by Rod Pearson
Monday, Oct 19, 2026
Game Time: 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, October 24, 2026
Venue: Acrisure Bounce House, Orlando, FL
Where to Watch: FOX
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: BYU -6.5, UCF +6.5; Over/Under: 43.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: BYU -6.5, UCF +6.5; Over/Under: 43.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: BYU -6.5, UCF +6.5; Over/Under: 43.5 points
Season Record
BYU Cougars: 6-0 (3-0) (1st place, Big 12)
Central Florida Knights: 3-3 (1-2) (9th place, Big 12)
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Recent Form
BYU Cougars: won their last game at home against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 28-24.
Central Florida Knights: lost their last game on the road against the Oklahoma State Cowboys 42-28.
BYU Cougars vs Central Florida Knights Preview and Analysis
BYU is entering this game with a 6-0 record overall and they have a 3-0 record in their conference games too. They are 4-0 in their home games, 2-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They won their last game against Notre Dame 28-24. Bear Bachmeier was the starting QB and he completed 23/36 passes for 224 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Preston Rex led the team in rushing yards with 66. Kyler Kasper led the receivers with 66 receiving yards on 6 receptions. Cade Uluave led the defense in that game with 9 tackles while no one on the defense recorded a sack for them. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
UCF is entering this game with a 3-3 record overall and they have a 1-2 record in their conference games too. They are 3-0 in their home games, 0-3 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They lost their last game against Oklahoma State 42-28. Keyone Jenkins was the starting QB and he completed 30/42 passes for 265 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Duke Watson led the team in rushing yards with 79. Josh Derry led the receivers with 84 receiving yards on 11 receptions and 1 TD. Jahleel Culbreath led the defense in that game with 8 tackles while Jeffson Lafontant led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
BYU vs Central Florida Prediction
The current betting odds have BYU listed as a 6.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. BYU has looked great in their games this season with their 6-0 record overall and their 3-0 conference record which has them right at the top of the Big 12. They have been a great road team too with their 2-0 road record this year. Meanwhile, UCF hasn't looked great in their games this season with their 3-3 record overall and their 1-2 conference record which has them in the bottom half of the Big 12. They have looked a lot better on their home field though with their 3-0 home record this season. UCF does have an advantage here since they are coming out of their bye week, but they are also coming off a 42-28 loss to Oklahoma State and haven't been able to compete with the big boys in the conference. Now they have another once coming into town and UCF's offense has been really up and down from game to game. BYU is coming off a 28-24 win over Notre Dame and they are now ranked 2nd in the nation. They have been rolling over teams all season and were one of the best teams in the Big 12 last year too. Their offense hasn't looked great at times, but they do have a lot of talent along with a great QB who has been carrying the team on his back. The defense has also looked great in their games as they don't give up a ton of points. This is going to be another game that UCF's offense has trouble in and that defense isn't going to keep this BYU offense off the board either. BYU has a ton of momentum on their side from that Notre Dame win, so look for BYU to continue rolling like one of the best teams in the nation. The best way to place a bet here is on BYU to cover the spread in this game.
BYU Central Florida Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, October 24, 2026 (3:30 pm ET start time) is BYU 21 UCF 10.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
BYU Cougars: 21-9 ATS against FBS division opponents. 16-6 ATS as a favorite. 11-2 ATS when the total is between 42.5 and 49. 11-3 ATS vs. good offensive teams - scoring 31 or more points/game. 5-1 OVER off an upset win as an underdog.
Central Florida Knights: 10-17 ATS against FBS division opponents. 3-6 ATS when the total is between 42.5 and 49. 7-14 ATS against conference opponents. 1-10 ATS after playing their last game on the road. 8-2 OVER when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 75%).
Key Injuries
BYU Cougars: J. Nye (TE) Questionable - Undisclosed. A. Gentry (OG) Questionable - Undisclosed. B. Laga (K) Questionable - Undisclosed. L. Martin (RB) Out - Ankle. S. Moa (RB) Out - Undisclosed.
Central Florida Knights: D. Thomas Jr. (WR) Out - Undisclosed. A. Barnett III (QB) Questionable - Hamstring. L. Carter (LB) Out - Undisclosed. D. Wade (TE) Questionable - Shoulder.
Notable Quotes
“We knew our offense could score and we knew they could get us in position to take the lead. We’ve been in these tight games before. It felt normal for us.” - Kalani Sitake after his team’s win against Notre Dame in their last game.
“First of all, they're a good team. I think their quarterback, I'd be surprised if he's in college next year, some of the plays and throws that he made. I thought it was two pretty evenly matched teams. I think they executed and made a few more plays than we did. We can't have a catastrophic play like that ... against a good team.” - Scott Frost after his team’s loss against Oklahoma State in their last game.
Starting Lineups
BYU Cougars
WR Kasper, Kyler
WR Phillips, Jojo
WR Glasker, Legend
TE Lyons, Walker
QB Bachmeier, Bear
RB Rex, Preston
Central Florida Knights
WR Derry, Josh
WR Charles, Waden
WR Farmer, Ric'Darious
TE Wade, Dylan
QB Barnett III, Alonza
RB Watson, Duke
Statistical Leaders
BYU Cougars
Passing: Bear Bachmeier (1,257)
Rushing: LJ Martin (344)
Receiving: Legend Glasker (444)
Touchdowns: Bear Bachmeier (7)
Central Florida Knights
Passing: Keyone Jenkins (806)
Rushing: Duke Watson (483)
Receiving: Josh Derry (304)
Touchdowns: Landen Chambers (3)
Coaches:
BYU Cougars: Kalani Sitake (11th season)
Central Florida Knights: Scott Frost (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
