How To Watch the UCF Knights in Space City vs. No. 20 Houston
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Venue: TDECU Stadium (Houston, Texas)
Kickoff: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET
TV/Streaming: ESPN 2 (Play-by-Play: Anish Shroff, Analyst: Andre Ware, Sideline: Morgan Uber)
Radio (English): FM 96.9 FM / AM 740 (Play-by-Play: Marc Daniels, Analyst: Gary Parris, Sideline: Scott Adams)
Radio (Spanish): UCF Knights YouTube Channel (Play-by-Play: Carlos Bohorquez, Analyst: Miguel Parra)
Live Twitter/X Updates: @itsBrysonTurner
Weather Forecast: 84 degrees with a 20% chance of rain at kickoff, with winds blowing northeast at nine miles per hour, according to AccuWeather. The chance of rain is forecast to increase as the game goes on, rising to as high as 64% at 3 p.m.
Odds: Houston is favored by 11.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series History: UCF leads the overall series, 8-4.
Three Things To Know:
1. Who's In, Who's Out?
Just like the Knights' game against TCU last weekend, four starters were ruled out on Wednesday ahead of Saturday's game in Houston: quarterback Alonza Barnett III, linebacker Lewis Carter, offensive lineman Owen Spell and wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr.
UCF tight ends Dylan Wade and Dylan Burk both remain questionable as of Friday night's player availability report, while quarterback Keyone Jenkins, wide receiver Jonathan Bibbs, defensive back Jayden Bellamy and linebacker Jayden Jennings were labeled "probable."
As for Houston, they are set to kick off on Saturday near full health, with just two players on their Friday player availability report, both of whom had already been ruled out on Wednesday.
For a full breakdown of both teams' injury reports and the implications for the positions in which starters are out, click here.
The final injury report before the game is set to be published by the Big 12 90 minutes before kickoff, or 10:30 a.m. ET.
2. Know Thy Foe
The Cougars are entering Saturday's game with one of the most high-powered offenses in the nation, leading it in third-down conversion percentage and ranking in the top 10 in the nation in scoring offense, first-down offense and rushing defense.
Leading the way for Houston is quarterback Conner Weigman, who ranks 11th and seventh in the nation in passing efficiency and passing touchdowns, respectively. However, he was not one of the three players selected to the Big 12's all-preseason team; those would be wide receiver Amare Thomas, offensive lineman Shadre Hurst and defensive back Will James.
3. Out of This World
𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙍𝙊𝘿𝙐𝘾𝙄𝙉𝙂: 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙂𝙍𝙄𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙊𝙉 𝙂𝘼𝙇𝘼𝙓𝙔
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) October 3, 2026
10 helmets. Each with a connection to Houston that will be worn Saturday morning vs UCF#BuiltByHouston x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/nTZKVbDFKB
The last time these two programs faced off was for UCF's 2025 Space Game, which Houston won, 30-27, despite Weigman throwing three interceptions to defensive back Phillip Dunnam. It marked the first time the Knights lost a Space Game since its inception in 2017.
While Houston does not have their own Space Game equivalent, the Cougars did end up with the theme of "Space" for their "Built By Houston" game, an annual game that honors their home city, according to an official athletic department release. In accordance with that theme, the team announced on Friday it would be wearing hand-painted space-themed helmets for Saturday's matchup. There are 10 different designs for the helmets, representing the eight planets of the solar system, the Sun and Pluto, with each design becoming rarer the further the object is away from the Sun.
Both Houston and UCF have ties with the space program, with both schools being within 35 miles of a central facility for space travel: Johnson Space Center for Houston and Kennedy Space Center for UCF.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Catch up on more UCF News below:
UCF Knights vs. Houston Cougars Injury Report Breakdown: Latest Updates and Replacement Options
B.T.'s Breakdown: The Three Biggest Keys To UCF's Big 12 Opening Win Over TCU
What UCF's Offensive Line Has Gotten Right (And Wrong) in 2026
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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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