Some new style changes, and unread thread titles are in black in dark mode, so you can’t see them smh

Josh Dorsainvil from Savannah State University. 2 years of eligibility. Would assume another PWO like the JuCo kid last week.

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Okay, I realize that this may not be a popular column. It’s not going to be all puppy dogs and rainbows, but stick with me until the end and keep an open mind.

Click here to read more from Brian W. Peterson ... for the Sons of UCF.

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Rukeem Stroud didn't need much to think about it.

When UCF called over the weekend to extend a scholarship offer, the four-star cornerback from Tampa Bay Tech knew exactly what he wanted to do. He quickly set plans in motion to flip his Wisconsin commitment to the Knights, announcing his new decision early Monday afternoon.

"UCF was always a dream school for me," Stroud said. "It was a no-brainer. The campus is great, everything around there is beautiful. They're really building a special program. Plus, I wanted to stay closer to home. That made my decision easier."

Stroud had committed to the Badgers following a May 31 official visit. Other offers included Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M.

UCF thought they had their cornerback class mostly settled, but a recent decommit from Demarcus Gardner to Kentucky opened up a spot.

"We've had a connection for a little while," Stroud said. "It started when I was a sophomore. I went back in the spring for an unofficial visit. Coach Addison (Williams), Coach (Trovon) Reed and Coach Jeris McIntyre got in touch, let me know what was going on. We've got a great relationship and vibe pretty well. I wished they would have offered earlier because I would have committed, but it doesn't really matter because I'm home now."

As a junior, Stroud had six interceptions and 17 pass breakups.

"I think I'll fit in well into the defense," Stroud said. "They run a lot of man-to-man and that's where I excel also."

Stroud said the commitment occurred Sunday night when he was able to talk on the phone with head coach Gus Malzahn.

"I feel really good about it," Stroud said. "I know UCF is building something special and I want to be a part of it. I'm really excited."

Stroud has a couple connections on the team. He already knows UCF freshman running back Stacy Gage and his wide receiver teammate, Santonyo Isaac, was already part of UCF's 2025 class.

Stroud said his official visit would likely happen sometime during the fall. He's already circled two games for sure that he'll be attending: The season opener vs. New Hampshire and the Big 12 home opener vs. Colorado.


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Is there not a thread for this????

Go big orange

There have only been 3 Game 7’s played in South Florida history and both home teams won the series.

Marlins 1997 ✅
Heat 2013 ✅
Panthers 2024 ❔

No team has successfully come back from being down 0-3 and winning the Stanley Cup since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs. There was only six teams in the league at the time defeating the Detroit Red Wings. The Montreal Canadiens are the last Canadian team to win the Cup in 1993. This would be an epic meltdown of historical proportions for the Panthers and a lot is riding on Lord Stanley residing once again in Canada. The best player in the world going for his first title or the Panthers looking for their first franchise title.

If not then what?

Dolphins’ Dec. 16, 1972 to close a perfect regular season?

Heat June 21, 2012 win a second title putting together a super team and King James’ first ring?

What do you think?

Former President Donald Trump’s political operation has routed more than $3 million so far this year through a Delaware limited liability company whose owners are not publicly disclosed, according to campaign finance records — a strategy that mirrors past efforts to mask exactly how his campaign is spending donor cash.

While the company uses the Raleigh post office box as an address in federal campaign finance reports, state officials in North Carolina confirmed to NBC News last week that no company by that name is registered in the state

Before anyone goes flying off the handle - the writer isn't seriously suggesting this, it's more of a thought exercise based on how prevalent soccer is in England. But there is a nice UCF shout-out.


Orlando: Central Florida's biggest city still only has one team across the four traditional men's sports in the Magic, which seems surprising. The since-renamed Citrus Bowl hosted AAF and XFL teams without much success, but local fans have gotten behind UCF football in their 45,000-seat stadium. If you give them a competitive product, Orlando will get behind a team. The ample tourism to the area will also help.

Just spoke to the UCF ticket agents and he let me know that tomorrow morning at 10 AM our 2024 UCF football tickets will be released to our accounts.

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I knew NIL would likely result in changes to the structure. I wonder what this is about.

"Sooner Sports Talk," the weekly radio show featuring Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables, aired Monday night live from Rudy's BBQ in Norman.

In the next to last segment, which begins at the 28:13 mark, Venables spoke about this week's matchup with UCF.

"They're the No. 1 offense in our conference, top five in the country offensively," Venables said of UCF. "No. 1 rushing offense in our conference, top five in the country rushing the football."

Venables raved about UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who is said to getting closer to 100 percent.

