UCF needs to secure a victory against West Virginia in order to remain in contention for a bowl game.

As bowl bids approach, Big 12 rivals UCF and West Virginia will clash on Saturday in Morgantown, W.Va., with both teams aiming to enhance their postseason prospects. UCF (4-6, 2-5) faces heightened pressure as they navigate their fourth starting quarterback of the season. Coach Gus Malzahn has transitioned from KJ Jefferson, who began the season as the starter, to EJ Colson, and then to Jacurri Brown, who was replaced after throwing four interceptions in losses to BYU and Iowa State. The reins have now been handed to Dylan Rizk, a Florida native who has completed 44 of 59 passes for 523 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a narrow 35-31 defeat against Arizona State, followed by a decisive 56-12 victory over Arizona. This latter game marks UCF's sole win in their last seven contests. The Knights' offensive strategy heavily relies on their running game, spearheaded by RJ Harvey, the leading rusher in the Big 12, who has accumulated 1,328 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven games with over 100 rushing yards. To secure bowl eligibility, UCF must win this critical matchup against West Virginia following their bye week, and subsequently triumph in their home finale against a struggling Utah team. “We’re focused on this game, not the next game,” Malzahn stated on Monday. “We’re heading into a challenging environment, and they are a team that performed well against us last year.” The Mountaineers (5-5, 4-3) defeated UCF 41-28 in Orlando in the previous season.

In that encounter, quarterback Garrett Greene contributed significantly, rushing for three touchdowns and completing 14 of 23 passes for 156 yards. This season, the senior from Florida has thrown for 1,589 yards, with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while also rushing for 600 yards and five touchdowns. West Virginia enters this game following a disappointing 49-35 loss at home to Baylor last Saturday. Due to their geographical proximity, Mountaineers coach Neal Brown is well-acquainted with Malzahn from their coaching days in Alabama, where Brown led Troy and Malzahn was at Auburn. “Coach Malzahn emphasizes a strong running game,” Brown remarked on Monday. “They rank among the top rushing offenses in the nation, and it all begins with their running back, Harvey.”