UCF Knights football: Gus Malzahn talks pressure on Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, has thrown for 1,340 yards with 11 TDs and two interceptions for Colorado this season.
ORLANDO — It’s Gus Malzahn against Deion Sanders. It’s KJ Jefferson taking on Shedeur Sanders. It’s RJ Harvey vs. Travis Hunter, and so much more when UCF football hosts Colorado Saturday.
Kickoff between the Knights and Buffaloes is slated for 3:30 p.m. at the Bounce House.
Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff set the stage. It marked the first time the pregame show visited anywhere in Florida. Saturday is also the first-ever meeting between UCF and Colorado.
Both teams enter 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference, and a victory will keep them at least tied atop the standings. The Knights, who enjoyed a bye last week, hold a 3-0 overall record and are vying for their first 4-0 start since 2018. The Buffaloes sit at 3-1, but they stunned Baylor 38-31 in overtime during their league opener last Saturday.
Be sure to check back for updates.
Watch UCF vs. Colorado live on Fubo (free trial)
UCF vs Colorado score updates
UCF is back within a score after KJ Jefferson bulldozed Colorado defensive back DJ McKinney at the goal line for a 7-yard touchdown run.
Jefferson heated up through the air on the drive, hitting Xavier Townsend for gains of 9 and 22 yards, and firing a 16-yard slant to Kobe Hudson to set up first-and-goal.
Colorado leads UCF 21-14 with 8:41 left in the second quarter.
Dallan Hayden squeezed through a hole on the left side of Colorado’s line for a 14-yard touchdown, extending the Buffaloes’ lead over UCF to 21-7 with 12:21 left in the second quarter.
Colorado is outrushing UCF 59-22. The Knights began the day as the No. 1 rushing offense in the country at 375.7 yards per game.
The Buffaloes have scored on three straight possessions since Deshawn Pace picked off Deshawn Pace early in the first quarter.
Shedeur Sanders hit Will Sheppard for a 47-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-15 to put Colorado back in front, 14-7.
Sheppard reached out in front of Antione Jackson and made a diving grab in the end zone for the score. Sanders is 12 of 15 for 119 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Travis Hunter is the leading receiver for the Buffaloes with five catches for 48 yards.
UCF needed one play to answer Colorado’s touchdown drive as KJ Jefferson hit RJ Harvey in stride for a 75-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route.
The Knights and Buffaloes are tied 7-7 with 3:38 left in the first quarter.
Colorado’s big stars connected for the game’s first score.
Shedeur Sanders fired a 23-yard skinny post to Travis Hunter for a touchdown, putting Colorado ahead of UCF 7-0. The Buffaloes ran the ball effectively on their 11-play, 80-yard drive, with Micah Welch gaining 15 and 12 on the ground to set up the Hunter catch.
UCF could not capitalize on its defensive takeaway, coming up empty as Preston Hodge picked off KJ Jefferson on third-and-goal from the 6-yard line.
Hodge stuck with Trent Whittemore and made a leaping grab on an underthrown corner route toward the back left pylon.
RJ Harvey gained 16 yards on four carries on UCF’s first drive of the day.
Following two negative plays, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw an interception on a late throw over the middle. Linebacker Deshawn Pace read Sanders the whole way for his second pick of the season.
UCF takes over on Colorado’s 29-yard line.
Kickoff for Saturday’s Big 12 showdown between UCF and Colorado has officially been delayed due to lightning in the area.
According to UCF’s fan experience account on social media, the game will start no sooner than 4:05 p.m.
Pre-game activities will resume when there is no lightning within 8 miles of the Bounce House.
Warmups are yet to begin for UCF and Colorado due to a lightning delay in the area near FBC Mortgage Stadium.
The scheduled 3:30 p.m. kickoff time has not been officially delayed to this point.
Pre-game activities will resume when there is no lightning within 8 miles of the Bounce House.
As of 2:25 p.m., it’s raining at the Bounce House. And that might continue.
Sweltering conditions and a high probability of rainfall is in the forecast for UCF’s showdown with Colorado.
