The UCF Knights host the BYU Cougars in a CFB Week 8 Big 12 matchup at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando on Saturday, October 24, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. UCF enters at 3-3 on the season, looking to reverse a two-game slide against an unbeaten BYU squad that has climbed to No. 2 in the country. UCF has gone 3-0 at home this season but has dropped all three road contests, leaving the Knights at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The team is averaging 31.7 points per game and has posted a turnover margin of plus-4, one of the stronger marks in their division. UCF’s red-zone passing efficiency has been a quiet strength: the Knights own the 2nd-highest completion rate in the red zone in college football in the 2026 regular season, at 92.9 percent among programs with at least 10 passing attempts. The challenge Saturday is at home, where the Knights have generated only 446 receiving yards, 4th fewest in college football this season among teams with at least 50 targets, reflecting an offense that has leaned more on the run than the air game in Orlando. BYU arrives at 6-0, ranked No. 2 nationally, and represents one of the most complete units in college football through the first half of the season. The Cougars are averaging 33.5 points per game and have outscored opponents 201 to 91 overall, going 3-0 in conference play and 2-0 away from home. Their ground game has been a defining strength on the road, where BYU’s 6.2 yards per attempt ranks 2nd in college football in the 2026 regular season among teams with at least 75 rush attempts, giving the offense a reliable mechanism to control the clock and field position against a Knights defense that will need to contain it. BYU enters Saturday having won six consecutive games to open the year, and the Cougars’ third-down conversion rate of 56.5 percent underscores how consistently they sustain drives. Below are the details on how to watch. How to Watch BYU Cougars vs. UCF Knights Players To Watch BYU brings an unbeaten record into Orlando, and Bachmeier sits at the center of why this matchup matters. Through six games, he has 1,257 passing yards and 9 passing touchdowns, while BYU as a team is averaging 33.5 points and 421.2 yards per game. What makes him especially worth tracking against UCF is the way BYU sustains drives. The Cougars rank 3rd nationally in third down rate at 56.5 percent, and Bachmeier has helped keep the offense efficient with a 65.4 completion rate and just 3 interceptions on 156 attempts. IF he keeps BYU on schedule against a UCF defense that has 6 interceptions and a plus-4 turnover margin, the Cougars can control the tempo on the road. For UCF, the most important counterpunch could come from Jenkins and the passing game. He leads the Knights with 806 passing yards and 8 touchdowns, and his role stands out in an offense that has scored 25 total touchdowns in six games. The Knights are 3-0 at home, and their offense has been strong in scoring territory with points on 21 of 22 red zone trips. IF Jenkins helps UCF stay balanced, the Knights have a real path to making this game uncomfortable for an undefeated visitor. When BYU looks for an explosive play, Kasper is one of the names to watch. His production gives Bachmeier a field-stretching option against a UCF defense that has been more disruptive with takeaways than with pass rush. That matchup angle matters because UCF has 6 interceptions and 12 sacks through six games, but its sack ranking sits 81st nationally. IF protection holds up for BYU, Kasper has room to test the secondary downfield and turn efficient drives into chunk gains. One clean connection can flip field position fast, and that would make life easier for a BYU team that already runs the ball for 206.7 yards per game. Learn more about BYU Cougars vs. UCF Knights and check the full schedule on FOX Sports! Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
How to Watch BYU vs. UCF: TV Channel, Live Stream, Time – October 24, 2026
Oct 24, 2026 | 8:00 AM


