Here's How UCF's 2025 Opponents Did In Week 11
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To make the College Football Playoff, their own strengths are not just assessed by the teams themselves, but also by the strengths of their opponents.
Perhaps a team initially viewed as an upset was just the start of an all-time season, or an opponent thought strong was actually just in the beginning of a long downward spiral. The teams people thought they'd see in the preseason may not be the teams that they crack up to be, especially later in the season.
So, as the Knights lick their wounds following their first loss in the Space Game at the hands of Houston, 30-27, here is a weekly check-in to see how the rest of the UCF Knights' 2025 opponents performed this weekend:
UCF Opponent | Opponent's Opponent | Result | UCF Opponent's Record |
|---|---|---|---|
Texas Tech | BYU | Won, 29-7 | 9-1 (6-1 Big 12) |
Oklahoma State | BYE | N/A | 1-8 (0-6 Big 12) |
BYU | Texas Tech | Lost, 29-7 | 8-1 (5-1 Big 12) |
Jacksonville State | UTEP | Won, 30-27 | 6-3 (5-0 CUSA) |
North Carolina A&T | Stony Brook | Lost, 38-12 | 2-8 (2-4 CAA) |
North Carolina | Stanford | Won, 20-15 | 4-5 (2-3 ACC) |
Kansas State | BYE | N/A | 4-5 (3-3 Big 12) |
Kansas | Arizona | Lost, 24-20 | 5-5 (3-4 Big 12) |
Cincinnati | BYE | N/A | 7-2 (5-1 Big 12) |
West Virginia | Colorado | Won, 29-22 | 4-6 (2-5 Big 12) |
Baylor | BYE | N/A | 5-4 (3-3 Big 12) |
Notable Games:
1. Texas Tech Shrugs Off BYU
The Knights have to hit the road to play both Texas Tech and BYU during these last three weeks of the season, but both of them ended up playing each other in Lubbock on Saturday.
The Red Raiders' defense put together a remarkable performance, recovering two fumbles and snagging one interception, while also holding the Cougars' rushing attack to 67 yards on 27 carries. It's the first time BYU has been held to fewer than 100 rushing yards all season.
On offense, the Cougars were able to prevent Texas Tech from reaching the end zone most times. Accounting only for touchdowns, the game would only be a 14-7 win for the Red Raiders. However, the home offense was able to do enough to reach field goal range five times, with kicker Stone Harrington converting all five times, his longest coming from 47 yards out.
The Knights are next to march into Lubbock, doing so on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. They then travel to Provo to play BYU on Nov. 29.
2. West Virginia Secures Back-to-Back Wins
The West Virginia Mountaineers ran all over the Colorado Buffaloes to eke out a second Big 12 win.
The Mountaineers outrushed Colorado by over 100 yards, 167-51, a feat made all the more remarkable by the fact that their leading rusher, running back Diore Hubbard, only ran for 64 yards on 16 carries. The Buffaloes, on the other hand, ended up averaging 1.3 yards per carry, forcing them to rely on quarterback Julian Lewis, who completed two passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite the rushing success, however, West Virginia ended up losing the turnover battle, 3-1, which led to one extra touchdown for the Buffaloes. However, one of those turnovers, a fumble recovery, ultimately led to Colorado taking a safety, followed by a West Virginia touchdown on the ensuing drive. This put the Mountaineers out to a 9-0 lead early, providing a cushion through what was an evenly matched rest of the game.
The Knights blew out West Virginia, 45-13, on Oct. 18.
3. North Carolina Adds Another ACC Win
In what was a passing-heavy affair, North Carolina picked up another ACC win by beating Stanford, 20-15.
It came despite the Cardinal outgaining the Tar Heels by more than 50 yards of offense.
While quarterback Gio Lopez threw for a pair of touchdowns, along with 203 yards on 19 completed passes, the difference for the Tar Heels came through their defense.
In what was just a five-point margin of victory, six of North Carolina's points, a pair of field goals, came on the ensuing drives after turnovers. The Tar Heels won the turnover battle, 2-1, with an interception and fumble recovery, which helped set up kicker Rece Verhoff for 27 and 48-yard field goals.
The Knights beat the Tar Heels back in week three, 34-9.
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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