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UCF Knights football preview: Week 1 game vs. Jacksonville State

Chris Boyle and Chris Vinel of the Daytona Beach News-Journal are joined by AL.com’s Thomas Ashworth to preview UCF vs. Jacksonville State in Week 1.

ORLANDO — Scott Frost‘s second spell as UCF football coach began with a win Thursday night in the Acrisure Bounce House.

The Knights kicked off their 2025 season against defending Conference USA champion Jacksonville State, and it wasn’t always pretty. Still, a late touchdown pass from Tayven Jackson to DJ Black vaulted them ahead, and an interception by Jayden Bellamy sealed it in the final minute. Final score: 17-10.

Jackson replaced Cam Fancher, who took a big hit and exited in the second quarter. Fancher won a three-way QB battle in fall camp.

The weather also played a role, with the game finishing more than five hours after it began. A two-hour rain and lightning delay paused the action in the second quarter.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Scroll down for a play-by-play recap.

Watch UCF vs Jax State game live on ESPN

It wasn’t always pretty, but UCF kicks off 2025 — and Scott Frost’s second tenure — with a win over the Gamecocks.

Tayven Jackson found DJ Black for a 33-yard TD in the final two minutes, and Jayden Bellamy caps it with an interception with 16 seconds left.

With 16 seconds left, UCF’s Jayden Bellamy picks off an errant pass near the right sideline. The Knights will escape with a win.

Tayven Jackson drops back and launches a deep ball over the middle to DJ Black, who got behind his defender. Black catches it near the goal line for a 33-yard score.

It gives the Knights a 17-10 lead with 1:03 to go.

UCF will have a chance to win it late.

Jayden Williams stuffed Jax State’s Cam Cook on fourth-and-1 in Knights territory with 1:35 left in the fourth quarter.

Two minutes remain in regulation. Jax State has the ball at the UCF 45. The score is 10-10. Midnight is approaching.

Buckle up.

Noe Ruelas missed a 43-yard field goal with a chance to give UCF the lead. The Knights and Jacksonville State are tied 10-10 with 4:08 left in regulation.

Tayven Jackson has completed 16 of 21 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. Gharin Stansbury notched Jax State’s second sack of the night for a 10-yard loss, halting the Knights’ offensive momentum.

Tayven Jackson found Dylan Wade all alone over the middle, and Myles Montgomery sprung him along the sideline with a downfield block for a 39-yard touchdown. UCF tied the game, 10-10, with 9:30 left in the fourth quarter.

Jackson is 13-of-18 passing for 197 yards, keeping the drive alive with a third-and-15 strike to true freshman Waden Charles.

UCF is officially on upset alert in Scott Frost’s return to the Bounce House.

Andrew Paul ran for a 10-yard touchdown, giving Jacksonville State a 10-3 lead over the Knights with 12:01 left in regulation. The Gamecocks capped an 11-play, 87-yard drive that ate more than five minutes off the clock.

UCF entered the night with wins in nine consecutive season openers. Its last Week 1 defeat occurred in 2015, when the Knights went 0-12.

UCF will head to the fourth quarter tied 3-3 with defending Conference USA champion Jacksonville State.

Myles Montgomery has 144 scrimmage yards, including a career-long, 64-yard reception. Phillip Dunnam leads the Knights with six tackles, and he has one of their three tackles for loss.

Jax State faces fourth-and-one at the Knights’ 46-yard line as the fourth quarter gets underway.

Jacksonville State answered UCF’s field goal with one of its own, a 42-yard kick from Garrison Rippa. The Knights and Gamecocks are tied 3-3 with 5:28 left in the third quarter.

Caden Creel found Cam Cook for an 18-yard completion as the backup quarterback checked in at receiver, took a lateral and turned it into a double pass.

UCF’s defense has held Jax State to 4.4 yards per play.

It took two-and-a-half quarters, but UCF scored its first points of the 2025 season.

Noe Ruelas booted a 24-yard field goal, putting the Knights ahead of Jacksonville State 3-0 with 8:03 left in the third. Myles Montgomery set up the kick with a career-long 64-yard reception, spotted all alone on the right sideline by Tayven Jackson.

Horace Lockett notched the Knights’ first sack on the previous drive. UCF’s defense has limited the Gamecocks to 134 total yards.

UCF starting quarterback Cam Fancher was dressed in street clothes as both teams returned to field to resume action after a two-hour, seven-minute rain delay.

Fancher took a heavy hit from Jacksonville State defensive back Tre’Quon Fegans on the final play before the delay, resulting in a targeting call and an ejection.

Tayven Jackson has taken over behind center for the Knights. Fancher was 5-of-9 passing for 32 yards, and he rushed four times for 48 yards.

