What UCF Does Better Than Oklahoma State and Why It Matters

When the UCF Knights and the Oklahoma State Cowboys play in October, this is the area the Cowboys are going to have to account for most.

UCF Knights defensive back Demari Henderson. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When the Oklahoma State Cowboys host the UCF Knights on Oct. 10 in Stillwater it will be a battle of two programs trying to dig out of the rubble of 2025.

For the Cowboys, their fans know exactly what happened. Oklahoma State went 1-11, Mike Gundy was fired and Eric Morris was hired. It's up to the former North Texas head coach to try and get Oklahoma State back on the right path in 2026.

Meanwhile, UCF went through its own makeover last season. Head coach Gus Malzahn move to Florida State to be the program’s offensive coordinator and the Knights hired former head coach Scott Frost. Nearly a decade ago he led the Knights to a Colley Matrix national championship after an undefeated season. He had been out of the game for a couple of years after he was fired at his alma mater, Nebraska.

UCF went 5-7 last year but it beat Oklahoma State in a matchup in Orlando. When the Cowboys and the Knights square off this year, what's the one thing that the Knights do better than the Cowboys? It's a position group that could have a significant impact on who wins the game.

What UCF Does Better Than Oklahoma State

UCF Knights defensive back Jayden Bellamy. | Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

The Knights return a high concentration of players at a position group that gave them solid production a season ago. UCF has four returning starters in its secondary as the Knights run a 4-2-5 defense, the same as the Cowboys will install this season.

That includes four seniors in Jayden Bellamy, Antoine Jackson, Braeden Marshall and Demari Henderson. All four are playmakers and can make an impact on the game, something Oklahoma State will have to account for that weekend.

The cornerbacks are particularly dangerous. Bellamy was the Knights’ best coverage corner a season ago as he broke up eight passes and intercepted one. Marshall, the nickelback, had two interceptions. Jackson also broke up five passes. Cowboys fans should expect to see a trio with proven ability to make plays on the football and create turnovers.

Meanwhile, Henderson will be involved in stopping the run. He's coming off a 2025 in which he had 61 tackles, one of the best totals on the team.

This is an experienced secondary. Meanwhile Oklahoma State returns just one starter from last season, Ladaniain Fields, who had a solid freshman campaign. The rest of the expected starters in the secondary are transfers, including cornerback Moe Horn, along with safeties Quinton Hammonds, Evan Jackson and Vincent Holmes. All have experience but don’t have game reps together, something the Knights have in abundance.

UCF’s talent and experience in that position group is the one thing it clearly does better than Oklahoma State and could be a difference maker on Oct. 10.