The National Weather Service calls for a high of 91 degrees in Orlando on Saturday, with heat index values as high as 102. There is a 70% chance of precipitation, with between a quarter and half an inch of rainfall possible.
UCF opened the week as an 11½-point favorite over Colorado, and the betting line continued to grow.
The Knights are expected to take the field as a 14-point favorite, per BetMGM. DraftKings Sportsbook has UCF favored by 13½.
UCF vs Colorado time today
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 28
- Time: 3:30 p.m.
- Location: FBC Mortgage Stadium
What channel is UCF vs Colorado game on today?
The game will air live on Fox with Kevin Kugler as the play-by-play broadcaster, Brock Huard as the color analyst and Allison Williams the sideline reporter.
UCF vs Colorado predictions
Which black and gold team shall reign supreme? Daytona Beach News-Journal UCF reporter Chris Boyle, sports reporter Chris Vinel and columnist Ken Willis file their picks for the highly anticipated showdown.
- Chris Boyle: UCF 41, Colorado 30
- Chris Vinel: UCF 33, Colorado 20
- Ken Willis: UCF 31, Colorado 23
UCF vs Colorado injury updates
UCF
Defensive tackle John Walker remains unavailable with a knee injury he suffered during fall camp last month. He has yet to make his 2024 debut.
However, quarterback KJ Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Adams will play against Colorado. Jefferson persevered through pain as the Knights rallied from 21 points down to defeat TCU on Sept. 14. Adams exited that contest in the fourth quarter with he called “just a lil cramp” on X (formerly Twitter).
“Everybody that played in the last game has practiced,” UCF head coach Gus Malzahn said. “It was a good week to heal up (during the bye).”
Colorado
Starting defensive lineman Chidozie Nwankwo and running back Dallan Hayden will play against the Knights. Nwankwo missed the last two games with an AC joint injury. Hayden skipped the last two weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Safety Shilo Sanders might return to the field this week, too. The Buffaloes’ leading tackler from a year ago underwent surgery on his right forearm after a Week 2 loss to Nebraska.
“Shilo is on pace to be back,” Sanders’ dad and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said. “I’m not going to count out this week (vs. UCF). I’m not going to count that out, but if he holds off this week, that’ll give him two more weeks which is pretty smart.”
UCF football schedule 2024
| Date | Opponent |
| Thursday, Aug. 29 | vs. New Hampshire (57-3 win) |
| Saturday, Sept. 7 | vs. Sam Houston (45-14 win) |
| Saturday, Sept. 14 | at TCU* (35-34 win) |
| Saturday, Sept. 21 | OPEN |
| Saturday, Sept. 28 | vs. Colorado* |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | at Florida |
| Saturday, Oct. 12 | vs. Cincinnati* |
| Saturday, Oct. 19 | at Iowa State* |
| Saturday, Oct. 26 | vs. BYU* |
| Saturday, Nov. 2 | vs. Arizona* |
| Saturday, Nov. 9 | at Arizona State* |
| Saturday, Nov. 16 | OPEN |
| Saturday, Nov. 23 | at West Virginia* |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | vs. Utah* |
| Saturday, Dec. 6 | Big 12 Championship Game# |
* Big 12 game; # in Arlington, Texas
See UCF football ticket prices for every game this season
Colorado football schedule 2024
| Date | Opponent |
| Thursday, Aug. 29 | vs. North Dakota State (31-26 win) |
| Saturday, Sept. 7 | at Nebraska (28-10 loss) |
| Saturday, Sept. 14 | at Colorado State (28-9 win) |
| Saturday, Sept. 21 | vs. Baylor* (38-31 win) |
| Saturday, Sept. 28 | at UCF* |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | OPEN |
| Saturday, Oct. 12 | vs. Kansas State* |
| Saturday, Oct. 19 | at Arizona* |
| Saturday, Oct. 26 | vs. Cincinnati* |
| Saturday, Nov. 2 | OPEN |
| Saturday, Nov. 9 | at Texas Tech* |
| Saturday, Nov. 16 | vs. Utah* |
| Saturday, Nov. 23 | at Kansas* |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | vs. Oklahoma State* |
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.