The Houston Cougars are set to clash with the UCF Knights in an important matchup, often referred to as ‘The Space Game’. Houston seeks to maintain its position in the Big 12 Conference Championship picture. After a recent 45-35 defeat to West Virginia, the Cougars (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) are currently tied for the fourth spot in the league and boast an impressive record of 4-0 on the road.

Meanwhile, the Knights (4-4, 1-4 Big 12) are struggling at the 13th position in the conference but have been strong on their home turf, previously winning four out of five games this season.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando, Florida. Historically, UCF leads the matchup series 8-3, including a significant 27-13 victory in their last meeting in 2023. The Cougars are currently favored to win by 1.5 points, with the total points projected at 47.5 according to the consensus from SportsLine.

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Why Houston can cover
Junior quarterback Conner Weigman is a dual-threat athlete, having completed 64.9% of his passes this season for 1,890 yards and 16 touchdowns, alongside rushing 99 times for 327 yards and nine touchdowns. His last outing against West Virginia recorded 309 passing yards and four touchdowns.

His primary receiver, Amare Thomas, has amassed 634 receiving yards on 40 catches this season.

Why UCF can cover
Redshirt junior Tayven Jackson leads the Knights’ offense, posting 1,334 passing yards with five touchdowns and 72 rushing yards over seven games. The Knights also benefit from a solid running back duo, with Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon combining for over 1,000 rushing yards.

For detailed picks and predictions for Houston vs. UCF, check out SportsLine.