The 2025 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were led by third-year head coach Scott Frost in the first-year of his second stint. The Knights played their home games at Acrisure Bounce House, located in Orlando, Florida.
After compiling a 28–24 record during four years as head coach, Gus Malzahn resigned on November 30, 2024 to take the offensive coordinator position at Florida State. One week later, after a brief coaching search, the university re-hired Scott Frost, who coached the Knights football team in 2016–2017.
Shawn Clark, previously the head coach of Appalachian State, joined the coaching staff as offensive line coach. On September 10, four days after the second game of the season, Clark was hospitalized after suffering a medical emergency. Clark died on September 21, 2025 at the age of 50. The team announced that they would wear an "SC" decal on their helmets for the remainder of the season.
The Knights saw huge roster turnover from the previous season, with no less than 70 new players for 2025, most from the transfer portal. Head coach Scott Frost began a rebuild with new players at almost every skill position. On August 25, former Marshall and FAU transfer Cam Fancher (a redshirt senior) was named the starting quarterback for Week 1. Fancher, however, suffered an injury in the first half of the first game, and Tayven Jackson would be named the starter for Week 2. Fancher, Jackson, Jacurri Brown and Davi Belfort all took snaps at quarterback, while Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon were the lead rushers with a combined 1,259 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Knights got off to a 3–0 start, but dropped seven of their last nine games to finish 5–7. Initially UCF was not bowl eligible, but due to their Academic Progress Rate (APR) they became eligible after multiple teams ahead of them opted out of postseason participation. The Knights, however, declined a possible invitation to the Birmingham Bowl, due to shortages on the depth chart.
The UCF Knights drew an average home attendance of 43,409.
Schedule
Source
Offseason Transfers
Incoming Anthony VenneriPOhio StateMason DenaburgPNA Dominick CampbellCHowardAnthony CoaxamDEWest Virginia WesleyanRodney LoraDLNorth CarolinaMax DragTEAppalachian StateJayden McDonaldLBVirginia TechChris DomercantWRChattanoogaJayden WilliamsDBFlorida AtlanticJeffson LafontantDLBCDavi BelfortQBVirginia TechNoe RuelasKJames MadisonOwen SpellOLLimestoneAymeric KoumbaEDGEMichiganConnor MeadowsOLTennessee St.Dalton RiggsLSBYUKeli LawsonLBVirginia TechLewis Carter LBOklahomaMarcus BurkeWRFloridaDuane Thomas Jr.WRCharlotteJaden NixonRBWestern MichiganCarter MillerIOLColoradoTayven JacksonQBIndianaSincere EdwardsEDGEPittsburgh (Pitt)DJ BlackWRLimestoneCole KozlowzkiLBColgateJyaire BrownDBLSUJayden BellamyDBSyracuseJaeden GouldDBSyracuseHorace Lockett DLGeorgia TechPhillip Dunnam III DBFlorida AtlanticPhil Picciotti LBOklahomaDylan WadeTEMarylandJustin Royes IOLVirginia UnionPreston CushmanOTOle MissRic'Darious FarmerWRWest VirginiaDJ BellSMemphisIsaiah ReedWRBrownCam FancherQBFlorida AtlanticGaard MemmelaarIOLWashingtonRJ JacksonDLTulsa
Outgoing Chasen JohnsonDBUSCJakiah LeftwichOTTBDKevin CarriganPSouth Dakota StateJashad PresleyLBUTSAAndrew HarrisLBArkansasElijah BrownTEKentuckyQuinten JohnsonEDGEDelaware StateCedrick HawkinsDBSouth FloridaGrant ReddickKTBDChase MalamalaOLSouthern MissBrandon JacobSUTSADerrick McCormickLBSouth FloridaKason StokesWRMiddle TennesseeQua BirdsongLBETSUAidan FediganLSTulsaMarcus DownsDLGeorgia SouthernTre'Quon FegansCBJacksonville StateWaltclaire Flynn Jr.OLGeorgiaDylan RizkQBStanfordChauncey MagwoodWRPurdueEJ ColsonQBIncarnate WordXe'ree AlexanderLBWashingtonLee HunterDLTexas TechAdrian MedleyIOLFlorida StateRandy PittmanTEFlorida StateRiley TrujilloQBDelawareMitch McCarthy PIndianaKeyon CoxOTOregon StateMatthew Alexander DLGeorgia TechJack BernsteinLSKennesaw StateMarcellus MarshallIOLMinnesotaCaden KitlerIOLArkansasReece AdkinsTEUMassJohnathan ClineIOLETSUTyree PattersonWRMiddle TennesseeWes DorseyOTTBDWilliam WellsDBETSUColton BoomerKBoise StateXavier TownsendWRIowa StateKaven CallDEETSUByron ThreatsSUCLAZavier CarterEDGEGeorgia State Sources:
2025 Recruits
*= 247Sports Composite rating; ratings are out of 1.00. (five stars= 1.00–.98, four stars= .97–.90, three stars= .80–.89) †= Despite being rated as a three star recruit by ESPN, On3.com, and 247Sports.com, Stroud received a four star rating by Rivals.com. Δ= TBD left the UCF program following signing but prior to the 2025 season.
