The 2023 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were led by Gus Malzahn in his third year as the Knights head coach. The team played their home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
UCF officially moved into the Big 12 Conference for the 2023 season. In doing so, the Knights became the first NCAA football program to play at every sanctioned level: Division III, Division II, Division I-AA, Division I-A (Independent), Group of Five, and Power Five.
In their first season as part of the Big 12, the Knights jumped out to a 3–0 start, including a last-second victory at Boise State. However, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee suffered an ankle injury in the final minute of the Boise State game, which would sideline him for a month. Redshirt sophomore Timmy McClain took over at quarterback as the Knights entered the conference portion of their schedule. In their first intra-conference home game, the Knights jumped out to a 35–7 lead over Baylor, but blew a 28-point lead, and lost 36–35. The Knights suffered a five-game skid, slipping to 3–5. With Plumlee back to full strength in November, the Knights won three of their last four games to finish the regular season 6–6 overall (3–6 in the Big 12), and became bowl eligible for the eighth consecutive season. Of the four newcomers that joined the Big 12 for 2023 (BYU, Cincinnati, and Houston being the others), UCF finished with the best record, and was the only one bowl-eligible.
The UCF Knights football team drew an average home attendance of 44,015 in 2023.
Offseason Transfers
Incoming Timmy McClainQBSouth FloridaTrent WhittemoreWRFloridaChauncey MagwoodWRKentuckyDrake MetcalfIOLStanfordGage KingLSArizona StateFred Davis IIDBClemsonAmari KightOTAlabamaMarcellus MarshallOTKent StateDeJordan MaskSTexas StateJireh WilsonSEast CarolinaBula SchmidtIOLFresno StateDecorian PattersonDBMiddle Tennessee StateRian DavisLBGeorgiaXavier WilliamsQBCharlotteIsaiah PaulLBWashington StateShaun PetersonDEFIUDerrick LeBlanc DLOklahomaCorey Gammage WRMarshallGunnar SmithQBSouth FloridaKriston EsnardPKTulane
Source:
Outgoing Mikey KeeneQBFresno StateJeremiah Jean-BaptisteLBOle MissDavonte BrownCBMiami (FL)Philjae Bien AimeCBNorth AlabamaRyan O'KeefeWRBoston CollegeTerrence LewisLBHutchinson CCTrevion Shadrick-HarrisCBEastern WashingtonJordan JohnsonWRIowa WesternAh'Mare LeeDBFlorida A&MJoey GatewoodWRLouisvilleKarlis Bailey-ViceDENAAnthony WilliamsRBStephen F. AustinAndrew OsteenPMississippi StateMatt LeeCMiami (FL)Miguel MaldonadoOLUFTLTommy CastellanosQBBoston CollegeEthan MortOLNAKeahnist ThompsonDLWeber StateJustin HodgesDBArkansas StateBranden JenningsLBHinds CCQuan LeeWRFlorida A&MJaden FrancoisDBUtah StateWill BohnQBSoutheastern
Preseason Spring game The 2023 UCF spring exhibition game was played on Friday April 14 at FBC Mortgage Stadium. The team was split into two squads for gameplay, the Knights and the 'Nauts.
Date Time Spring Game Site Result April 14 6:30pm Knights vs. 'Nauts FBC Mortgage Stadium • Orlando, FL 43-42 'Nauts
Award watch lists A total of eight players were named to the preseason All-Big 12 mentions, and eight players were named to the Senior Bowl watchlist.
