Kansas vs. UCF Prediction: High-Scoring Game Goes Down to the Wire

Both Kansas and UCF are coming off their first loss in Big 12 play last week, meaning both teams will be eager to get back into the win column.

The Jayhawks will hit the road for the first time in conference play, traveling to Orlando to face the Knights, who are fresh off a defeat to Kansas State.

Each school has shown flashes of strong play this season, but both have also revealed plenty of flaws. With the game being played on the road for KU, many view this as an even matchup that could swing either way.

The final outcome is truly up for grabs, but here are our predictions for Saturday's contest leading up to the showdown.

Kansas vs. UCF Football Prediction

Just like last week, this game could very well come down to the wire for Kansas.

UCF leans heavily on its potent rushing attack, averaging over 200 rushing yards per game.

The Knights looked terrific in nonconference play, opening with two weather-delayed wins before cruising past Bill Belichick and North Carolina in a blowout to enter league play with momentum. But that momentum was quickly halted when Avery Johnson and Kansas State handed them a 34-20 loss.

Now back home at FBC Mortgage Stadium, Scott Frost's group is hoping to rebound against a Jayhawk defense that just surrendered more than 600 total yards to Cincinnati and looked downright atrocious last week.

The only reason KU stayed competitive in that one was because of its offense, led by quarterback Jalon Daniels. The Jayhawks are averaging 36.6 points per game and have scored 30+ in every contest so far, but Lance Leipold and his squad are searching for answers defensively.

UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson isn't exactly lighting it up through the air with 809 passing yards through four games, but he has shown he can make timely throws. Paired with the Knights' ground game, that combination has the potential to give KU's defense a problem.

MORE: 3 Keys for Kansas Football to Rebound Against UCF on the Road

The outcome of this matchup will largely depend on whether defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald makes the necessary adjustments. His unit will likely need to stack the box on early downs and hope the secondary can finally step up on third downs, which have been a significant weakness all season.

Both teams bring their own strengths and flaws, so this one figures to be a back-and-forth battle all night.

Without trying to sound biased, we're giving the slight edge to Kansas, simply because its offense is more likely to outscore UCF. As long as Daniels avoids another costly turnover in the late stages, the Jayhawks should escape with a close victory.

Final Score Prediction: 34-28, Kansas