BYU vs UCF pre-game checklist: the undefeated Cougars face a challenge in Orlando

The Cougars are taking to the road after a 2-game home stint against Arizona and Oklahoma State. With an undefeated record and an 11 next to their name--their best ranking since the 2020 season--BYU is primed to earn its 8th win of the season in as many games--a total thought to be impossible at the beginning of the season.

But a meeting with Gus Mahlzan and the Knights will be no easy task, despite UCF's 3-4 record. Though this should be a reasonably comfortable win for the Cougars, last week's meeting against Oklahoma State raised some red flags that have given many cause for concern.

The once impassible Jay Hill defense was trounced by Ollie Gordon and Garret Rangel, and their lack of pressure on the opposing quarterback allowed the Cowboys to dink and dunk between HB out routes and screen plays, denting and damaging the Cougars' once formidible defensive unit.

With UCF's reliance on their ground attack, we can reasonably assume that BYU has been emphasizing run defense above all in pregame preparations this week.

Suddenly, this matchup has become much more interesting, and we'll need to dive deeper to find the nuggets of truth available to us below the surface.

Pregame Notes for BYU

Jake Retzlaff has been slinging it, and LJ Martin has separated himself as the Cougars' premier running back with a career-best performance last Friday.

The offense is clicking, and if it weren't for a trio of questionable passing attempts, the Cougars likely would have won a bit more comfortably against the Pokes. A win is a win is a win is a win and I'll take a last-second miracle finish over a 10-point cruise to the finish, but for the sake of an undefeated season and a shot at the College Football Playoff, I'd like to see Kalani Sitake's squad flex their muscles against UCF.

As previously mentioned, the running defense needs to improve. While the secondary did their job effectively against a meatless OK State passing attack, the front seven failed to be assignment-sound, tackle effectively, and close the gaps in the offensive line.

As UCF is the less-than-proud owners of a similarly hideous passing game, BYU's secondary should be a no-fly zone and turnover-forcing machine against the Knights. It's the rushing attack that should trouble those who believe in a perfect 8-0 start.

Pre-game checklist for BYU

- It starts with defense. Stop the run, win the game.
- Limiting giveaways and forcing takeaways will be key in this game. The Cougars are a top team in turnover margin, and staying ahead in the margin will pay dividends.
- Let Retzlaff play loose and confident. When he's in control, the Cougars have dangerous weapons downfield.

Pre-Game Notes for UCF

UCF gave Iowa State all they could handle on Saturday night, and in the same weekend, the Cougars and the Cyclones nearly lost their unbeaten status. Though the Knights couldn't escape Ames with a win, they can smell blood in the water and will be pumped up for another top-25 matchup against BYU.

KJ Jefferson, the Arkansas transfer who has a 1-1 record against the Cougars while with the Razorbacks, began this season with UCF as QB1, but won't be under center this game, barring an injury to his replacement, Jacurri Brown. While far from an amazing passer, Brown had flashes of brilliance against the Cyclones last weekend.

UCF has nothing to lose on a season that has already handed the Knights 4 losses. They aren't in contention for the conference title game, but a win against BYU could change the narrative for the remainder of the season. The Cougars will be looking ahead to their following matchup with in-state rival, Utah, and the Knights will hope to catch the 11th-ranked foe off guard.

RJ Harvey has run for nearly 200 yards on more than one occassion, and a weakened BYU rushing defense could be exactly what gets the UCF offense rolling. If BYU's defense can't revert to what we saw in the first 6 games of the season, the Knights may roll.

Pre-game checklist for UCF

- The passing game has been poor for the majority of the season, and Mahlzan's play-calling has been equally questionable. They'll need to see significant improvement to take down the giant.
- RJ Harvey is one of the toughest backs in the Big 12, and he could gash BYU for big yards over the game.

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