The storm is moving out of the area, and UCF’s season opener against Jacksonville State is set to resume at 9:55 p.m., the school announced.

Teams will return to the field for warmups at 9:40.

Fan runs onto field during UCF delay — and gets tackled

A pair of fans ran onto the field in the pouring rain. One was wrangled quickly while the other weaved around for a few moments before being tackled.

Here’s the video:

The lightning has continued, the rain has gotten harder and the thunder has arrived.

Still at least 30 minutes from a resumption in the Knights’ season opener, as of 8:47 p.m. Teams remain in their locker rooms and fans on the concourses — or the exits.

Lightning continues to strike near the Acrisure Bounce House, ensuring the delay lasts another 30 minutes. Looking at at least 8:45 before play resumes.

Play was suspended immediately following the overturned fumble due to lightning in the area.

Lightning was detected with 8 miles of the Acrisure Bounce House, forcing a delay of at least 30 minutes.

UCF and Jacksonville State are tied 0-0 with 10:45 left until halftime.

UCF caught a huge break as one of its former players was ejected for Jacksonville State.

Tre’Quon Fegans drilled Cam Fancher for a sack-fumble, which was scooped up by Emmanuel Oyebadejo and returned for a touchdown. However, following a video review, Fegans was called for targeting, wiping out the score and resulting in a disqualification.

Fegans transferred to Jacksonville State in the spring after spending just over a year with the Knights.

Duane Thomas Jr. lost a fumble on a slot screen, and Jacksonville State recovered near midfield to end the Knights’ second drive.

Jacksonville State moved across midfield, but stalled out when Malachi Lawrence deflected Gavin Wimsatt’s pass on third-and-seven. UCF gets the ball back at its own 3-yard line, tied 0-0 with 3:43 left in the first quarter.

TCU transfer Cam Cook ran five times for 18 yards.

UCF moved the chains three times on its opening drive, including a fourth-and-one conversion for Myles Montgomery, but the Knights punted from midfield. Jax State takes over on its own 19 in a scoreless game with 9:33 left in the first quarter.

The Knights gained 32 yards on 13 plays, lining up a handful of times under center in pro-style sets.

Cam Fancher overshot Marcus Burke on what could have been an 81-yard touchdown on the first snap. He is 2 of 6 for 15 yards. Montgomery has 24 rushing yards on six carries.

Bounce House gates opened at 5:40 p.m. as thunderstorms passed within the surrounding area.

UCF and Jacksonville State are still on track for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

The Acrisure Bounce House’s gates will remain closed until an “all clear” is given due to lightning and heavy rainfall in the area, UCF’s fan experience account posted onto social media.

Kickoff for the Knights’ 2025 regular season opener against Jacksonville State is set for 7 p.m.

What time does UCF vs Jacksonville State start?  

  • Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
  • Time: 7 p.m. ET  
  • Where: Acrisure Bounce House (Orlando, Florida)

What TV channel is UCF vs Jacksonville State on today?  UCF vs Jacksonville State predictions

  • Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF 31, Jacksonville State 13
  • Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF 28, Jacksonville State 14
  • Ken Willis, Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF 34, Jacksonville State 13

UCF vs Jacksonville State injury updates

Minor soft-tissue injuries popped up through camp for the Knights, but they enter the 2025 season relatively healthy. Freshman running back Taevion Swint will miss an extended period with a torn meniscus, and freshman tight end Caden Piening remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Swint’s absence leaves the Knights with just three healthy, scholarship running backs — Montgomery, Nixon and Stacy Gage.

“A lot of credit to our training staff and our strength and conditioning staff. I look at the injury report every week, and we don’t have a lot of guys on there,” Frost said. “We’re going to be pretty close to full strength.”

Redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Justin Royes and sophomore slot receiver DayDay Farmer were ruled out for the season at the conclusion of spring camp.

UCF schedule 2025

Here is UCF’s schedule and results. All times Eastern.

  • Aug. 28: vs Jacksonville State | 7 p.m. | ESPN Select
  • Sept. 6: vs North Carolina A&T | 7 p.m. | ESPN Select
  • Sept. 13: Bye
  • Sept. 20: vs North Carolina | TBA
  • Sept. 27: at Kansas State* | TBA
  • Oct. 4: vs Kansas*
  • Oct. 11: at Cincinnati* | TBA
  • Oct. 18: vs West Virginia* | TBA
  • Oct. 25: Bye
  • Nov. 1: at Baylor* | TBA
  • Nov. 7: vs Houston* | TBA | FS1 | Fubo
  • Nov. 15: at Texas Tech* | TBA
  • Nov. 22: vs Oklahoma State* | TBA
  • Nov. 29: at BYU* | TBA

*- Big 12 game