UCF is back in the Bounce House this weekend for a homecoming matchup against No. 11 BYU. The Cougars are one of the hottest teams in college football with a 7-0 overall record and 4-0 in the Big 12.
For our weekly preview conversation, I caught up with Mitch Harper who covers the Cougars for KSL Sports.
This will be the first Big 12 matchup between the two schools, though UCF and BYU have met on three prior occasions: 2011 at BYU (24-17 BYU win), 2014 at UCF (31-24 UCF win) and 2020 Boca Raton Bowl (49-23 BYU win).
The 2011 game at BYU was memorable in that it played a big role in Blake Bortles becoming UCF's starting quarterback moving forward.
"That was a fun matchup," Harper said. "I think there's always been a willingness between BYU and UCF to play anyone, anytime, anywhere, and that's why the Big 12 stage is great for these two programs, but yeah, it's fun to see that was the beginning of this series, and now to see it on a power conference stage, it's awesome to see the evolution there for both us and these two programs that we cover."
BYU has always had a BCS or Power Five-level program, though opportunities to join a higher-profile league had eluded them throughout their existence. Like UCF, BYU was ecstatic to join the Big 12 last year.
"It was a significant moment for BYU," Harper said. "It was one that took 50 years to really build and get to that moment. I mean, when you go back to LaVell Edwards, and he took over in the early 70s and kind of quietly built it up, and then they had a controversial national championship, and I think UCF fans can relate to that as well. BYU had theirs in 1984 in the poll era, but has always been kind of knocking on the door."
Harper said former Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said BYU was the first call he made after Texas and Oklahoma announced plans to leave for the SEC.
BYU had been playing as an independent since the 2011 season.
"It's been a road less traveled for BYU going independent, and it did get lonely for 12 years as an independent, but it's all worked out now," Harper said. "And to think that in year two in the Big 12, the team is 7-0, and you're talking about College Football Playoff being a four-seed if you win this conference. I mean, that's just stuff that BYU has been dreaming of."
What have been the early highlights for BYU's year and a half in the Big 12?
"In football this year, (the win vs.) Kansas State, that was a breakthrough," Harper said. "Kansas State was No. 13 in the country and BYU wins 38-9. That was a real arrival moment. If you can beat them, you can beat anyone in the Big 12.
"In basketball, the win at Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas. I know Kansas faded last season, and it really kind of started with that loss to BYU, but to win at Allen Fieldhouse, I mean, so many teams go into that building, and it doesn't matter who Kansas has, and for BYU to win, that was special stuff. It kind of gave Mark Pope the juice to go get the Kentucky job later."
Now BYU shares a conference with rival Utah. After a bye week following the UCF game, the first Big 12 "Holy War" will be played in Salt Lake City.
"I really do believe that it's got the ability to be the marquee rivalry in the Big 12," Harper said.
UCF was expected to have the better season in the Big 12 compared to BYU as the Cougars were picked 13th in the preseason. How did BYU media view expectations?
"I definitely was not predicting 7-0, that's for sure," Harper said. "But yes, I was expecting improvement because BYU took the approach of maintaining its roster with roster retention. They focused on paying out NIL to maintain its current personnel.
"And the fact that despite a losing season last year, no bowl bid, the fact that everyone wanted to run it back, that spoke volumes about this team. They're the cliche of culture, but there really is something there with Kalani Sitake. Players love him. I mean, they will do anything for Kalani Sitake. They want to be around that guy.
"So I think that that fact and some of the additions that they did make in the portal were impactful. I thought they'd be a six, seven-win football team. They've already hit seven through seven weeks. So far exceeded expectations coming into the year."
One big reason for that has been BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who started the final four games of 2023 but was not guaranteed the starting job in 2024. He was involved in a tight preseason battle with former Baylor and South Florida transfer Gerry Bohannon.
Retzlaff was overlooked coming out of high school and eventually landed at a junior college. He was ranked by some outlets as the nation's No. 1 JUCO QB following his sophomore year.
