ORLANDO — Before the season started, a nationally televised Utah-UCF showdown on Black Friday had the makings of a potentially decisive game in the Big 12 race between teams with championship dreams. However, both teams stumble into their respective finales without so much as a shot at bowl eligibility. Keep scrolling for the latest game updates and highlights.

Utah and UCF have identical 4-7 records, with the host Knights one win ahead in the conference standings. The Utes last missed the postseason in 2013, while UCF had reached a bowl game in the previous eight seasons.

Quarterback woes have plagued both teams in slightly different ways. Utah lost Cameron Rising, Brandon Rose, Sam Huard and, most recently, Isaac Wilson to injury. Meanwhile, UCF’s four quarterbacks are all healthy. KJ Jefferson was benched after five inconsistent games, while EJ Colson, Jacurri Brown and Dylan Rizk each took their respective turns behind center.

Nearly two-dozen Knights are set to take part in their final college games, including running back RJ Harvey, wide receiver Kobe Hudson, linebacker Ethan Barr and cornerback BJ Adams. Harvey needs one touchdown to take sole possession of the program’s all-time career record.

UCF vs Utah score updates

UCF football highlights vs Utah

UCF vs Utah time today

• Date: Friday, November 29
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: FBC Mortgage Stadium (Orlando, Florida)

Watch UCF vs Utah live on Fubo (free trial)

What channel is UCF vs Utah game on today?

• TV channel: Fox
• Livestream: Fubo (free trial)

UCF vs. Utah will broadcast nationally on Fox in Week 14 of the 2024 college football season. Trent Rush and Robert Smith will call the game from the booth at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

The Knights began the 2024 season led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, an Arkansas transfer who was named preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Freshman Dylan Rizk has taken over as starting QB. Running back RJ Harvey is tied for third in the nation with 1,328 rushing yards and tied for fifth with 19 touchdowns. UCF boasts two also preseason All-Big 12 selections: receiver Kobe Hudson (first team) and defensive lineman Lee Hunter (second team).

The Utes entered the 2024 with senior Cameron Rising as their quarterback, but he is out for the season after a lower leg injury Oct. 11. Their top offensive player has been running back Micah Bernard, whose 922 rushing yards are seventh in the Big 12.

UCF vs Utah history

This is the first meeting between UCF and Utah.

Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF 24, Utah 21

“It’s a matchup pitting UCF’s fourth-string quarterback (Dylan Rizk) against Utah’s fifth-stringer (Luke Bottari). Bottari took over for Isaac Wilson late in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss to Iowa State when the latter sustained a left knee injury. RJ Harvey will produce a few more lasting memories in his final Knights game, break the school’s all-time record for total touchdowns and give UCF just enough of an edge to win this bowl-ineligible battle.”

Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF 28, Utah 21

“This season has been more Knightmare than fairytale for UCF, but it should end on a high note. Utah has scored 28 points only one time since Sept. 14 — last week vs. Iowa State. One of their four touchdowns came on a punt return, and the first two scoring drives were led by Wilson before he got hurt. New starter Bottari is a senior with 21 career FBS pass attempts.”

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Wednesday:

• Spread: UCF (-9½)
• Over/under: 47½ points
• Money line: Utah +280, UCF -350

UCF vs Utah injury report

UCF has no injuries to report.

Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson is out with a leg injury suffered last week vs. Iowa State. Luke Bottari is expected to start. Receiver Munir McClain is questionable.

UCF vs Utah weather updates

Weather.com predicts a low of 50 degrees with partly cloudy skies tonight in Orlando. Winds are expected to blow out of the north at 5-10 mph. There is about a 5% chance of rain.

• August 29: vs. New Hampshire (W 57-3)
• September 7: vs. Sam Houston (W 45-14)
• September 14: at TCU* (W 35-34)
• September 21: Open
• September 28: vs. Colorado* (L 48-21)
• October 5: at Florida (L 24-13)
• October 12: vs. Cincinnati* (L 19-13)
• October 19: at Iowa State* (L 38-35)
• October 26: vs. BYU* (L 37-24)
• November 2: vs. Arizona* (W 56-12)
• November 9: at Arizona State* (L 35-31)
• November 16: Open
• November 23: at West Virginia* (L 31-21)
• November 29: vs. Utah*, 8 p.m.
• Record: 4-7 (2-6 in Big 12)

*- Big 12 game

Utah football schedule 2024

• August 29: vs. Southern Utah (W 49-0)
• September 7: vs. Baylor* (W 23-12)
• September 14: at Utah State (W 38-21)
• September 21: at Oklahoma State* (W 22-19)
• September 28: vs. Arizona* (L 23-10)
• October 5: Open
• October 11: at Arizona State* (L 27-19)
• October 19: vs. TCU* (L 13-7)
• October 26: at Houston* (L 17-14)
• November 2: Open
• November 9: vs. BYU* (L 22-21)
• November 16: at Colorado* (L 49-24)
• November 23: vs. Iowa State* (L 31-28)
• November 29: at UCF*, 8 p.m.
• Record: 4-7 (1-7 in Big 12)

*- Big 12 game

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It’s your turn, Luke Bottari.

With Cam Rising, Brandon Rose, Sam Huard and now Isaac Wilson all injured and done for the season, the Utes will put the ball in the hands of their fifth-string senior on Friday evening against UCF.

Bottari has been in this position before, leading the team to a win against Colorado last season. And it was Bottari, not Wilson, who led Utah’s best drives last week against Iowa State.

“Luke Bottari came in and really provided a spark,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “For a guy that started the season as the fifth-string guy and didn’t have a whole lot of chance to play, he continued to keep himself ready every single week in case. Last week was the week that he got his opportunity. He really did some good things, came in and provided a spark for us.”

Neither the Utes (4-7, 1-7) nor the Knights (4-7, 2-7) will have anything to play for besides pride with the possibility of playing in a bowl game now gone.

Whittingham expects UCF to test Utah’s defense.

“Central Florida is really potent on offense, leading the conference offensively,” the coach said. “They’re running the ball exceptionally well, as is the case with any Gus Malzahn team.”

But it’s the future that currently poses the biggest questions for the Utes.

This week, Whittingham said he will soon evaluate whether to return for his 21st season as Utah’s head coach.

Rising, meanwhile, is expected to announce whether he’ll be returning for an eighth season of college football in the coming days.

Whittingham emphasized the importance of figuring out the team’s quarterback situation this offseason.

“We’ve got to solve our quarterback problems, I can tell you that. That has been a difficult thing this year,” he said. “Quarterback, as I’ve said over and over, is the most important position in football and in team sports period. You better be good there if you want to have a chance to win. So we’ve got to evaluate; just like I’ve got to evaluate my situation, we’ve got to evaluate the quarterback situation and make sure we have ourselves covered for next year.”

On Friday, Bottari will be backed up by junior Dallen Engemann, a Timpview High product who previously played for Santa Ana College.

“That’s all she wrote after those two,” Whittingham said. “I don’t have a good answer. I hope it doesn’t come to beyond that.”

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.

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