UCF Football: Season Preview, Schedule, and Predictions

UCF Knights 2023 Preview

The UCF Knights are coming off a successful 2022 season, in which they finished 9–5 overall and 6–2 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). They won the AAC Championship Game and earned a berth in the Boca Raton Bowl, where they lost to Florida Atlantic University. Despite the bowl loss, the Knights had a solid season and are looking to build on that success in 2023.

UCF returns a number of key players from last year's team, including quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, running back Isaiah Bowser, and wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe. The Knights also have a talented defense, led by linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, safety Divaad Wilson, and cornerback Davonte Brown.

Schedule

The Knights' 2023 schedule is challenging, but it also features some winnable games. They open the season at home against South Carolina State, then travel to Louisville for a non-conference game. The AAC schedule includes home games against Cincinnati, Temple, SMU, and Navy, and road games against East Carolina, Tulane, Tulsa, and Houston. UCF also has a non-conference game against Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

Predictions

The Knights are predicted to finish in the top half of the AAC in 2023. Athlon Sports predicts that UCF will finish 8–4 overall and 6–2 in the AAC, while Phil Steele predicts a 9–3 overall record and a 7–1 mark in conference play. ESPN's Football Power Index gives the Knights a 44.5% chance of winning the AAC Championship Game and a 19.2% chance of making the College Football Playoff.

The Knights have a lot of talent and experience on their roster, and they are looking to make a run at the AAC Championship Game in 2023. With a challenging schedule and a lot of expectations, the Knights will need to play their best football in order to achieve their goals.

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