As college football teams gear up for preseason camp, one thing they all share is optimism.
At this stage, every team is riding high on the hope of an undefeated season, and none have yet experienced the disappointment of that first loss.
There is plenty of optimism around the UCF program as the Knights set to enter their fourth season in the Big 12. However, not everybody shares that assessment, as national expectations for the team aren’t high.
The Knights were picked to finish 14th in the conference, according to a preseason poll organized by the Tulsa World newspaper and featuring the media members covering the league.
Experts from around the country have weighed in on UCF’s prospects for the upcoming season.
Predictions vary widely in preseason publications, with Phil Steele projecting a seventh-place finish, Lindy’s Sports seeing them land in 13th, and Athlon Sports predicting they might even drop to 15th.
In the coaches’ preseason top 25 poll, the Knights didn’t receive a single vote.
Coach Scott Frost isn’t concerned, at least at the moment, about what this team can accomplish this season.
“I’m not worried about that. I want a team with a chip on their shoulder that understands that UCF’s not going to get a lot of attention or respect until we earn it,” Frost said after the first preseason practice on Monday. “I don’t want our guys thinking big picture. I want our guys thinking about today’s practice and the first game and the chips will fall where they may.”
Even so, the players themselves believe this team can accomplish big things.
“A Big 12 Championship,” defensive end Sincere Edwards said of UCF’s ceiling this season. “Everybody is bought in and I really believe that we could go accomplish something new here and something that hasn’t been done in a long time.”
“These are the hungriest guys I ever played with on all three levels,” added defensive tackle Horace Lockett Jr. “Nobody wants to be complacent. Nobody wants to be average.”
When asked about expectations this season, many of the Knights quickly point to the parity in the Big 12.
The league has had six different champions since 2019: Oklahoma (2020), Baylor (2021), Kansas State (2022), Texas (2023), Arizona State (2024) and Texas Tech (2025).
“The Big 12 is a really open conference; we’ve seen that. Six different championship teams in the past six years, so why not? Why can’t it be us? We have the talent, the infrastructure and the ability. It’s really in the palms of our hands,” said quarterback Alonza Barnett III.
Added safety Demari Henderson: “We were talking about this in a team meeting. Arizona State, the year they won it, they were (projected) at the bottom of the Big 12. Anybody can win.”
It’s that optimism that has fueled this team and provided plenty of motivation for the players.
“Preseason awards aren’t won in the postseason. We just got to keep stacking days and becoming the best team we can possibly be,” said safety Braeden Marshall.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.