Jacksonville State at UCF
Where: Acrisure Bounce House Stadium
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Weather: 74 degrees, 30% chance of rain
Favorite: UCF by 18.5 points
Coaches: Scott Frost, 3rd season at UCF, 19-7 (35-38 overall); Charles Kelly, 1st season at Jacksonville State, 0-0 (0-0 overall).
Quick slant: This is the first meeting between the two programs. … UCF has won 10 straight season openers since the 2016 season, with the Knights having won 15 of the last 18 home openers. … UCF has won 10 consecutive games on Thursday nights, the third-longest active streak in the country. … This is the second consecutive Thursday night opener for Jacksonville State and the first of four mid-week games for the Gamecocks.
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About UCF (0-0, 0-0 Big 12): UCF has 14 defensive returners from the 2024 roster, including defensive ends Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly, defensive tackle John Walker, nickelback Braeden Marshall and cornerback Antione Jackson. The unit accounted for 148 tackles with 22.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. … Myles Montgomery will start the season at running back, but the redshirt senior will share the workload with teammate Jaden Nixon. The pair combined to rush for 1,212 yards last season. … The Knights will start three new receivers this season, led by transfers Marcus Burke (Florida), Duane Thomas Jr. (Charlotte) and DJ Black (Limestone).
About Jacksonville State (0-0, 0-0 CUSA): Former Rutgers transfer Gavin Wimsatt earned the starting quarterback job, outpacing fellow transfer Cade Cunningham and returner Caden Creel. “Gavin has a lot of attributes,” said Kelly. “He’s a big guy who is very athletic and has a strong arm. He can make any throw asked of him and he’s a guy you have to be able to honor.” … TCU transfer Cam Cook (460 yards) is the primary tailback, while returner Andrew Paul (173) will also figure in the rotation along with a talented group of freshmen. … JSU could be without its top returning receiver in Michael Pettway (454 yards, 3 TDs).
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The return of UCFast: Under Frost’s leadership in 2017, the Knights showcased one of the fastest offenses in the nation, with an average scoring drive lasting just 2:18. While Frost has assured fans that they can expect the familiar uptempo style, he has also indicated that some adjustments will be made to prevent the defense from being on the field for too long.
What a kick: This summer, the Knights revamped their special teams unit by bringing in six new specialists, including punters Anthony Venneri and Mason Denaburg. Venneri brings the most experience to the table, having played at Buffalo and Ohio State. At the same time, Denaburg has shown enough promise to make the competition lively as they head into the season opener.
Protecting the QB: UCF debuts a rebuilt offensive line that features one returning starter from last season (Paul Rubelt). The unit will be challenged by a JSU defensive front that returns Jawaun Campbell, Darrell Prater and Talan Carter, along with transfers Khurtiss Perry (Alabama).
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/08/27/ucf-knights-jacksonville-state-football-tv-odds-gametime/
