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World Sports

Baylor Bears Face UCF Knights in Key Big 12 Matchup

Baylor Bears Face UCF Knights in Key Big 12 Matchup
World Sports · 22:37:11 - Saturday, 31 October 2026

The Baylor Bears will face the Central Florida Knights in a Big 12 Conference matchup on Friday night at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Both teams enter with identical 4-3 overall records and 2-2 conference marks, leaving them tied with Cincinnati and Arizona State for seventh place in the standings.

Baylor arrives after a 25-24 loss at Kansas, while UCF secured a controversial 39-31 overtime victory over BYU. The Bears are 1-1 on the road this season; the Knights have won all four home games in 2026. Baylor leads the all-time series 2-1, including a 30-3 win last year.

Betting Odds and Model Projections

Baylor opens as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5 points, though some listings show a total of 48.5. Both teams are 5-2 against the spread this season. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates each FBS game 10,000 times, projects the game to go over the 48.5-point total. The over has hit in two of the three all-time meetings and in six of the last ten UCF games.

UCF averages 32.7 points per game, while Baylor averages 29.1. The model forecasts Baylor quarterback D.J. Lagway to throw for more than 260 yards and two touchdowns, and UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins to exceed 210 yards and two scores. The simulation yields a projected 54 combined points, with the over hitting 63% of the time in an A-rated pick. The model also indicates one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations.

Entering Week 9, the model holds a 68-59 record on top-rated college football picks, returning nearly $400 for every $100 wagered.

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