Where: Acrisure Bounce House Stadium, Orlando
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Weather: 77 degrees with a 10% chance of precipitation
Line: UCF by 1.5 points.
Coaches: Scott Frost is 28-17 at UCF, 44-48 overall; Joe Klanderman is 0-0 at Baylor, 0-0 overall
Quick slant: This marks the fourth meeting between the two programs, with Baylor leading the series 2-1 and winning its last two meetings, including a 30-3 win over UCF last season in Waco. Friday’s game represents the annual Space Game, a tradition that began in 2017. It showcases the school’s connection to the space program and nearby Kennedy Space Center. UCF started with an 8-0 record in the series before suffering a 30-27 loss to Houston on Nov. 7, 2025. For each game, the Knights wear a new space-themed uniform and this year’s design pays homage to the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions of the 1960s.
About UCF (4-3, 2-2 Big 12): UCF is coming off a thrilling 39-31 double-overtime win over No. 2 BYU on Saturday. It was the program’s first win over a top-5-ranked opponent. Scott Frost was named Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Week and The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week, while quarterback Keyone Jenkins earned The Maxwell Award Player of the Week and the Davey O’Brien Award Quarterback of the Week. The last time UCF won back-to-back Big 12 games was in 2023, when the Knights defeated Cincinnati (Nov. 4) and No. 15 Oklahoma State (Nov. 11).
About Baylor (4-3, 2-2 Big 12): Baylor fired coach Dave Aranda on Sunday following a disappointing 25-24 loss to Kansas. Aranda went 40-40 in seven seasons with the Bears, highlighted by a 2022 Sugar Bowl win over Ole Miss. His defensive coordinator, Joe Klanderman, will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season. He previously coached under Chris Klieman at North Dakota State and Kansas State.
Three things to watch
1. Baylor leads the Big 12 in quarterback sacks with 27 and has registered at least four sacks in a game five times. Garrick Ponder, Daniel Cobbs and Bob Onu have at least 3 sacks this season, with Ponder leading the way with 4 total.
2. Two of the top teams in takeaways in the conference this season are Baylor (13) and UCF (12), behind Texas Tech (14). The Bears have forced a turnover in every game this season, while the Knights have forced at least one in their last five games.
3. Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway is making his return to the Sunshine State after spending the past two seasons at Florida. Lagway is completing just 52% of his passes, for 1,352 yards, 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram at @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.