2024UCF Knights football
Conference	Big 12 Conference
Record	4–8 (2–7 Big 12)
Head coach	Gus Malzahn (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Tim Harris Jr. (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Darin Hinshaw (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread option
Defensive coordinator	Ted Roof (1st season; first 8 games)
Co-defensive coordinator	Addison Williams (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3 or4–2–5
Home stadium	FBC Mortgage Stadium
Seasons ← 2023 2025 →

The2024 UCF Knights football team represented theUniversity of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of theBig 12 Conference during the2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led byGus Malzahn in his 4th and final season as their head coach. The Knights played their home games atFBC Mortgage Stadium located inOrlando, Florida.^[a]

After eight games, on October 28, defensive coordinatorTed Roof was fired.^[1] Starting with the game against Arizona on November 2, assistant Addison Williams was promoted to defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. was named offensive play-caller.^[2]

The Knights started off the season 3–0, withArkansas transferKJ Jefferson at quarterback. The Knights notably rallied from a 21-point deficit to defeatTCU 35–34 on the road in week 3. But they would lose 8 of their last 9 to finish 4–8 (2–7 in Big 12). Jefferson was benched, replaced first by EJ Colson, then byJacurri Brown, then by redshirt freshmanDylan Rizk. Senior running backRJ Harvey was the offensive standout for the year, rushing for 1,577 yards and 22 touchdowns, along with 267 yards receiving and three touchdowns catches. Harvey finished his UCF career with a school record 48 all-time touchdowns, breaking the record previously held byKevin Smith. With a loss to West Virginia on November 23, the Knights were eliminated from bowl contention for the first time since their winless2015 season, ending a school record eight straight bowl games.

On November 30, one day after their season concluded, head coachGus Malzahn resigned to take the offensive coordinator position atFlorida State.^[3]

• Source:^[4]

The 2024 UCF spring exhibition game was played on Friday April 12 atFBC Mortgage Stadium. The team was split into two squads for gameplay, theKnights and the'Nauts. Two 12-minute halves were followed by a series of player skill challenges. QuarterbackKJ Jefferson threw for 271 yards and two touchdown passes.^[5]

The preseason poll was released on July 2, 2024. UCF was picked to finish eighth.^[6]

Eleven players were named to theReese's Senior Bowl watchlist:RJ Harvey,Peny Boone, Deshawn Pace, Brandon Adams, Marcellus Marshall, Mac McWilliams, Malachi Lawrence, Lee Hunter, Kobe Hudson,KJ Jefferson, and Ricky Barber.^[7]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 29	7:00 p.m.	New Hampshire*	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL	ESPN+	W 57–3	44,206
September 7	6:30 p.m.	Sam Houston*	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL	ESPN+	W 45–14	43,807
September 14	7:30 p.m.	atTCU	Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX	FOX	W 35–34	48,889
September 28	3:30 p.m.	Colorado	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL (Big Noon Kickoff)	FOX	L 21–48	45,702
October 5	7:45 p.m.	atFlorida*	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL	SECN	L 13–24	90,369
October 12	3:30 p.m.	Cincinnati	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL (rivalry)	ESPN2	L 13–19	42,611
October 19	7:30 p.m.	at No. 9Iowa State	Jack Trice Stadium Ames, IA	FS1	L 35–38	61,500
October 26	3:30 p.m.	No. 11BYU	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL	ESPN	L 24–37	42,144
November 2	3:30 p.m.	Arizona	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL (Space Game)	FS1	W 56–12	42,110
November 9	7:00 p.m.	atArizona State	Mountain America Stadium Tempe, AZ	ESPN2	L 31–35	44,940
November 23	3:30 p.m.	atWest Virginia	Milan Puskar Stadium Morgantown, WV	ESPNU	L 21–31	40,722
November 29	8:00 p.m.	Utah	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL	FOX	L 14–28	40,747
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings fromAP Poll (andCFP Rankings, after October 30) - Released prior to game All times are inEastern time

