Sat, Sep 26 vs. TCU TBD
Sat, Oct 3 @ 23 Houston TBD
Sat, Oct 10 @ Oklahoma State TBD
Sat Oct 24 14 BYU TBD
Fri, Oct 30 vs. Baylor 6:30 PM
Sat, Nov 7 @ Kansas TBD
Sat, Nov 14 vs. Arizona State TBD
Fri, Nov 20 vs. Iowa State 5:00 PM
Sat, Nov 28 @ Colorado TBD