Award watch lists Jaden Nixon RB Maxwell AwardPaul Hornung AwardDoak Walker AwardEarl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Myles Montgomery RB Doak Walker Award Paul Rubelt OL Wuerffel Trophy Cam Fancher QB Comeback Player of the Year John Walker DT Comeback Player of the Year SOURCE
Preseason For 2025, UCF elected to not conduct their annual spring exhibition game. This was due to ongoing construction at the stadium, and to protect the roster during the spring transfer portal window. As a substitute, the Knights arranged for two practice sessions to be open to the public.
The Big 12 officially discontinued their annual preseason media poll, but various other outlets predicted the Knights to finish 15th–16th in the conference.
Game summaries vs Jacksonville State
Statistics JVST UCF First downs 18 23 Plays–yards 69–322 70–422 Rushes–yards 39–165 37–108 Passing yards 157 314 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-30-1 22-33-0 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 28:04 31:56 Team Category Player StatisticsJacksonville StatePassingGavin Wimsatt15/29, 139 yards, INT RushingCam Cook17 carries, 75 yards ReceivingCam Cook4 receptions, 43 yards UCF PassingTayven Jackson17/24, 282 yards, 2 TD RushingMyles Montgomery21 carries, 79 yardsReceivingMyles Montgomery3 receptions, 71 yards
The Knights hosted defending Conference USA champions Jacksonville State on Thursday night. It marked the first game of Scott Frost's second tenure as head coach. Former Marshall and FAU transfer Cam Fancher started at quarterback, but was knocked out of the game early in the second quarter on a Targeting hit by Tre'Quon Fegans. The game was then halted due to lightning. After a two-hour and seven-minute weather delay, the game resumed with Tayven Jackson taking over at quarterback for the Knights.
The game was tied 10–10 late in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville State was driving into UCF territory with less than two minutes left in regulation. Facing a 4th & Inches at the UCF 36 yard line, the Gamecocks tried a hurry-up play. Cam Cook was tackled for no gain by Jayden Williams which turned the ball over on downs. A few plays later, the Knights were facing a 3rd & 10 at their own 36. Tayven Jackson scrambled for a 15-yard gain, then a late hit Targeting call on Trevor Woods tacked on an additional 15 yards. Three plays later, Jackson threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to DJ Black with 1:03 left, and the Knights won 17–10.
