The wait is over. UCF's inaugural Big 12 football schedule is here.
The Knights will play nine conference games, four at home and five on the road. UCF's first-ever conference game as a member of the Big 12 will be Sept. 23 at reigning Big 12 Champion Kansas State. A week later, UCF hosts Baylor for their first-ever Big 12 home game.
Here's a quick look at the schedule:
Thursday, August 31 - Kent State
2022 Record: 5-7 (4-4 MAC)
History: In the early 2000s, UCF and Kent State were conference mates in the MAC. The two schools are knotted in 2-2 all-time tie, the last meeting coming in 2004 which was a 41-24 Golden Flashes victory.
Saturday, September 9 - at Boise State
2022 Record: 10-4 (8-0 MWC)
History: The return game from the 2021 season opener in Orlando, which was the UCF debut for Gus Malzahn. After a long weather delay, the Knights stormed back to win 36-31.
Saturday, September 16 - Villanova
2022 Record: 6-5 (4-4 CAA)
History: The lone FCS opponent on UCF's schedule. The Knights also played Villanova in 2006 - a 35-16 victory - which was their final year at the Citrus Bowl.
Saturday, September 23 - at Kansas State
2022 Record: 10-4 (7-2 Big 12)
History: The Knights and Wildcats have met just once, a 2010 meeting in Manhattan which was a 17-13 K-State victory. It was supposed to be a home-and-home series that concluded in 2012 in Orlando, but Kansas State bought out of the return game.
Saturday, September 30 - Baylor
2022 Record: 6-7 (4-5 Big 12)
History: UCF defeated Baylor 52-42 in the Fiesta Bowl to conclude the 2013 season.
Saturday, October 7 - at Kansas
2022 Record: 6-7 (3-6 Big 12)
History: This will be the first-ever meeting. UCF AD Terry Mohajir is a former football coach and administrator at KU.
Saturday, October 14 - Bye Week
Saturday, October 21 - at Oklahoma
2022 Record: 6-7 (3-6 Big 12)
History: UCF and Oklahoma have never played. The Sooners do have a couple former Knights in offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Saturday, October 28 - West Virginia
2022 Record: 5-7 (3-6 Big 12)
History: UCF and WVU played a home-and-home series back in 2003-04 with the Mountaineers winning both games.
Saturday, November 4 - at Cincinnati
2022 Record: 9-4 (6-2 AAC)
History: The UCF-Cincinnati rivalry continues into the Big 12. The all-time series is deadlocked at 4-4, which UCF winning last year's game in Orlando 25-21.
Saturday, November 11 - Oklahoma State
2022 Record: 7-6 (4-5 Big 12)
History: This will be the first-ever meeting.
Saturday, November 18 - at Texas Tech
2022 Record: 8-5 (5-4 Big 12)
History: This will be the first-ever meeting.
Saturday, November 25 - Houston
2022 Record: 8-6 (5-3 AAC)
History: Former AAC rivals meet again in the Big 12, though UCF and Houston haven't met since the 2020 season. The Knights own a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series.
