The Jacksonville State Gamecocks will begin their season on the road against the UCF Knights on Thursday night. UCF is a heavy favorite at home in the Bounce House, but will need to avoid taking last year’s Conference USA champions for granted. Here, I break down everything you need to know before this game and give you my Jacksonville State vs UCF prediction.
Our Jacksonville State vs UCF Pick
- Pick: Jacksonville State +19
- Confidence: 2/5
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Jacksonville State vs UCF
- Date & Time: Thursday, August 28, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Acrisure Bounce House, Orlando, FL
- Broadcast: ESPN+ streaming
Jacksonville State vs UCF Odds
| Odds | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State | +19 | +700 | Over 52.5 |
| UCF | –19 | –1200 | Under 52.5 |
Key Storylines
UCF opens its season with heightened anticipation under head coach Scott Frost. He returns to the school where he built his career as he tries to re-ignite a program rebounding from back-to-back losing seasons. Jacksonville State is led by new head coach Charles Kelly. Kelly has big shoes to fill in replacing Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez led the Gamecocks to the Conference USA championship last season before leaving for West Virginia.
UCF is implementing a new defensive identity under coordinator Alex Grinch. Grinch is looking to prove that he can coach a high-level defense again after some rough times at USC as a part of Lincoln Riley’s staff. Defense hasn’t been synonymous with the UCF program in recent years and Grinch will look to change that starting in Week 1.
Quarterback Play
Gavin Wimsatt is set to play quarterback for Jacksonville State to start this season. Wimsatt has spent time at Rutgers and Kentucky so far in his college career and is moving down to the Group of Five this year. He will look to prove himself for his new team against a power conference foe on Thursday.
Cam Fancher has been named the starting quarterback at UCF to start the year. Fancher has been at Marshall and Florida Atlantic previously in his career. His 2024 season at FAU was a disappointment. The Owls struggled to move the ball with Fancher on the field and injuries prevented him from being on the field as often as he would have liked.
Betting Trends & H2H
- This is the first-ever meeting between Jacksonville State and UCF in FBS football.
- UCF went 5-7 against the spread last season.
- Jacksonville State went 8-6 against the spread in their 2024 campaign.
Jacksonville State vs UCF Model Projection
Score Projection: UCF 35 – Jacksonville State 17
Win Probability: UCF 82%, Jacksonville State 18%
Final Thoughts
UCF carries significant advantages going into this matchup with Jacksonville State. UCF is at home with one of the best crowds in college football. The Knights also have the physicality advantage that comes with playing against weaker non-conference opponents. Still, I am going to take the points with Jacksonville State as I am not sold on Cam Fancher. Back the Gamecocks to cover the spread with a final score around 35–17.
