ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF celebrated the start of its 20th season at the Bounce House with a record-setting 73-6 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Thursday night, highlighted locally by former Osceola Kowboy Taevion Swint’s first touchdown as a Knight.

The 67-point victory was the largest in UCF football history, surpassing the Knights’ 64-point win over Grand Valley State in 1987. UCF also matched its program record for points in a game, equaling the 73 scored against Austin Peay in 2017.

The Knights controlled the game on the ground, rushing for 360 yards and producing seven touchdowns from six different players. Nine UCF players also recorded at least one reception during the victory.

Junior running back Duke Watson needed only one carry to make his presence felt. On UCF’s second offensive play, Watson broke free for a 64-yard touchdown and the first score of the Knights’ season.

The defense quickly added to the lead. Just 20 seconds later, Jayden Williams intercepted a Bethune-Cookman pass and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown, giving UCF a 14-0 advantage a little more than four minutes into the game.

Quarterback Alonza Barnett III scored on a 5-yard run later in the opening quarter before throwing his first touchdown pass as a Knight on the first play of the second. Barnett connected with Jonathan Bibbs for the 50th touchdown pass of his college career, extending UCF’s lead to 28-0.

Will Stone added a 34-yard field goal, the first of his college career, and Landen Chambers scored on a 2-yard run to send the Knights into halftime leading 38-0. Stone finished the night with 10 extra points, tying UCF’s single-game record.

The second half opened with a memorable sequence for former Osceola High School standout Taevion Swint.

Swint returned the kickoff 57 yards to put the Knights in excellent field position. He then finished the possession with a 27-yard touchdown run, scoring the first rushing touchdown of his UCF career and pushing the lead to 45-0.

Chambers added his second touchdown on another 27-yard run before Keyone Jenkins connected with Caleb Rollerson for a 9-yard score. Agyeman Addae recorded the first rushing touchdown of his career to give UCF a 66-0 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Rocco Marriot completed UCF’s scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. Bethune-Cookman avoided the shutout with an 8-yard touchdown pass as time expired.

The victory was the 25th of Scott Frost’s UCF coaching career and extended the Knights’ streak of season-opening wins to 11. UCF also improved to 30-1 against Football Championship Subdivision opponents since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1996.

UCF has now won 12 consecutive Thursday games, the third-longest active streak in the country behind fellow Big 12 programs Utah and Oklahoma State, which have each won 13 straight.

The Knights will face a considerably tougher test in their first road game of the season when they visit Pittsburgh on Saturday, Sept. 12. Kickoff from Acrisure Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., with the game televised on ESPN2.

Photo by: Tanner Pavlovsky

UCF abre la temporada con histórica victoria 73-6; el ex-Kowboy Taevion Swint anota su primer touchdown como Knight

ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF comenzó su temporada 2026 haciendo historia al derrotar 73-6 a Bethune-Cookman el jueves por la noche en el Bounce House.

La victoria por 67 puntos representó el margen más amplio en la historia del programa. Los Knights también igualaron su récord de puntos anotados en un partido, establecido originalmente contra Austin Peay en 2017.

UCF dominó por tierra con 360 yardas y siete touchdowns anotados por seis jugadores diferentes. Duke Watson abrió el marcador con una carrera de 64 yardas, mientras que Jayden Williams devolvió una intercepción 47 yardas para colocar rápidamente a los Knights arriba 14-0.

El exjugador de Osceola High School, Taevion Swint, también tuvo una noche especial. Swint comenzó la segunda mitad con un regreso de patada de 57 yardas y terminó la serie ofensiva con una carrera de touchdown de 27 yardas, la primera anotación terrestre de su carrera con UCF.

La victoria extendió a 11 la racha de triunfos de UCF en partidos inaugurales de temporada. Los Knights también mejoraron su récord a 30-1 frente a equipos de la FCS desde que ascendieron a la FBS en 1996.

UCF visitará a Pittsburgh el sábado 12 de septiembre a las 3:30 p.m. El partido será transmitido por ESPN2.

Photo by: Tanner Pavlovsky