"I really like their quarterback, super explosive," Venables said. "He's missed the last several games and they haven't played as well as a result. Take anybody's starting quarterback out and it's going to be a tough chore. He's back.

"They've got really fast skill players. Their backs and receivers can fly. They've got a long, athletic defense. They play with great effort. They play with a lot of belief. I know the last couple weeks have been tough. Kansas is another top five offense in the country and they can score at will. I know (Kansas) lost the game, but they average 10 yards per play against Oklahoma State. I said that when I first came, they're doing something different that's making it hard on people. But that's next week."

Venables then continued about UCF.

"Gus (Malzahn) is a National Championship coach," he said. "He's got a tremendous pedigree, great offensive mind. They've done a really good job in the transfer portal. They've recruited well at Central Florida. Played in a lot of big moments. They're a physical football team. I like their style. They're aggressive. That quarterback, he's so fast and explosive. Coach (Jeff) Lebby coached him at Ole Miss. Dillon played there for a year under Coach Malzahn as well. He'll be the first one to tell you it's not about him. This is the ultimate team game."

Venables must have access to advanced stats because the following is something I'm not sure I've seen publicly.

"This is going to be another great challenge between their tempo and ability to run the ball in different ways," Venables said. "Their trick percentage of trick plays is top two in the country. Next two weeks, Kansas and UCF have the most deceptive plays in college football percentage wise vs. number of plays they run offensively. I think they're close to 9 percent of their plays is some kind of deception. They take advantage of poor discipline, bad eyes, bad fundamentals and lack of communication. They're going to force you to defend every patch of grass on the field. They have a lot of option principles as well as a designed quarterback run game. They also have screen game and RPO game. It requires bodies. You can't just stop the run game. They're reading all of it. They count numbers fast and force you to play with an option mentality defensively. That makes you vulnerable to the throw game.

Venables that singled out another UCF player to watch.

"They've got really fast guys. Running back No. 0 (Johnny Richardson) can absolutely fly. He runs really well in between the tackles and runs with great pace behind the ball. They've got excellent receivers outside."

Asked how Plumlee is different than Timmy McClain, Venables said it would be his decisiveness and effectiveness as a runner. He compared defending Plumlee to defending option teams.

"Plumlee can flat fly. You can have great angles on him and he'll outrun everybody. I love that challenge. I've always loved triple option, getting ready for those teams because the margin for error is none. You screw up the smallest thing and they've got you on your heels."

Venables concluded by saying some elements of UCF are similar to SMU, though SMU passes the ball a lot more. He noted SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee played quarterback for Malzahn in high school and also coached with him at Auburn.

I was in NY and had an interesting guest check in to the hotel I was at. Looked out window and saw them barricading the streets. Turns out it was to prepare for Dali’s arrival not Dali Drama, but the Dali Lama.

Sorry couldn’t figure out how to post my crappy photo from room. Article sums it up Dali Lama NYC




https://www.yahoo.com/news/dalai-lama-met-supporters-york-182121429.html

NOTE: Yes...he did make a mistake thinking the UF game was at UCF.

Do you agree with his list?

Which "Central Florida: game would you rank higher or lower? (I say the Colorado game should be higher for starters).

Ranking all 118 Big 12 football games
6/22/24 Tulsa World Berry Tramel:
Ranking the 118 Big 12 football games in the 2024 season

Big 12 football teams will combine for 118 games before the conference championship game on Dec. 7. Not all are created equal. The Tulsa World has ranked all 118 games, from a Big Noon Kickoff (West Virginia-Penn State) on Labor Day weekend to a transplanted rivalry (Arizona State-Arizona) on Thanksgiving Saturday. The games are rated on the perceived status of both teams, where the games are played, when they’re played and how competitive they project to be. In other words, how important will they be to the Big 12 season?