William V. Campbell Trophy Jason Johnson LB Sr. Polynesian Football Player of the Year Award Lokahi Pauole OG Sr. Manning Award John Rhys Plumlee QB Sr. Chuck Bednarik Award Jason Johnson LB Sr. Butkus Award Jason Johnson LB Sr. Doak Walker Award RJ Harvey RB Sr. Ray Guy Award Mitch McCarthy P So. Davey O'Brien Award John Rhys Plumlee QB Sr. Fred Biletnikoff Award Corey Gammage WR Sr. Lou Groza Award Colton Boomer K So. Bronko Nagurski Trophy Jason Johnson LB Sr. Outland Trophy Lokahi Pauole OG Sr. Maxwell Award John Rhys Plumlee QB Sr.Listed in the order that they were released
Big 12 preseason poll The Big 12 preseason poll was released on July 6. UCF was voted 8th in the conference. First place votes in parentheses. Big 12 media poll 1 Texas (41) 886 2 Kansas State (14) 858 3 Oklahoma (4) 758 4 Texas Tech (4) 729 5 TCU (3) 727 6 Baylor 572 7 Oklahoma State (1) 470 8 UCF 463 9 Kansas 461 10 Iowa State 334 11 BYU 318 12 Houston 215 13 Cincinnati 202 14 West Virginia 129
Schedule The 2023 season is UCF's first as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The conference utilizes a nine-game conference schedule, with three out-of-conference games annually. Furthermore, the conference requires at least one of the three out-of-conference games to be against a Power Five opponent. UCF successfully petitioned for a first-year, one-time waiver to count their game at Boise State as their Power Five non-conference opponent, taking into account Boise State's recent successes and status as a top Group of Five team.
Source:
Game summaries Kent State
Statistics KENTUCFFirst downs1532Total yards240723Rushing yards95389Passing yards145334Turnovers13Time of possession28:3431:26 Team Category Player StatisticsKent StatePassingMichael Alaimo12–31, 145 yards, 0 TD, 1 INTRushingGavin Garcia18 carries, 45 yardsReceivingChrishon McCray3 receptions, 61 yardsUCFPassingJohn Rhys Plumlee22–30, 281 yards, 3 TD, 1 INTRushing Johnny Richardson12 carries, 100 yardsReceiving Xavier Townsend5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD
Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee threw for 281 yards and rushed for 90 yards as the Knights routed Kent State 56–6 on Thursday night. The game marked UCF's first football game as a member of the Big 12. The Knights won their 8th consecutive season opener.
at Boise State
Statistics UCFBSUFirst downs2322Total yards530384Rushing yards258173Passing yards272211Turnovers21Time of possession28:0331:57 Team Category Player StatisticsUCFPassingJohn Rhys Plumlee16–24, 272 yards, 0 TD, 2 INTRushingJohn Rhys Plumlee11 carries, 73 yardsReceivingKobe Hudson5 receptions, 134 yards Boise StatePassingTaylen Green9–19, 144 yards, 1 TD, 1 INTRushingAshton Jeanty24 carries, 115 yardsReceivingAshton Jeanty5 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD
Colton Boomer kicked a 40-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to lift the Knights over the Boise State Broncos by the score of 18–16. Boomer went 4-for-4 on field goals, including a school record-tying 55 yarder in the second quarter. Late in the game, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee suffered a leg injury which will require him to miss multiple weeks.
No. 24 (FCS) Villanova
Statistics NOVAUCFFirst downs1131Total yards228 600Rushing yards84 251Passing yards144 349Turnovers10Time of possession27:08 32:52 Team Category Player StatisticsVillanova Passing Connor Watkins 9-23, 144 yards, 1 INT Rushing Deewil Barlee 7 carries, 39 yards Receiving Jaylan Sanchez 1 receptions, 45 yardsUCF Passing Timmy McClain 20–28, 321 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT Rushing R. J. Harvey 14 carries, 85 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kobe Hudson 6 receptions, 147 yards
Timmy McClain started at quarterback for the injured John Rhys Plumlee. McClain threw for 321 yards, and the UCF offense racked up 600 total yards as the Knights soundly defeated FCS #24 Villanova by the score of 48–14.
at Kansas State
Statistics UCFKSUFirst downs1932Total yards407536Rushing yards143255 Passing yards264255 Turnovers21Time of possession25:3734:23 Team Category Player StatisticsUCFPassingTimmy McClain14-24, 264 yards, 3 TD, 1 INTRushingJohnny Richardson6 carries, 76 yardsReceivingKobe Hudson6 receptions, 138 yards, 2 TDKansas StatePassingWill Howard27-42, 255 yards, 1 INT RushingD. J. Giddens30 carries, 207 yards, 4 TDReceivingD. J. Giddens8 receptions, 96 yards
UCF traveled to Kansas State for their first-ever intra-conference game in the Big 12. Timmy McClain once again started at quarterback, throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns. The Knights defense, however, could not contain the Wildcats offense, and lost by the score of 44–31. D.J. Giddens rushed for 207 yards and 4 touchdowns, and caught 8 balls for another 86 yards. The game was tied 24–24 midway through the third quarter, but Kansas State put the game away with 20 unanswered points. Ten penalties for 80 yards on UCF, two turnovers in Wildcats territory, plus a lopsided time of possession were factors in the loss.