• Source^[8]

UCF won their season opening game for the 9th consecutive season. The UCF offense put up 454 rushing yards, just 7 yards shy of the school record set in1992. New quarterbackKJ Jefferson had a shaky start, completing only 2 passes in the first half. But Jefferson eventually threw for 164 yards and two touchdown passes, and ran for a touchdown.RJ Harvey led the offense with 142 yards rushing, two touchdown runs, along with one reception for 8 yards. Leading 23–3 at halftime, the Knights put the game away with touchdowns on four consecutive drives in the third quarter.

RJ Harvey rushed for 126 yards and four touchdowns as UCF defeatedSam Houston 45–14. UCF improved to 2–0 on the season and achieved their 200thDivision I FBS game victory. The Knights offense racked up a total of 384 yards rushing, the second week in a row with a strong ground game output. The Knights defense forced two turnovers, plus the special teams unit recovered a botched punt attempt by the Bearkats at the 2 yard line.

Harvey's four rushing touchdowns tied a school-record, last achieved by Isiah Bowser in 2019. The Knights started the season 2–0 for third time in four seasons under head coachGus Malzahn. For this game, the players' helmets featured decals designed by pediatric patients at theOrlando HealthArnold Palmer Hospital for Children, in honor ofPediactric Cancer Awareness month.^[9]

UCF traveled toTCU for their Big 12 conference opener. The Knights erased a 21-point deficit and defeated the Horned Frogs by the score of 35–34. QuarterbackKJ Jefferson threw for 230 yards and three touchdown passes, and also rushed for 46 yards.RJ Harvey rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns, as the UCF offense put up 289 yards rushing total. It was UCF's first intra-conference road victory against an existing Big 12 opponent (one that was a member of the conference prior to 2023).

TCU built a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, with two quick touchdown strikes by quarterbackJosh Hoover. UCF's first quarter drives came up empty, with a three-and-out followed by a blocked field goal. The Knights got on the board on the first play of the second quarter, with a 29-yard touchdown pass toRJ Harvey. The Horned Frogs answered, and stretched their lead to 21–7. In the final minute of the second quarter, the Knights were driving deep into TCU territory. The TCU defense managed to keep the Knights out of the endzone, and UCF had to settle for a field goal attempt. Colton Boomer's 27-yard field goal attempt was blocked - his second block of the half - and TCU led 21–7 at halftime.

TCU got the ball to start the third quarter, and drove 75 yards in just four plays.Josh Hoover connected toJack Bech for a 50-yard touchdown, and the Horned Frogs led 28–7, their largest lead of the night. The Knights, rallied, however, scoring touchdowns on their next three drives. With 13:38 left in regulation, TCU clung to a 31–28 lead.

TCU drove down inside the UCF 10 yard line with under 11 minutes left. On 3rd & Goal at the UCF 1, a costly false start penalty pushed them back to the 6. The UCF defense stiffened, and TCU settled for a field goal and a 34–28 lead. After a TCU three-and-out, UCF took over with 3:44 to go.KJ Jefferson drove the Knights 72 yards in 10 plays for the go-ahead score. Jefferson found Kobe Hudson for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds left. Colton Boomer's extra point gave the Knights a 35–34 lead. TCU had one last chance, and managed to make it down to the UCF 40 yard line. Kyle Lemmermann's 58-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired, and the Knights secured the victory.

UCF hosted Colorado for their Big 12 intra-conference home opener, and theUCF main campus hosted Fox'sBig Noon Kickoff pregame show.^[10] The Buffaloes defeated the Knights 48–21 behindShedeur Sanders' three touchdown passes. The Knights offense committed four turnovers in the loss.

UCF facedFlorida for the fourth meeting all-time. The Gators won the first two meetings at Gainesville (1999,2006), and the Knights won the most recent meeting at the2021 Gasparilla Bowl. This was the Knights' third and final non-conference game of the season. The Gators jumped out to a 24–3 lead in the first half, then held on for a 24–13 victory.