1. Utah at Oklahoma State, Sept. 21: Utes’ Kyle Whittingham and Cowboys’ Mike Gundy were hired a couple of weeks apart 19½ years ago, and both have built excellent programs that will collide for early Big 12 supremacy.
2. Kansas at Kansas State, Oct. 26: Sunflower Showdown could easily have been No. 1, and either of these teams could easily be the Big 12’s best.
3. Arizona at Utah, Sept. 28: UofA and Utah have been conference mates 29 years (Western Athletic, 1962-77, and Pac-12, 2011-23). But their biggest showdown ever might come in Year 1 of their Big 12 eras.
4. Oklahoma State at Kansas State, Sept. 28: By October, Cowboys could be well ahead of the pack — or well behind it — with Utah and KSU in the rear-view mirror.
5. Penn State at West Virginia, Aug. 31: The Big 12’s only chance at a non-conference takedown of a blueblood. Fox will televise with its first Big Noon Kickoff telecast of the season.
6. BYU at Utah, Nov. 9: The Holy War comes to the Big 12 stage. Could the Cougars ruin a ballyhooed Ute season?
7. Kansas at West Virginia, Sept. 21: Man, the Big 12 has a bunch of interesting September games.
8. Florida at Central Florida, Oct. 5: Massive game for UCF’s in-state stature, and a big game for Big 12 pride.
9. Kansas State at BYU, Sept. 21: KSU has rough road assignments — Provo, Boulder, Morgantown, Ames. Plus Houston.
10. Iowa State at West Virginia, Oct. 12: Some label WVU a darkhorse candidate to reach Arlington.
11. Arizona at Central Florida, Nov. 2: Some label UCF a darkhorse candidate to reach Arlington.
12. Texas Tech at Iowa State, Nov. 2: Some label Tech a darkhorse candidate to reach Arlington.
13. Oklahoma State at TCU, Nov. 9: Cowboys have lost three straight games in Fort Worth.
14. Kansas State at Colorado, Oct. 12: Can Deion Sanders’ second Buff team make some noise? Here’s an early chance.
15. Central Florida at TCU, Sept. 14: The only conference game of the first three weeks; a fringe contender gets an early knockdown.
16. Colorado at Nebraska, Sept. 7: Two prodigal sons, but only CU has come home.
17. Iowa State vs. Kansas in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 9: Cyclones might have the Big 12’s toughest conference schedule.
18. Utah at Central Florida, Nov. 29: On a short week, Utes could be playing for a trip to Arlington.
19. Arizona at Kansas State, Sept. 13: This showdown is not a conference game. It was scheduled as a non-conference game, then retained after ‘Zona jumped to the Big 12. But it could be big for playoff considerations.
20. Oklahoma State at Colorado, Nov. 29: On a short week (and a 10 a.m. Mountain time kickoff), Cowboys could be playing for a trip to Arlington.
21. Texas Tech at Arizona, Oct. 5: Potential trap game for Wildcats, who will be coming off trips to Manhattan and Salt Lake City.
22. TCU vs. Kansas in Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 28: Jayhawks are playing their conference games in Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, while Memorial Stadium undergoes massive renovation.
23. Arizona State at Arizona, Nov. 30: Territorial Cup. The newcomers are bringing some great rivalries to the league.
24. Kansas State at West Virginia, Oct. 19: Crazy how the Big 12 has morphed. This passes as a legacy-type matchup.
25. Iowa State at Iowa, Sept. 7: A chance to clock a Big Ten team — Cyclones’ last three wins vs. Hawkeyes have come in Iowa City.
26. West Virginia at Arizona, Oct 26: The last of a brutal stretch for the Mountaineers, who in addition to opening with Penn State, open conference play with Kansas, OSU, Iowa State, Kansas State and ‘Zona.
27. TCU at Utah, Oct. 19: Mountain West Cinderella reunion.
28. West Virginia at Oklahoma State, Oct. 5: Cowboys generally play well vs. the Mountaineers, but you never know.
29. Baylor at Colorado, Sept. 21: Bears’ best chance to play a relevant conference game.
30. Kansas at BYU, Nov. 16: KU’s relatively easy schedule (Jayhawks don’t play OSU, Utah or Arizona) should keep this game relevant.
31. Central Florida at Iowa State, Oct. 19: Could be an early elimination game for two fringe contenders
32. Oklahoma State at BYU, Oct. 18: The Cougars took OSU to overtime last year in Stillwater.
33. Kansas State at Iowa State, Nov. 30: Farmageddon could be Armageddon if Cyclones overachieve.
34. Utah at Colorado, Nov. 16: The Pac-12 used this game as a Thanksgiving weekend staple, but the Big 12 nixed that.
35. TCU at Southern Methodist, Sept. 21: With SMU joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Iron Skillet rivalry returns to power-conference status for the first time since the breakup of the Southwest Conference.
36. Iowa State at Utah, Nov. 23: Cyclones will not wilt under Salt Lake City’s cold weather.
37. Texas Tech at TCU, Oct. 26: Horned Frogs were a postseason darling in 2022, the Red Raiders a preseason darling in 2023.