The victory marked UCF's 10th consecutive win on opening day, Frost's 14th consecutive win with the Knights, and the milestone 300th claimed victory for the program.
vs North Carolina A&T (FCS)
Statistics NCAT UCF First downs 13 20 Plays–yards 62–200 56–560 Rushes–yards 51–160 32–356 Passing yards 40 204 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 5–11–1 14–24–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 36:15 24:04 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Carolina A&TPassingChamp Long3/7, 26 yards, 1 INTRushingShimique Blizzard11 carries, 75 yards, TDReceivingElijah Kennedy 2 receptions, 20 yardsUCFPassingTayven Jackson12/21, 189 yardsRushingJaden Nixon4 carries, 156 yards, 2 TDReceivingDuane Thomas Jr.3 receptions, 68 yards
The Knights hosted North Carolina A&T on Saturday night. Kickoff was delayed 70 minutes due to weather. Jaden Nixon returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and the Knights routed the Aggies. Tayven Jackson started at quarterback, and ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter. Nixon added an 87-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and UCF built a 40–0 halftime lead. Jacurri Brown took over at quarterback in the second half. The Knights cruised to a 68–7 victory.
Nixon was the offensive standout for the night with three total touchdowns and 156 yards rushing on just four carries. Nixon was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. UCF improved to 2–0 for the third straight season, and head coach Scott Frost won his 15th consecutive game with the Knights.
vs North Carolina
Statistics UNCUCF First downs 14 23 Plays–yards 58–217 66–366 Rushes–yards 25–63 34–143 Passing yards 154 223 Passing: comp–att–int 22–32–2 25–32–0 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 26:13 33:47 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth CarolinaPassingGio Lopez11/14, 87 yards, 2 INTRushingDemon June10 carries, 50 yardsReceivingJordan Shipp3 receptions, 44 yardsUCFPassingTayven Jackson25/32, 223 yards, TDRushingTayven Jackson10 carries, 66 yards, TDReceivingDylan Wade5 receptions, 47 yards
The Knights hosted North Carolina, the first meeting between the two teams. Tayven Jackson threw for 223 yards, and one touchdown pass, and also ran for a touchdown, as the Knights defeated the Tar Heels 34–9. UCF improved to 3–0 for the third straight season, and head coach Scott Frost won his 16th consecutive game with the Knights.
A scheduled meeting between the two teams in 2018 was cancelled due to Hurricane Florence, then another scheduled meeting in 2020 was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The game was part of a new replacement home-and-home series, with a matchup in Chapel Hill set for 2027.
For the third time in as many games, the Knights defense held their opponent scoreless on the opening possession. They also kept alive their streak by not allowing a touchdown in the first half. The Knights defense had one interception and one fumble recovery, and both turnovers led to points. North Carolina finally found the endzone in the third quarter, at which point the score was 27–9. UCF put the game away in the fourth quarter with an 18-play, 93-yard touchdown drive, which consumed 10 minutes and 26 seconds of game clock.
at Kansas State
Statistics UCFKSU First downs 13 21 Plays–yards 59–402 70–434 Rushes–yards 33–205 44–266 Passing yards 197 168 Passing: comp–att–int 13–26–2 18–26–1 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 27:51 32:09 Team Category Player Statistics UCFPassingTayven Jackson12/24, 115 yards, 1 INTRushingMyles Montgomery10 carries, 119 yardsReceivingDJ Black1 reception, 82 yards, 1 TD Kansas State PassingAvery Johnson18/25, 168 yards, 2 TDRushingDylan Edwards20 carries, 166 yards, 1 TDReceivingJaron Tibbs8 receptions, 72 yards
UCF traveled to Kansas State for their Big 12 conference opener. The Wildcats defeated the Knights 34–20. Quarterback Tayven Jackson was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury in the second quarter, but he would return in the second half. The UCF offense managed some explosive plays, including an 82-yard touchdown reception by DJ Black, and a 54-yard touchdown run by Jaden Nixon. But three turnovers, and a turnover on downs resulted in several drives coming up empty. The Wildcats put up 266 yards on the ground, and turned the ball over only one time – an interception on the first drive of the first quarter.
UCF dropped to 3–1 on the season (0–1 in the Big 12). The loss was head coach Scott Frost's first loss with the Knights program since the 2016 Cure Bowl on December 17, 2016.
vs Kansas
Statistics KUUCF First downs 15 21 Plays–yards 58–356 76–375 Rushes–yards 32–121 39–199 Passing yards 235 176 Passing: comp–att–int 18–26–0 22–37–0 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 30:01 29:59