COLLEGE FOOTBALL: UCF Knights to Host Utah in Season Finale Friday at FBC Mortgage Stadium – Space Coast Daily

kickoff set for 8 p.m.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – UCF will host Utah in its season finale Friday at 8 p.m. from FBC Mortgage Stadium. Trent Rush (play-by-play) and Robert Smith (analyst) will have the call on FOX.

The game marks the first meeting between the programs, as UCF completes its slate of games against each of the Big 12 newcomers this season – the only team in the league to play all four.

UCF is looking for its 300th win in program history against Utah, as the Knights look to close out the season with a victory and earn three conference wins for a second consecutive season.

In UCF’s last outing, the Black and Gold couldn’t overcome a slow start at West Virginia and fell 31-21. The Knights outgained the Mountaineers, but WVU’s 37:50 to 22:10 edge in the time of possession proved to be the difference.

Friday’s game features UCF’s high-powered offense against Utah’s stout defense. The Knights rank among the top five of the conference in total offense (first), rushing offense (first), and scoring offense (fifth), while the Utes are top five in total defense (third), scoring defense (third), fourth in rushing defense and fifth in passing defense.

The Knights have now rushed for 2,804 yards with 32 touchdowns on the ground this season. UCF’s rushing yards average of 254.9 is nearly 30 more than the next-closest Power Four Conference team (Tennessee 227.5). The 254.9 rushing yards per game mark is 40 more than the next conference opponent (Kansas 211.5).

UCF is second in the nation in explosive running plays, as the Knights have recorded 93 rushing plays of at least 10 yards. Additionally, the Black and Gold lead the league and rank seventh nationally in most offensive plays of 20 or more yards with 67.

Running back RJ Harvey, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for the second consecutive season, leads the nation with 49 rushing plays of at least 10 yards, which is 12 more than the next Big 12 player. His 21 rushing touchdowns are the most in the conference and tied for the fourth most nationally.

Harvey enters Friday’s game with 46 total touchdowns scored, tied with UCF Hall of Famer Kevin Smith for the program record. With a score against Utah, Harvey will stand alone as UCF’s record-holder for career touchdowns scored.

Harvey has 42 career rushing scores and four receiving TDs, while Smith had 45 rushing touchdowns and one receiving TD. To that end, Harvey is just three rushing touchdowns shy of tying Smith for career rushing touchdowns as well. are the third most in program history, just three shy Kevin Smith’s program record 46. Harvey’s 40 rushing TDs are second in the UCF record books behind Smith’s 45.

Since the start of the 2017 season, UCF has accumulated 69 wins, the 13th-most nationally by an FBS program and the most by a team from the state of Florida. The Knights join Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan, Appalachian State, LSU, Oregon, Penn State and Boise State as the only programs to win at least 69 games since 2017.

Utah heads into this weekend’s matchup with an identical overall record as UCF at 4-7 and 1-7 in conference action. The Utes came up short against 22nd-ranked Iowa State, 31-28, on senior day in their last game.

Now in his 20th season as a head coach overall and at Utah, Kyle Whittingham has compiled a 166-86 overall record during his tenure in Salt Lake City. Saturday’s contest will be the first meeting between Whittingham and Gus Malzahn as head coaches.

Heading into the final game of the season, Utah leads the Big 12 in third down (26.8%) and first downs (188) defense. Utah’s third down defense also ranks second in the FBS. The Utes lead the Big 12 in time of possession, spending nearly 32:31 on offense to rank 10th nationally.

Heading into Friday’s game, UCF running back RJ Harvey owns 46 total career touchdowns scored, which is tied with UCF Hall of Famer Kevin Smith for the program record. With a score against Utah, Harvey will stand alone as UCF’s record holder for career touchdowns scored.

Harvey has 42 career rushing scores and four receiving TDs, while Smith had 45 rushing touchdowns and one receiving TD. To that end, Harvey is just three rushing touchdowns shy of tying Smith for career rushing touchdowns as well.

UCF’s Xe’ree Alexander turned in his best collegiate performance in last Saturday’s game at West Virginia, as the sophomore linebacker tallied a career-best 17 tackles. That mark was a game high for both teams and is tied for the most by a Big 12 player this season.

That mark is also the most by a UCF tackler since 2021 and is the most in the program’s Big 12 Conference era. Alexander was all over the field Saturday night, recording 10 tackles in the first half and seven in the second half. In addition to his 17 tackles, he had a tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup.

Alexander is now second on the team in tackles with 63 behind Ethan Barr’s team-leading 65. Deshawn Pace recorded his 300th career tackle in last Saturday’s game, as he is now one of just 19 active FBS players to reach the milestone. That mark is the second most in the Big 12 behind Baylor’s Matt Jones.

This season, Pace is fourth on the team with 54 tackles, including a team-leading 37 solo tackles.

HARVEY A DOAK WALKER SEMIFINALIST

For the second consecutive year, Harvey is a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s best collegiate running back. The Orlando native is the first player in program history to garner the recognition twice or in consecutive years and is one of just three players nationally to be a semifinalist in 2023 and 2024.

The UCF standout is the first player since Marquette Smith (1994-95) and just the second in program history to record consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons after rushing for 1,416 in 2023.

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE

UCF’s all-time record of 85-29 (.746) ranks in the top 15 in the nation for best win percentage in a current home stadium. The Knights earned win No. 80 against Villanova in 2023.

Since 2017, the Knights are 42-9 in home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

The Knights finished last season with a 4-2 home record and were undefeated at home in 2021, marking the seventh time in UCF’s FBS era, the ninth overall, and the fourth time in five years.

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS