2023 UCF Knights football team
The 2023 UCF Knights football team represents 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 are led by Gus Malzahn in his third year as the Knights head coach. The team will play 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. Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

Incoming

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. 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. 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. 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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

UCF hosted West Virginia on Homecoming. Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, as the Mountaineers won 41–28. West Virginia put up 286 yards rushing, and quarterback Garrett Greene ran for three touchdowns. at Cincinnati

Oklahoma State

at Texas Tech

Houston

Personnel

Rankings

Awards and milestones

School records
Longest field goal (ties school record): 55 yards, Colton Boomer (at Boise State), September 9, 2023

Big 12 Conference honors
Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 2): Colton Boomer

References 

UCF
UCF Knights football seasons
UCF Knights football