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Nov 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) completes a pass to running back Dean Connors (44) as West Virginia Mountaineers linebacker Curtis Jones Jr. (18) rushes the quarterback in the first half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Cougars Look to Rebound Against UCF Knights

Originally posted on Houston Cougars on SI
By Carson Wersal | Last updated Nov 3, 2025 3:06 PM ET

After a devastating loss to West Virginia on Saturday, the Houston Cougars will look to rebound against the UCF Knights this weekend. With the start of the new week, it's time we do our general preview of what to expect when the Cougars and Knights clash in what could be an electric Big 12 matchup.

For the Knights, this season has been slightly underwhelming. With the re-hiring of head coach Scott Frost, some believed that the program would see immediate results despite a 2025 recruiting class that landed outside of the top 50 and a transfer portal class that barely reached the top 40.

At this point in the season, UCF holds a 4-4 record, with its best wins coming against North Carolina and West Virginia. Including their matchup against the Houston Cougars this coming weekend, the Knights may have one of the most formidable remaining schedules this season, as they'll also face Texas Tech and BYU in the remaining weeks of conference play.

Two Teams with Something to Prove

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Both the Cougars and the Knights were handed their most embarrassing losses of the 2025 season this past weekend. Houston was handed their second loss of the season at the hands of the West Virginia Mountaineers, while the Baylor Bears beat UCF in embarrassing fashion by a score of 30-3.

While the Knights are just trying to reach bowl eligibility, the Cougars remain in the hunt for a Big 12 title game appearance. Houston's remaining schedule consists of matchups against UCF, TCU, and Baylor, while the Knights face one of the nation's toughest stretches, taking on Houston, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and BYU.

With both programs in desperation mode, this weekend's conference matchup in Orlando, Florida, could prove to be one of the more exciting Big 12 games of the year. After all, there's nothing quite like a Big 12 matchup between schools that are hungry for a win.

The Knights are Strong in their Own Kingdom

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

One silver lining for UCF this season has been its strong play at home in the Acrisure Bounce House. In their most recent home game, the Knights improved to 4-1 on their own turf with a 45-13 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers.

In the win, quarterback Tayven Jackson completed 23 of 34 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns. Running backs Jaden Nixon and Myles Montgomery also combined for over 200 rushing yards, with Nixon finding the endzone twice against the Mountaineers.

It's painfully obvious that Montgomery and Nixon are the biggest threats to the Cougars finding a win in Orlando. After West Virginia rushed for nearly 250 yards on the ground against Houston this past weekend, the Knights' offense will likely feature a heavy run dosage against the Cougars' defensive line.

Even after Houston's struggles against the run this past weekend, the Cougars' run defense remains fifth in the Big 12, allowing just 134.3 rushing yards per game. With the defensive line showing some weaknesses against run-heavy offenses, it will be worth watching how often the Knights run the ball this weekend.

This article first appeared on Houston Cougars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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