Overview

• Kickoff is Thursday at 7 p.m. ET at Acrisure Bounce House Stadium in Orlando, with the game streaming on ESPN+, and BetMGM lists UCF as an 18.5-point favorite.
• Jacksonville State named Rutgers transfer Gavin Wimsatt its starting quarterback as first-year coach Charles Kelly begins his tenure.
• UCF and Jacksonville State both leaned on elite ground games last season, with the Knights averaging 248.1 rushing yards per game and the Gamecocks at 251.2.
• Roster churn shapes the opener, with UCF bringing in nearly 70 newcomers and Jacksonville State adding 51 during extensive offseason rebuilds.
• Scott Frost signals a return to an uptempo 'UCFast' approach with tweaks intended to keep the Knights’ defense from being overtaxed.