The Houston Cougars and UCF Knights will meet in college football on Friday night in Orlando. Both teams suffered losses in their last games and will try to avoid a second straight loss here. Houston is also playing to keep its Big 12 championship game hopes alive as we get closer to the end of the regular season. Before kickoff from the Bounce House, you can find my Houston vs UCF prediction below.
Our Houston vs UCF Pick
- Pick: UCF Moneyline
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Houston Cougars vs UCF Knights
- Date & Time: Friday, November 7, 2025, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, Florida
- Broadcast: FS1
Key Storylines
Houston suffered a devastating loss in their last outing. They lost at home to a struggling West Virginia team and gave up 45 points to the Mountaineers in that contest. That was Houston’s second loss in Big 12 play and now the Cougars need to keep winning and get some help if they want to play in the Big 12 title game.
UCF also took a loss in their last game. They dropped a 30-3 game on the road against the Baylor Bears. UCF has lost four of its last five games and are just 1-4 in the Big 12 so far this season. The Knights are being given a shot to win this game by oddsmakers despite their slow start to this season and UCF will try to put a huge dent in Houston’s postseason aspirations.
Houston has the more impressive body of work so far this season. But UCF has home-field advantage and is desperate to get a win to move closer to bowl eligibility. The stakes are high on both sides and we should see a level of intensity that reflects that.
Quarterback Play
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman has thrown for 1,890 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions so far this season. He has also rushed for 330 yards and nine touchdowns. UCF’s signal-caller is Tayven Jackson. Jackson has racked up 1,334 passing yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Weigman’s mobility and passing acumen give Houston the ability to strike both through the air and on the ground. Jackson is also mobile but has struggled with injury issues earlier in the season and will need to be careful to stay in this game and give his team a shot to win at home.
Betting Trends
- Houston is 6-3 against the spread so far this season.
- UCF is 3-4 against the spread going into this game.
- Houston has gone over the total in six of its first nine games.
- UCF has gone under the total in five of its first eight outings.
Houston vs UCF Model Projection
Score Projection: Houston 24 – UCF 27
Win Probability: Houston 45%, UCF 55%
Final Thoughts
Many bettors are likely going to look at this line and think that they are getting a bargain with Houston as a favorite of under a field goal. But I think that UCF has a great chance to grab the win at the Bounce House on Friday night. The Knights have an offense that can go off on any given night and should go off against a Houston defense that struggled mightily against West Virginia last time out.