UCF hostedrival Cincinnati.KJ Jefferson was benched during the week and freshman EJ Colson started at quarterback. Jacurri Brown eventually took over in the middle of the first quarter. The Knights fell 19–13 for their third straight loss.

After playing most of the game the week prior, Jacurri Brown started at quarterback. Brown struggled in the air, completing only 8 passes for 62 yards, and 2 interception. However, he had 154 yards on the ground, and two touchdown runs. The Knights offense, led by RJ Harvey, racked up 354 total yards rushing. The UCF defense made two interceptions - a 63-yard "pick-six" by Brandon Adams, and a 70-yard interception return by Braeden Marshall that led to a touchdown. The Knights were leading #9 Iowa State 35–30 on the road with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Rocco Becht then drove the Cyclones 80 yards in 11 plays, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds left. The Knights fell to 3–4 on the season.

BYU built a 17–0 lead in the first half, and pulled away for a 37–24 victory. Jacurri Brown started at quarterback for the Knights, but was benched in the fourth quarter after throwing two interceptions and managing only 96 yards. Dylan Rizk came in at quarterback and drove the Knights for two late touchdown scores, but time ran out for any chance at a comeback.

UCF hosted Arizona for the 8th annualSpace Game. The Knights routed the Wildcats by the score of 56–12 to snap a five-game losing streak, and to improve to 8–0 all-time in the history of the Space Game. Redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk made his first start at quarterback, and threw for 294 yards and three touchdown passes.

RJ Harvey rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns, two in the first half. Harvey scored his first touchdown of the day on a 17-yard run in a heavy downpour. The play was set up by a Wildcats fumble one play earlier deep in their own territory. Harvey's second touchdown came in the second quarter, capping off a 99-yard drive which started inside their own 1 yard line. With UCF up 28–6 with 4 seconds left in the second quarter, Rizk connected to Randy Pittman Jr. for a 48-yardHail Mary touchdown as time expired. The Knights took a 35–6 lead into halftime.

The Knights controlled the game from start to finish, racking up 602 yards on offense under new offensive play-caller Tim Harris Jr. The Knights defense, under new defensive coordinator Addison Williams, held the Wildcats to 5 yards rushing, sacked quarterback Noah Fifita five times, and forced a turnover.

Dylan Rizk threw for 229 yards, and RJ Harvey scored three touchdowns, but the Knights fell 35–31 at Arizona State. Special teams miscues proved costly for the Knights. A blocked punt was returned for an Arizona State touchdown, then later a botched kickoff return led to a pick-six touchdown. With 3:24 left, and trailing by 4, the Knights faced 4th & 2 at the 22 yard line. RJ Harvey was tackled short of the line to gain, turning the ball over on downs. The Sun Devils were able to run the clock down, and secured the victory.

After a bye week, UCF traveled to West Virginia. The Knights fell 31–21, dropping to 4–7, and were eliminated frombowl eligibility. Running back RJ Harvey two rushing touchdowns, bringing his career total to 46, which tied him withKevin Smith for most all-time in program history.

UCF hosted Utah onBlack Friday in the final game of the regular season. Senior running backRJ Harvey set a new school record for most career touchdowns scored (48), breaking the record previously held byKevin Smith. However, UCF struggled much of the night with three turnovers including two pick-six touchdowns. The Knights fell by the score of 28–14, and finished the season with a record of 4–8 (2–7 in the Big 12). The following day, head coachGus Malzahn resigned to take the offensive coordinator position atFlorida State.

• RJ Harvey set the school record for most career touchdowns: 48

UCF had two players selected in the2025 NFL draft.RJ Harvey became the highest-drafted running back in program history, being picked in the second round, 60th overall.

• 2024 Big 12 Conference football season
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