As UCF prepares for its homecoming game against West Virginia, there’s a striking similarity between the two teams.

Both programs have brought back former coaches to lead them: Scott Frost at UCF and Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia. Each team made significant changes to its roster in the offseason, heavily utilizing the transfer portal. They have also faced numerous injuries, particularly at the quarterback position, and both teams are currently winless in the Big 12.

More importantly, both teams are currently mired in three-game losing streaks and desperately need a win this weekend.

“You can keep trying to put more emphasis on one [game] more than any other, but that’s not the way we’re going to look at it around here,” said Frost. “We’ve got to practice well this week, get a little bit better to give us a chance to win another game. It’s going to be the same every week.”

If UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) is going to have a chance at bowl eligibility, the Knights will need at least six wins.

Entering the weekend, ESPN’s Football Power Index has UCF with a 63.5% chance of reaching six wins for bowl eligibility. According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, the Knights are favored against West Virginia (72%), Houston (60.1%) and Oklahoma State (92.1%).

UCF is a heavy underdog in its three remaining road contests against Baylor, Texas Tech and BYU.

“I think we’ve got a good opportunity this week, just like we’ve had the last three weeks,” said Frost. “We need to cash in on one. Once we get one here in conference, I think the confidence will blossom.”

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“The encouraging aspect is we are losing these games, not the other team necessarily winning [them],” said guard Cam Kinnie. “We are shooting ourselves in the foot and not executing that focus and that grit is going to help us to reduce those mistakes and come out with a win.”

Edge rusher Nyjalik Kelly understands the importance of this weekend’s game, but isn’t willing to over-emphasize it.

“It’s very important, but no more important than every other week,” said Kelly, who leads the team in tackles for loss (5). “You want to win every week. So this week is just like last week, or just like the week before; we always want to get a win.”

A defeat on Saturday would stretch the current streak to three consecutive years with a four-game losing skid.

“I don’t care what happened here before or anywhere else; this team isn’t going to quit,” said Frost. “They’re going to keep going and you’ll see that Saturday.”

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/17/ucf-knights-faces-critical-game-against-west-virginia/