UCF (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) will be facing West Virginia (5-5, 4-3) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST, televised on ESPNU.
The current betting odds from BetMGM favor UCF by three points.
Historically, West Virginia has dominated this matchup, leading the series 3-0.
The stakes for the game are significant.
A victory for West Virginia would secure them bowl eligibility, while UCF, having had a week off, must win both of their remaining games to also qualify for a bowl game.
The Mountaineers are striving to avoid a disappointing fifth home loss this season, which has led to dissatisfaction among fans regarding the team’s progress.
A key aspect of the contest will be West Virginia’s rush defense taking on the potent offensive unit of UCF.
The Knights lead the Big 12 in rushing yards, averaging an impressive 263 yards per game, and are powered by the conference’s top rusher, RJ Harvey, who has accumulated 1,328 yards and 19 touchdowns this season.
West Virginia has shown some ability to defend against the run, limiting their opponents to only three 100-yard rushing games throughout the year.
Linebacker Reid Carrico notably contributed with 16 tackles in the Mountaineers’ recent game against Baylor.
For UCF, a player to keep an eye on is quarterback Dylan Rizk.
The freshman is set to make his third consecutive start, being the fourth quarterback UCF has utilized this season.
Rizk has shown competency by completing 75% of his passes, with 229 yards and one interception recorded during a close 35-31 defeat to Arizona State on November 9.
West Virginia will look to quarterback Garrett Greene for a strong performance in what will be his last game at home.
Having thrown nine interceptions across the last six games, he has balanced out his mistakes with his running ability, leading the Big 12 among quarterbacks with 600 rushing yards.
His performance included a solid 129 yards against Baylor last week, despite sitting out the two previous contests due to an upper body injury.
Several facts about the teams add more context to the matchup.
UCF offensive lineman Marcellus Marshall is a local product, having grown up just five minutes from West Virginia’s stadium.
After a promising 3-0 start, UCF has now dropped six of their last seven games.
On the other hand, West Virginia has been struggling as the only Big 12 team to register four home losses this season.
The Mountaineers have not experienced five home losses since 1990 when their record stood at 4-7.
Their only previous meeting in Morgantown took place in 2003, with West Virginia triumphantly winning 36-18.
Furthermore, the Mountaineers have been outscored in the second half of eight out of ten games played this season, indicating a potential weakness late in games.
Additionally, Traylon Ray, their second-leading receiver, is out for the season following surgery for a lower leg injury sustained against Baylor last week.