PREVIEW: Cougars Rocket into Theme Park Capital of the World

Friday, November 7

Orlando, Fla.

7 p.m. CT

University of Houston

UCF

Tickets

PREVIEW: Cougars Rocket into Theme Park Capital of the World

11/6/2025 9:47:00 AM | Football

Houston heads to Orlando for meeting with long-time conference foe UCF

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Houston Football team is back on the road, heading to UCF for a 7 p.m. CT, Friday, battle against the Knights. The game will be broadcast on FS1.

GAME 10 – UCF

Houston (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) at UCF (4-4, 1-4 Big 12)
Friday, Nov. 7 | 7 p.m. CT
Acrisure Bounce House | Orlando, Fla.
Broadcast: FS1
Radio: KPRC 950 AM

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Houston has won four consecutive road games in a season for the 12th time in program history after its 24-16 win at #24/25 Arizona State. The Cougars won their fourth consecutive road game for the first time since winning all six road contests in 2021 Houston is 4-0 on the road this season, the best mark since going 6-0 on the road in the regular season in 2021.
The Cougars offensive line has given quarterback Conner Weigman ample time to throw the football the previous three games – posting a 95.5 offensive line pass block efficiency Week 8-10, second best in the Big 12. The 95.5 o-line pass block efficiency is the best combined rating over a three week span by the Houston o-line since Week 7-9 of 2022.
Finishing drives has been a point of emphasis for Houston in 2025 and it has paid off with the Cougars red zone offense ranking 12th nationally and second-best in the Big 12 Conference. Houston has converted and scored on 93.5% of its drives in the red zone with its final drive against Arizona State ending in a kneel down inside the 20, deflating the red zone conversion percentage. Houston has scored on 28 of 29 drives not including the final drive against Arizona State.
On the defensive line, the Cougar interior has paced the way in the Big 12 with Khalil Laufau's 85.3 run defense grade is seventh nationally among interior defensive linemen with at least 140 runs defended while Carlos Allen's 81.3 run defense grade is 10th nationally among interior defensive linemen. Allen's 9.9% run stop % is sixth nationally.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

Houston goes on its final out-of-state road trip of the season when the Cougars face UCF, former league peers in each of the last three conferences Houston has been a member of (Big 12, American Athletic, Conference USA) with the Cougars looking to get back on track. The Cougars are seeking their first win at UCF since Oct. 24, 2015 when Houston beat UCF 59-10.
The University of Houston chosen to help send astronauts to the moon in 1962 before UCF was an institution (1966). Seven years later, Apollo 11 sent man to the moon thanks to the help from University of Houston students, professors and researchers. Houston's campus is 22.5 miles from the Johnson Space Center, UCF 35 miles from the Kennedy Space Center.
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman threw for four touchdowns and rushed for one touchdown against West Virginia, tying his single-game record for total touchdowns. The five total touchdowns is the most by Weigman against a Power 4 opponent. The quarterback found junior wide receiver Amare Thomas three times and senior tight end Tanner Koziol for his four touchdown throws.
Tanner Koziol has hauled in 15 contested catches in 2025 – the most among tight ends nationally and nine more than the next tight end. His 75.0% contested catch rate leads all FBS tight ends with at least five contested catches.
Senior kicker Ethan Sanchez ranks 11th nationally with 1.78 field goals made per game and fourth in total field goals with 16. Sanchez's 16 made field goals is 11th most in a season in school history with four games to play. Sanchez is chasing the school record 22 made field goals in a season set in 1989.

SCOUTING UCF

UCF enters the week with a 4-4 record, including a 1-4 mark in Big 12 Conference play. The team's lone Big 12 win has come against West Virginia on Oct. 18 three weeks ago.
The Knights are coming off a 30-3 loss to Baylor in Waco, Texas, last week. UCF's lone score came on a field goal as time expired in the first half while the Bears scored six times in the contest.
UCF ranks 21^st nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 18.8 points per game with the mark increasing to 24.8 points per game in conference play. The Knights' defense also ranks 20^th in total defense (307.8) and 11^th in passing yards allowed (161.4).

LAST TIME AGAINST UCF

UCF won the last meeting in the series, 27-13, in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 25, 2023 in both teams' first year in the Big 12.
Donovan Smith threw for 161 yards while AJ Haulcy posted 13 tackles in the game.

A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...

Match Houston's combined win total from 2023-24 (win 8).
Move Houston to 4-8 against UCF.
Be Houston's first win at UCF since 2015 when the Cougars beat the Knights 59-10.
Move Houston to 10-15 in Big 12 Conference action all-time.

COOGS ON THE ROAD

Cougar Meetup
- Thursday, Nov. 6 from 8-10 p.m. ET
- Bar Louie
- 4100 N Alafaya Trl, Orlando, FL 32826
Register here. Event does not include food, drink or game ticket.

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