Baylor
Statistics BUUCFFirst downs2218Total yards446469Rushing yards153235Passing yards293234Turnovers12Time of possession35:3124:29 Team Category Player StatisticsBaylorPassingBlake Shapen21-34, 293 yards, 1 INT RushingRichard Reese16 carries, 100 yardsReceivingMonaray Baldwin7 receptions, 150 yards, 1 TDUCFPassingTimmy McClain13-25, 234 yards, 2 TD, 1 INTRushingJohnny Richardson6 carries, 105 yards, 1 TDReceivingJavon Baker3 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD
UCF hosted Baylor for their first intra-conference home game in the Big 12. The game was a rematch of the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The Knights blew a 35–7 lead. Baylor scored a go-ahead field goal with 1:21 remaining and won 36–35. On the first play from scrimmage, Johnny Richardson broke free for a 79-yard touchdown run, and after two more quick scores, UCF jumped out to an early 21–0 lead. The Knights eventually built a 35–7 lead, which they held late in the third quarter. Baylor scored 29 unanswered points, including two touchdown passes from Blake Shapen, and a 72-yard fumble return for a touchdown. UCF got the ball back one last time with 1:21 remaining. Colton Boomer's 59-yard field goal attempt fell no good as time expired, and Baylor escaped with the victory.
at Kansas
Statistics UCFKUFirst downs2125Total yards371490Rushing yards202399Passing yards16991Turnovers10Time of possession25:3534:25 Team Category Player StatisticsUCFPassingTimmy McClain12-15, 136 yards, 2 TDRushingR. J. Harvey16 carries, 133 yards, 1 TDReceivingJavon Baker4 receptions, 85 yardsKansasPassingJason Bean8-12, 91 yards, 1 TDRushingDevin Neal12 carries, 154 yards, 1 TDReceivingLuke Grimm2 receptions, 41 yards
John Rhys Plumlee returned to start at quarterback, but played for only three drives in the first half. Timmy McClain took over and played the rest of the game. Kansas dominated UCF, jumping out to a 31–0 lead, and pulling away for a 51–22 victory. The Jayhawks put up 399 yards rushing, while UCF was held to a season-low 371 total yards.
at No. 6 Oklahoma
Statistics UCFOKLAFirst downs2030Total yards397442Rushing yards149189Passing yards248253Turnovers01Time of possession30:1629:44 TeamCategoryPlayerStatisticsUCFPassingJohn Rhys Plumlee16–30, 248 yards, 2 TDRushingR. J. Harvey23 carries, 101 yardsReceivingJavon Baker5 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TDOklahomaPassingDillon Gabriel25–38, 253 yards, 3 TD, 1 INTRushingMarcus Major18 carries, 82 yardsReceivingNic Anderson5 receptions, 105 yards, 2 TD
UCF traveled to Norman to take on Oklahoma. Facing former quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the Knights nearly upset the No. 6 ranked Sooners. UCF led 23–17 after three quarters, before Oklahoma scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to take a 31–23 lead. John Rhys Plumlee, back in the starting lineup, drove the Knights 75 yards in 9 plays. On 4th & 10 at the Oklahoma 12, Plumee found Javon Baker for a 12-yard touchdown pass, trimming the deficit to 31–29 with 1:16 left in regulation. UCF's two-point conversion attempt was snuffed out, and the Sooners held on for the victory.
West Virginia
Statistics WVUUCFFirst downs2527Total yards450463Rushing yards286189Passing yards164274Turnovers14Time of possession36:0623:54 Team Category Player StatisticsWest VirginiaPassingGarrett Greene14-23, 156 yardsRushingC.J. Donaldson17 carries, 121 yards, 1 TDReceivingDevin Carter3 receptions, 47 yardsUCFPassingJohn Rhys Plumlee25–36, 274 yards, 3 TD, 3 INTRushingRJ Harvey14 carries, 100 yardsReceivingKobe Hudson3 receptions, 66 yards, 2 TD