38. Arkansas at Oklahoma State, Sept. 7: Once an annual rivalry, the series returns as a prime opportunity for the Big 12 to rough up the SEC.
39. Arizona at BYU, Oct. 12: Border state rivals, but the schools are 730 miles apart.
40. Houston at Cincinnati, Sept. 21: Cougars (and new coach Willie Fritz) make their conference debut, and UC coach Scott Satterfield seeks a much-needed quick start in Year 2.
41. Arizona at TCU, Nov. 23: Only two previous meetings, 1999 and 2003. Each program won on the road.
42. West Virginia at Pittsburgh, Sept. 14: The Backyard Brawl is more historic than competitive.
43. Colorado at Central Florida, Sept. 28: Deion Sanders brings the Buffaloes to his home state.
44. Kansas at Baylor, Nov. 30: These two programs can’t seem to be quality at the same time. The last time both finished with winning records was 1995, before the Big 12 formed.
45. Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, Nov. 23: Alan Bowman vs. his first university, which he quarterbacked six years ago.
46. Central Florida at West Virginia, Nov. 23: Not likely either still will be in contention in late November, but you never know.
47. Kansas State at Tulane, Sept. 7: Green Wave won in Manhattan in 2022.
48. West Virginia at Texas Tech, Nov. 30: Lots of Red Raider-Mountaineer connections. Dana Holgorsen. Neal Brown. The Doege quarterback brothers.
49. BYU at Central Florida, Oct. 26: Nothing screams Big 12 like a good old BYU-UCF game. No wonder the Big 12 needs a new name.
50. Utah at Arizona State, Oct. 11: Old-time Utes will remember the Sun Devils’ domination of the Western Athletic Conference.
51. Colorado vs. Kansas in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 23: Deion takes the Buffs to Arrowhead Stadium, where he twice played against the Chiefs, in 1991 with the Falcons and in 1998 with the Cowboys.
52. Baylor at Iowa State, Oct. 5: Chance for the Cyclones to go 2-0 in the Big 12, since ISU opens with Houston.
53. BYU at Arizona State, Nov. 23: ASU’s departure from the WAC in 1978 opened the door for the Cougars to dominate that great old league.
54. Colorado at Texas Tech, Nov. 9: Resumption of a Big 12 series that was played seven times from 1998-2010.
55. Oklahoma State at Baylor, Oct. 26: Cowboys’ road schedule is rather light, but Waco hasn’t been easy for OSU.
56. Colorado at Arizona, Oct. 19: In 2023, Deion had all the hype, but the Wildcats had all the production, winning six more games than did the Buffaloes.
57. Texas Tech at Washington State, Sept. 7: WSU has fallen from power-conference status; do the Cougars still have a power-conference roster?
58. Kansas at Arizona State, Oct. 5: KU’s football program started in 1890. The Sun Devils’ started in 1897. This will be their first gridiron meeting.
59. TCU at Baylor, Nov. 2: Ten years ago, these ancient rivals ruled a Big 12 that included OU and Texas. Now, with the Sooners and Longhorns gone to the SEC, the Horned Frogs and Bears are picked to finish in the second division of the new 16-team Big 12.
60. Colorado at Colorado State, Sept. 14: Buffaloes won a double-overtime classic last season.
61. Iowa State at Houston, Sept. 28: Probably the Cougars’ best chance at a conference upset.
62. Central Florida at Arizona State, Nov. 9: In 1996, UCF played its first season of Division I-A and the Sun Devils reached the Rose Bowl. My, how things can change.
63. BYU at Southern Methodist, Sept. 6: These programs staged one of the greatest bowl games ever, BYU’s 46-45 victory in the 1981 Holiday Bowl. Now they meet as power-conference foes.
64. Utah at Houston, Oct. 26: The Utes play in Stillwater, Orlando and Boulder. They might be sleeping in Houston.
65. BYU at Baylor, Sept. 28: Baptists vs. Mormons staged a Big 12 preview with their 2021 and 2022 series.
66. Mississippi State at Arizona State, Sept. 7: Could the Sun Devils pull an upset for Big 12 pride?
67. Kansas State at Houston, Nov. 2: Cougars never have scored on KSU. The Wildcats’ 41-0 thrashing last season was the first series meeting.
68. West Virginia at Cincinnati, Nov. 9: Bearcats have fallen fast in the 18 months since Luke Fickell departed for Wisconsin.
69. Air Force at Baylor, Sept. 14: Can Dave Aranda’s defense solve the Academy option?
70. TCU at Cincinnati, Nov. 30: College Football Playoff Cinderellas from 2021 (Bearcats) and 2022 (Frogs).
71. Baylor at Texas Tech, Oct. 19: Do you realize there are as many old Southwest Conference members in the Big 12 as there are old Big Eight members?
72. Arizona State at Cincinnati, Oct. 19: The loser could be relegated to last place in the Big 12.
73. Houston at Nevada-Las Vegas, Aug. 31: Big game for Big 12 pride, but Oklahoman Barry Odom’s Rebels were a breakout 9-4 last year, their first winning season in a decade.
74. Arizona State at Texas Tech, Sept. 21: Old Border Conference members, together from 1932-56 — but they never played, until 1999. Leagues are funny.
