UCF among unranked teams who could crack College Football Playoff

Tony Adame

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UCF among unranked teams who could crack College Football Playoff image

Of the four teams that joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023, only UCF made a bowl game. 

That’s at least something to build on for the Knights in 2024 — they finished the season 6-7 overall and 3-6 in Big 12 play — and The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman thinks they’re one of the few unranked teams who might be able to crack the College Football Playoff. 

From The Athletic: “Gus Malzahn knows what he’s doing when it comes to running the football, and his backfield this year has the potential to be lethal. Arkansas transfer QB KJ Jefferson,  a load at 6-3, 250, ran for 21 TDs and almost 1,900 yards in five seasons in the SEC. He’ll be joined by RJ Harvey, who ran for 1,416 yards and 16 TDs last year, and Toledo transfer Peny Boone, another horse at 242 pounds who was the 2023 MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Kobe Hudson (eight TD catches in 2023) and Xavier Townsend are good wideouts and tight end Randy Pittman Jr. looks like a budding star. The offense could be prolific.”

UCF opens the season on Thursday, Aug. 29, at home against New Hampshire.

Tony Adame

Tony Adame Photo

Tony Adame covers the Big 12 Conference for The Sporting News. He is a graduate of Southern Oregon University and has been a sports journalist for 20 years. He has won APSE Awards for breaking news, games stories and feature writing. He is also the writer and host of the Florida Society of News Editors Award-winning podcast The Sheriff: Murder, Lies & Revenge in Okaloosa County for USA Today/Gannett.