UCF Opponent Review: Why BYU is Coming to Orlando as the No. 2 Team in the Nation
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Welcome back to our weekly check-in on the rest of the UCF Knights' 2026 opponents!
So, while Scott Frost and the Knights recovered during their bye week, here is how all of their opponents did during Week 7:
UCF Opponent | Opponent's Opponent | Result | UCF Opponent's Record |
|---|---|---|---|
Bethune-Cookman | Mississippi Valley State | Won, 34-14 | 4-3 (2-1 SWAC) |
Pittsburgh | Boston College | Lost, 27-21 | 5-2 (2-2 ACC) |
Georgia State | James Madison | Lost, 49-22 | 4-2 (1-1 Sun Belt) |
TCU | Baylor | Won, 17-6 | 3-3 (1-2 Big 12) |
No. 20 Houston | No. 18 Oklahoma State | Won, 35-20 | 6-1 (3-1 Big 12) |
No. 18 Oklahoma State | No. 20 Houston | Lost, 35-20 | 4-2 (2-1 Big 12) |
No. 8 BYU | No. 2 Notre Dame | Won, 28-24 | 6-0 (3-0 Big 12) |
Baylor | TCU | Lost, 17-6 | 4-2 (2-1 Big 12) |
Kansas | Kansas State | Lost, 35-24 | 2-4 (0-3 Big 12) |
Arizona State | No. 10 Texas Tech | Lost, 53-25 | 3-3 (1-2 Big 12) |
Iowa State | BYE | N/A | 3-3 (1-2 Big 12) |
Colorado | No. 11 Utah | Lost, 27-24 | 2-3 (0-2 Big 12) |
Note: AP rankings reflect the position teams were in at the time of the game
Below are three games that provide the most insights on the strength of the Knights' 2026 schedule:
1. UCF's Next Opponent
The BYU Cougars will travel to Orlando fresh off their first win over a Top 10-ranked team since 2018, a 28-24 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame.
While the game was not without controversy, with the Big 12 confirming that officials incorrectly determined no more time remained after the final play, the Cougars still found a way to win a back-and-forth contest.
While the BYU defense did allow Notre Dame to come back and take the lead after being down 21-10 to open the second half, it limited the Fighting Irish just enough that all the Cougar offense needed to do was score once to come away with the win.
Notre Dame did not go away quietly, converting on all four of their fourth-down conversion attempts and using a pair of field goals to help get it back within a one-touchdown deficit in the second half.
Meanwhile, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was once again the focal point of the Cougar offense. Not only did he throw for one touchdown and run for two more, but he also caught one, marking the first receiving touchdown of his career.
While Bachmeier's 13 carries may have led the team, running back Preston Rex led the Cougars on the ground with 66 yards on 10 carries. It's the first time a running back has led the team in rushing yards since star rusher LJ Martin's injury.
BYU, now ranked No. 2 in the nation, visits the Bounce House at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
2. TCU Gets First Big 12 Win Against Baylor
The TCU Horned Frogs, who the Knights beat in the Bounce House in their Big 12 opener on Sep. 26, secured their first Big 12 win on Saturday with a win over Baylor, 17-6.
With both teams' rushing defenses firing on all cylinders, only allowing 87 yards on the ground combined, this game would be won through the air. TCU quarterback Jalen Craig proved to be up to the task, being the more efficient passer than Baylor's DJ Lagway while also outhrowing him. It helped that he had receivers like Jordan Dwyer and Ed Small at his disposal, who combined for 13 receptions, 241 of the Horned Frogs' 294 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Despite the Bears succeeding on four of their six fourth-down conversion attempts, they did not breach the endzone once, only mustering two field goals by kicker Rhett Armstrong.
The Knights are slated to take on the Bears for their Space Game on Oct. 30.
3. Colorado Falls Just Short of No. 11 Utah
The No. 11 Utah Utes got a close call in Folsom Field on Saturday, escaping Boulder with a win over Colorado, 27-24.
While the Buffaloes were shut out in the first half, they still remained just two scores down, a close enough deficit that they took the lead after a pair of touchdowns and a field goal in the third quarter. Utah did get back in front again before the quarter drew to a close, but it was not until it scored again with 3:43 remaining in the fourth that it sealed the win; and even then, Colorado got one more score on the board to make the margin of victory just a single field goal.
While both teams finished fairly close to each other in rushing yards, how they got there was a bit different. Utah led by running back Wayshawn Parker, averaging shorter runs at just 3.4 yards per carry, while the Buffaloes capitalized on fewer rushing attempts, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
It was a similar story through the air, with Utah's Devon Dampier averaging 6.8 yards per reception after completing 24 of his 41 attempts while Colorado's Isaac Wilson averaged 8.5 yards per reception after completing 18 of his 30 pass attempts. Both quarterbacks also threw a pair of interceptions each.
The Knights are going to wrap their regular season with a visit to Boulder on Nov. 28.
Catch up on more UCF news below:
Halftime Check-In: UCF's Biggest Winners of 2026 (So Far)
B.T. Breakdown: Three Reasons Why UCF Couldn't Keep Up With No. 18 Oklahoma State
What Riley Kugel Could Bring to the 2026-27 UCF Knights
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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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