75. Baylor at Houston, Nov. 23: Could Aranda’s job be on the line?
76. Cincinnati at Kansas State, Nov. 23: Could the ‘Cats be in line to secure a berth in Arlington?
77. Kansas at Illinois, Sept. 7: KU handled the Illini 34-23 last season.
78. Arizona State at Oklahoma State, Nov. 2: OSU coming off a two-game series sweep of the Sun Devils in 2022 (34-17) and 2023 (27-15).
79. Cincinnati at Colorado, Oct. 26: Buffaloes could be reeling, with trips to Manhattan and Tucson preceding this game.
80. Houston at Kansas, Oct. 19: Would make a much better basketball game.
81. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Sept. 7: Bearcats won 27-21 last season.
82. Houston at BYU, Nov. 30: Brigham Young needs a breather — its conference home opponents before UH are K-State, Arizona, OSU and KU.
83. Cincinnati at Iowa State, Nov. 16: Cyclones could be near the top of the league at this point, since their toughest games (Utah, at Kansas State) might be the final two weeks.
84. Arizona State at Kansas State, Nov. 16: Ouch. The Sun Devils won’t like the Flint Hills weather in mid-November.
85. Baylor at Utah, Sept. 7: Another non-conference game, between Big 12 members. Too bad they didn’t work out something else.
86. Houston at TCU, Oct. 4: Horned Frogs’ early conference schedule is not difficult.
87. Baylor at West Virginia, Nov. 16: We’re a long way from that 70-63 game WVU win back in 2012.
88. Cincinnati at Texas Tech, Sept. 28: Tommy Tuberville coached both programs, though neither very well.
89. TCU at Stanford, Aug. 30: Cardinal had fallen far in the Pac-12 and isn’t expected to rise in the Atlantic Coast Conference, so no reason why Stanford would excel against a Big 12 middleweight.
90. Houston at Arizona, Nov. 15: Easy finishing stretch for the Wildcats — Houston, at TCU, Arizona State.
91. Cincinnati at Central Florida, Oct. 12: In their final four years in the American Conference, UCF never finished ahead of UC. But that changed quickly in the Big 12.
92. Houston at Oklahoma, Sept. 7: The Big 12 wishes a tougher member than the Cougars was invading Owen Field.
93. BYU at Wyoming, Sept. 14: Long-time Western Athletic Conference rivals have played just once since 2010, in the 2015 Poinsettia Bowl.
94. Arizona State at Texas State, Sept. 12: Bobcats were a solid 8-5 in former Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne’s first year as the Texas State coach.
95. Nevada-Las Vegas vs. Kansas in Kansas City, Kan., Sept. 13: KU is playing its non-conference home games at the Sporting KC soccer stadium in suburban Kansas City.
96. Wyoming at Arizona State, Aug. 31: Cowboys were the more accomplished team last season.
97. North Texas at Texas Tech, Sept. 14: This series, which hasn’t been played since 2001, is tied 4-4.
98. Utah at Utah State, Sept. 14: The Battle of the Brothers has been played 112 times, but not since 2015.
99. Cincinnati at Miami-Ohio, Sept. 14: Age-old rivalry resulted in a Miami upset last season.
100. Oklahoma State at Tulsa, Sept. 14: Cowboys have won nine straight in the series, going back to 1998.
101. North Dakota State at Colorado, Aug. 29: Be careful, Deion. The Bison have won nine Division I-AA national titles in the last 13 years.
102. South Dakota State at Oklahoma State, Aug. 31: Be careful, OSU. The Jackrabbits have won two straight I-AA national titles.
103. Arkansas State at Iowa State, Sept. 21: Red Wolves upset Kansas State in 2020.
104. Rice at Houston, Sept. 14: Owls pulled the upset over Houston last season.
105. Sam Houston at Central Florida, Sept. 7: Bearkats lost 38-7 at Houston last season.
106. New Mexico at Arizona, Aug. 31: Seven straight losing seasons for the Lobos.
107. North Dakota at Iowa State, Aug. 31: UND is not a power, but the word “Dakota” has to give you pause.
108. Tarleton State at Baylor, Aug. 31: Baylor’s struggles make you watch.
109. Southern Illinois at BYU, Aug. 31: BYU doesn’t blow out most overmatched opponents.
110. Tennessee-Martin at Kansas State, Aug. 31: Skyhawks lost tailback Sam Franklin to OU.
111. Albany at West Virginia, Sept. 7: Albany went 11-4 last season in I-AA.
112. Abilene Christian at Texas Tech, Aug. 31: ACU ought to become a I-AA power.
113. Towson at Cincinnati, Aug. 31: I-AA programs in the Northeast typically aren’t strong.
114. Southern Utah at Utah, Aug. 29: Southern has been a I-AA program for 30 years. Who knew?
115. New Hampshire at Central Florida, Aug. 29: At least New Hampshire produced Chip Kelly and Ryan Day.
116. Northern Arizona at Arizona, Sept. 7: At least the Wildcats are keeping the money in-state.
117. Long Island at TCU, Sept. 7: West Virginia beat the Sharks 66-0 last season.
118. Lindenwood vs. Kansas in Kansas City, Kan,, Aug. 29: Lindenwood played an NAIA schedule as recently as 2010 and reached Division I-AA just two years ago.