"He's not always labeled the most dynamic dual threat guy, but he can run," Harper said. "I mean, he's been BYU's leading rusher. Last week had nine carries for 81 yards, including that 27 yarder late to set up the 35-yard touchdown pass to Darius Lassiter to win the game against Oklahoma State...
"I think where he's done really well is just his knowledge of the playbook. He's got a lot of confidence in operating and executing these plays. Last year, it was a journey just to get a play call in. I mean, there were so many issues with delay games and false starts. The communication was an issue. He's in complete control of this offense. And it's one of the reasons BYU comes into this week as the highest scoring offense in the league within Big 12 games.
"His arm strength is much improved too. You go back to week one, he had a 60-yard touchdown pass where it was pretty much all through the air. And same goes for a touchdown pass he had against Kansas State. Jake has had some big-time throws, Baylor as well.
Other players to watch include running back LJ Martin.
"He's a really good running back. And what's interesting about him is that he's dealt with a shoulder injury in fall camp and then an ankle injury that he suffered against SMU in week two. He's now fully healthy, the best he's felt probably since spring ball earlier this year.
"And, you know, he goes off for 20 carries, 120 rushing yards, a career high (against Oklahoma State). It was a breakthrough performance."
BYU's top receivers are Darius Lassiter and Chase Roberts.
"He had the game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma State a week ago," Harper said. "He's a big play receiver, but I think the best receiver of the bunch is Chase Roberts. He's a fourth-year junior, former Under Armour All-American from here in Utah, and he's a talented football player. He's added a little bit of weight to his frame. He's had some big games early on in the season. It's been more so Darius Lassiter in recent weeks, but they form a really good one-two punch."
Left tackle Caleb Etienne, an Oklahoma State transfer, could have NFL potential.
BYU's defense is much improved from a year ago.
"Last year, they were one of the worst in the Big 12," Harper said. "There were signs of improvement in year one under defensive coordinator, Jay Hill. Everyone knew around the program that better days were ahead, but still the stats looked much like it did at the tail end of independence, where you're near the bottom in so many metrics, you can't stop the run.
"You're not generating a pass rush. It's been night and day different this year. I mean, last week, they only got one sack, but Oklahoma State has only given up four sacks this season. And BYU on the season has got 12 sacks and a total of 12 interceptions."
Defensive end Tyler Batty was All-Big 12 last season.
"He's only got one sack so far, but he commands so much attention. He's had a lot of quarterback hurries as well. He will get into the opposing opponent's backfield."
Linebacker Jack Kelly is also formidable.
"He's generated some buzz as of late. The Mel Kipers of the world have said he could be maybe a top five outside linebacker in the 2025 NFL Draft class."
Isaiah Glasker, another outside linebacker, can also play at a high level.
"He's 6-foot-5, kind of a freaky athlete, body type wise. He was a National Player of the Week a couple of weeks ago for BYU. He had a monster stat line with five tackles, I think it was two pass deflections, two tackles for loss, a sack, a pick six. It was an insane game."
Harper says nickel Jakob Robinson could the best player on BYU's defense.
"He is an absolute star for BYU. He's a little bit undersized, but man, opponents seem to continue to throw to him, and he makes them pay. He is a big play defensive back for the Cougars. He's had a couple of interceptions this season. He's someone they can dial up some blitzes with and they can do a lot of different things with."
Harper said UCF has BYU's full attention. Particularly, UCF's run game with RJ Harvey and the big-play run potential from Jacurri Brown.
"Last week against Oklahoma State and I know I've talked glowingly about the defense just moments ago, but last week was not pretty," Harper said. "I mean, they did not stop Ollie Gordon and really all the runners, even including Alan Bowman who was getting four yards pop running the football, even with him.
"So they stuck to that quarterback run game, Oklahoma State, and BYU just couldn't stop it. That was the one week where BYU's defense under performed this season. And so that has got BYU's complete attention because they understand UCF is an elite running team.
"Jacurri Brown and RJ Harvey, I mean, this is going to be quite the task. I think it's going to be going to be tougher because of Brown at quarterback paired up with Harvey, who is right up there with Ollie Gordon in this league... BYU has to be dialed in."
