Looking Back At BYU Football’s History With UCF
Nov 25, 2025, 12:29 PM | Updated: Nov 26, 2025, 12:20 pm
PROVO, Utah – No. 11 BYU football gets its last opportunity to play in front of the LaVell Edwards Stadium fans in 2025 when the UCF Knights come to town Saturday morning.
The Cougars have been bullies in a series that dates back to 2011. BYU has outscored the Knights 134-95 in four games and owns a 3-1 record against UCF.
RELATED: BYU Football To Recognize 18 Players On Senior Day Against UCF
Official scenarios for BYU football to reach the Big 12 Championship Game. pic.twitter.com/6Av1OPqRfI
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 24, 2025
BYU enters the final weekend needing a win to reach the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time.
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No. 11 BYU vs. UCF
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium
Location: Provo, Utah
The Cougars (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) end the 2025 regular season by hosting the UCF Knights (5-6, 2-6 Big 12) at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, November 29.
BYU All-Time vs. UCF
2011 – BYU 24, Central Florida 17
The Knights led early until a 93-yard kickoff return touchdown from Cody Hoffman gave BYU momentum in a seven-point win.
UCF threw for 318 yards, compared to just 133 passing yards for the Cougars, but was done in by three turnovers in a mistake-filled game.
Bryan Kariya and JJ DiLuigi combined for 94 rushing yards and two scores for the Cougars.
Future Super Bowl-winning linebacker Kyle Van Noy led BYU with eight tackles and had one of the Cougars’ five sacks.
Bronco Mendenhall led his team to a 10-3 finish in 2011.
2014 – Central Florida 31, BYU 24
A massive third quarter from the Cougars fell short in an overtime road loss.
BYU fell behind 10-0 before reeling off 24 straight points to take a 24-10 lead when Christian Stewart threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Devin Mahina. The TD came one play after Justin Holman gave his team the ball back with an interception deep in Knights territory.
UCF added a late touchdown in the third, and an Algernon Brown fumble with BYU deep in Knights territory on the next possession shifted the momentum completely.
The Cougar offense punted four times in the fourth quarter, allowing UCF to steal the OT victory.
The Cougars ended the year with an 8-5 record.
2020 – Central Florida 23, BYU 49
Zach Wilson led the Cougars into a Boca Raton Bowl blowout that capped an 11-win season and cemented the 2020 BYU team as one of the most memorable in program history.
BYU started fast, grabbing a 21-0 first-quarter lead before cruising to a 35-10 halftime advantage. The Cougars added two more TDs to open the second half before letting their foot off the gas in the blowout.
Wilson ended the night with 425 passing yards and five total touchdowns, cementing his status as a top-of-the-draft QB prospect.
Isaac Rex caught two of Wilson’s three passing TDs, finishing the day with a team-high 96 yards on five catches. Neil Pau’u caught the other touchdown pass.
Tyler Allgeier rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown.
The Cougars finished the season 11-1, with their only loss coming in a 22-17 setback against then-No. 14 Coastal Carolina.
2024 – Central Florida 24, BYU 37
BYU kept its magical 2024 season rolling when the Cougars traveled to the Sunshine State and handed the Knights a 13-point drubbing in an offensive showcase.
Aggressive play-calling and a balanced attack helped BYU take a 17-0 lead in the second period. After UCF scored ten unanswered points of their own, Jake Retzlaff showed BYU’s big play ability with a 62-yard scoring strike to Chase Roberts.
Retzlaff opened the scoring with a 29-yard touchdown scamper in the first quarter before finishing with 228 passing yards and three touchdowns. Chase Roberts ended the day with two catches for 75 yards and the long TD.
LJ Martin was a bruising runner, adding 101 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Isaiah Glasker and Faletau Satuala each intercepted a pass for the BYU defense.
The program’s second season in the Big 12 ended with an Alamo Bowl blowout win over Colorado and an 11-2 record.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