Enjoy!

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This is as impressive as anything I can remember from the Olympics, crazy he can perform at such a young age. Hope he can pull of a miracle in Paris, and for the next 5-6 Olympics he will be in the mix.

I'm posting this from the flight headed back to MCO. I've done this trip before back in 2010 - it's a two-hour drive between Manhattan and the Kansas City airport.

Sure, it's a little hard to get to, but Kansas State is a solid trip. Maybe there's not much to do besides the "college town" bars and establishments, but there's something to be said about the town's passion for K-State and the actual game atmosphere.

The only "touristy" thing I did was make a short road trip to Abilene on Friday to see the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum. I've been to a few of these presidential libraries - the Reagan one in Simi Valley, CA is unmatched. But it's a fine way to spend a couple hours. I knew Eisenhower was obviously a well-known figure from WWII, but what I didn't know is that he was so popular on that alone, a group was already planning for an Eisenhower Museum (and preservation of his boyhood home) BEFORE he became president in 1952. They've been doing tours of his boyhood home since 1947. The museum, as they all do, chronicles every facet of his life with various artifacts on display and a few multimedia presentations with a lot of focus on the D-Day invasion.

I know many people choose road trips based on the tourism aspects (one reason why Boise State was a much more popular road game despite the distance) but I'd have to think this is one of the better trips from a "football game" perspective. K-State is a great place to watch a football game. Great stadium, atmosphere and fanbase.

I have a feeling I'll be saying that a lot in the Big 12. Most AAC trips, you wouldn't even know there was a football game going around in the city. Smaller fanbases and a community that is mostly ignorant of the program. Besides Houston, that's definitely not the case in the Big 12.

I know I'll be going to Kansas in two weeks, but I did take a 30-minute detour on my way to Manhattan to take a quick drive-by of the facilities. I'll have better perspective then, but it appears K-State definitely blows KU out of the water in terms of facilities. KU may close the gap soon with a stadium renovation that will begin construction after this season.

As for K-State, the stadium setting was much different than what I remember in 2010. They built up the facility the right way, instead of adding seats to add seats, they kept their capacity mostly the same (around 50K) while building up premium seating areas. There's obviously the main sideline tower with dozens of suites, but also two end zone buildings with a premium experience.

K-State has a true sports complex with all the facilities adjacent to one another. They have a quite large surface parking area, something I know we won't see at KU which has a stadium tucked into a residential area. Most people were tailgating "NFL style" in a paved parking lot - and it was actually pretty hot during the mid to late afternoon. Temps were close to 90 and felt hotter due to the sun and asphalt.

The stadium tower was really nice - and always a stark reminder how subpar UCF's Roth Tower really is. UCF absolutely must receive TDT money, otherwise it's going to be a long time until UCF could possibly afford to upgrade. UCF obviously never had the luxury of decades of receiving P5 revenue like K-State.

The media food I posted in another thread was pretty average though. They must be sponsored by a local dairy because they had a fridge full of milk and a freezer full of ice cream bars. That was an interesting touch though.

Stadium gates open two hours before the game. Most places it's 90 minutes. Students obviously rush in to grab their seats.

For the UCF fans that attended, were you sitting within the main UCF section in the end zone or elsewhere? For those in the main end zone section, and it was mostly parents up front, it only seemed like maybe 200 fans. Definitely not the numbers UCF had in Boise, which I think was at least 1,000 or more, which I guess was to be expected based on a recent Dungeon travel poll.

The stadium configuration was pretty good with four large video boards in each corner. That was elite. But one downgrade is I didn't see in-game stats posted very often. I think I saw something in the first half and then not again. UCF has done a pretty good job with that.

The in-game atmosphere - fans got loud when they needed to. I would say it was louder than Boise on some of those critical third downs. The students were situated behind the UCF bench on the sideline. That always benefits the atmosphere when students are screaming at the players.

A lot of in-game ads and sponsorships segments, which was to be expected. Sing-alongs included TWO Taylor Swift songs, which had a bigger participation within one demographic.

I really liked their pregame video showing all the strides they've made within their stadium and just growth the program - set to the Brooks & Dunn song, "House We Built." They played a lot of country songs during the game. As a matter of fact, scanning the radio from KC to Manhattan, it seemed 90% of the stations were country. I struggled to find a sports station with local programming, most were airing nationally syndicated shows.

Back to the game. For me, I think it was a little surreal just recognizing UCF is in the same conference as K-State and this isn't an OOC game. It's honestly been a while since UCF played in a full stadium in a real college town - maybe Michigan in 2016, which is a top five college football experience. Other OOC road trips since then, like Maryland, Pitt and Louisville, don't really compare to what you get at K-State and probably some of these other environments.

I think some of us, myself included, got a little drunk on our own Kool-Aid based on the small sample size vs. outmached opponents, plus all the K-State injury doom & gloom (which was overstated and in the case of Will Howard, somewhat inaccurate).

I didn't think UCF's defense was elite just because they held Boise in check (except for the RB) and shut down Villanova, but I thought they could do enough to at least slow a team down and get off the field at least a few times. The fact K-State was able to consistently march up and down the field was disappointing - I really felt the tide was turning early in that third quarter when UCF got the lead and was poised to get the ball back - could UCF score again to make it a two-possession game? But there was the late hit called on Drop and the tide definitely shifted.

Linebackers have been an issue for a while. It's arguably been the weakest position on the team. UCF has not been able to recruit a freshman that's ready to play a significant role and this year's transfer portal crop seems to be underperforming.

I know UCF would have preferred Antonio Grier (transfer commitment from usf last December that flipped to Arkansas to join T-Will). He could have seamlessly stepped into a starting role at UCF while playing for his original LB coach. It would have been the perfect setup for him. I'm sure NIL played a role, but in retrospect for a guy looking to make the most of the end of college career, maybe not a great decision. Once UCF got to the spring, I think the pool was a lot more competitive.

It is surprising though that two guys who were part-time starters at traditional "powerhouse" schools - LB Rian Davis (UGA) and CB Fred Davis (Clemson) - haven't been able to make an impact at UCF. I know Davis had an injury prone career and wasn't considered a primary starter, but he did start in two games last year for the National Champions. And Fred Davis was a starter early last season at Clemson until an injury.

I didn't really know what we'd get out of Timmy McClain. He did make some plays, but obviously didn't handle pressure very well with some of his decisions, particularly running backward. Whether it was slow substitutions or a lag in communicating the plays, it was surprising to see the offense take so long to get the play going, which obviously led to the delay of game issues as well.

I think I'm also a little surprised by lack of a Dungeon meltdown (I'm mostly caught up, but haven't read all the threads yet though). As others have said, I guess it's because UCF is already in the Big 12. Everything seemed "do or die" in years past. For UCF to continue on an upward trajectory, they needed to win the conference and high-profile OOC games. A game like this would have hurt a lot more in terms of a missed opportunity.

While it's crystal clear K-State has the better team - I'm very anxious to see how UCF fares against more middle of the pack Big 12 teams starting next week with Baylor. If UCF shows up on a field with Oklahoma (or Texas if they played them) and were outclassed, that would be expected. But UCF needs to win some of these games vs. Baylor, WVU, Oklahoma State, etc.

Generally speaking, on paper, UCF's recruiting and transfer classes have been mostly on-par with a lot of these Big 12 teams, K-State included (though give them credit having an experienced team that won the Big 12 team last season). It had usually been expected that UCF would "out recruit" teams like this - Xavier Townsend going to UCF instead of Iowa State for example.

UCF has had two recruiting cycles knowing they're going into the Big 12 and on paper one of the better transfer classes. The expectation should be no worse than middle-of-the-pack in the Big 12, not treating 2023 like a "happy to be here" transitional year.

Obviously, NIL will continue to be important. UCF has a smaller large donor pool compared to these generational Big 12 programs. While you'd think a school in the middle of Florida should have recruiting advantages over one in the middle of rural Kansas, NIL may have something to say about that.

I did find it interesting that UCF's strength coach came from... Kansas State.

As you know, Gus has some interesting media policies, one of which was Sunday coordinator availability. It can't be any other time during the week. Last year, UCF staff (not Gus) understood that it would be difficult for the media who attend road games to always be back in time for Sunday, so there was a strong belief that the policy would change. We obviously don't have charter flights. I booked most of these Big 12 road trips in the spring. Unless I was flying back at 6 a.m., like the WESH guys were doing (they thought they had to get back to cover Messi and drove in the middle of the night and got no sleep), there was no way to get back to Orlando in time. Keep in mind there is a two-hour drive from Manhattan, to Kansas City. So no, I won't be there for the Addison/Hinshaw interviews today which is really frustrating. I hope to get at least audio though.

I won't have time to edit a Sights & Sounds video until Monday. Hopefully there's enough interesting footage there.

Despite the outcome, still a special experience. I wonder when UCF being in the BIg 12 will start to feel natural. It might take a few years since there will be so many first-time visits with what will now be a 16-team league.

For those who were at the game, how were your experiences?

A year ago, St. Augustine wide receiver Carl Jenkins Jr. was one of the select unofficial visitors for Bounce House Weekend.

Now with his recruiting class in the full spotlight, Jenkins returned to the same event as an official visitor. He spoke about why this particular trip was special.

"Mainly just the conversations I had with the coaches," Jenkins said. "Every time I come here it's just love. It's a feeling I can't really express. It's always love every time I come here. Not just from my position coach, but from the head coach on down. They don't just say it, but show I'm a priority for this program. That's what stands out to me the most."

Offered more than a year ago, Jenkins has visited multiple times including games last season. Gus Malzahn visited his high school in January. Offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. has also remained close since he rejoined the staff in January.

"Basically (Harris) was showing how I would be used at UCF," Jenkins said. "He was letting me know who's leaving, who's coming in. How I'd fit in with the offense and how I can achieve the goals I want to achieve."

His host was freshman receiver Bredell Richardson, who made a big spring debut.

"That's a dude right there," Jenkins said.

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UCF is on track to sign their best recruiting class in program history on Wednesday. The group of 19 commitments currently ranks No. 27 nationally according to Rivals.com. That's second in the new Big 12, trailing only No. 24 Texas Tech.

Although December is when the pen is put to paper, recruiting classes are built in the summer. Of the 19 commits, 16 of those players committed between June and August.

June is the most impactful month. UCF kicked things off with "Bounce House Weekend," the mega recruiting event that brought their top targets to campus for visits. That weekend yielded the majority of UCF's star-studded pledges.

With transfer portal becoming the second phase of recruiting, high school happenings have been mostly light since the summer. UCF added just one post-summer commit: DT Marcus Downs, who committed last Friday.

The late intrigue and drama has been minimal, though we are monitoring one developing situation:

WR commit Ric'Darious "DayDay" Farmer was initially committed to Pittsburgh and flipped to UCF in August. He also visited West Virginia last summer. The Mountaineers have continued to pursue the Brevard County star and he returned to Morgantown recently on his own dime for an unofficial visit.

WVU thinks they may have flipped him. Did UCF keep him in the fold? We may not know for sure until Wednesday morning.

Every other commit is believed to be solid. Quite a few of these players will also be early enrollees too.

Could the staff pull off a surprise signee? I haven't heard anything, but we'll see what Wednesday brings. The transfer portal has been where most of their attention has been lately aside from solidifying their group of high school commits.

Signings will begin at 7 a.m.

Gus Malzahn will hold a press conference from Tampa sometime during the afternoon, time is still to be determined.

UCF High School Commitments (19):

QB Riley Trujillo
WR Kason Stokes
RB Stacy Gage
LB DJ McCormick
DB Chasen Johnson
DB Jashad Presley
OL Waltclaire Flynn
LB Qua Birdsong
TE Kylan Fox
QB EJ Colson
DB Jakob Gude
DB Christian Peterson
OL Chase Malamala
WR DayDay Farmer
RB Frankie Arthur
DB Jaylen Heyward
WR Bredell Richardson
WR Jordyn Bridgewater
DT Marcus Downs

Commit Profiles:

https://ucf.rivals.com/commitments/football/2024

Team Rankings:

https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2024/all-teams/football/recruiting

I think it would be great for a UCFootball player to make it all the way through the best Med School in Nation.

I haven't put to much thought into this one. But why cap how many years an athlete can play and get a paid for doing so? If you're adding value and learning that is way better than the one & does who don't even UCFinish their 2nd semester.

What are your thoughts and UCFeelings?

#UCFacts

I realize many people fly SWA on occasion as this is a pretty good deal to save 14%. (Normal price at COSTCO is $450 for $500 gift card).

You can order them online too: