UCF declines 5-7 bowl opportunity due to roster, availability concerns
As bowl bids were handed out on Sunday, UCF found itself unexpectedly in line for a postseason berth despite finishing the season 5-7.
But in the end, the Knights will not be playing a 13th game this season.
Due to significant player availability concerns, particularly at quarterback, UCF opted to decline participation, per sources, choosing instead to continue focusing on the offseason rebuild under head coach Scott Frost.
The door opened after multiple bowl-eligible programs around the country, including a couple in the Big 12, opted out of postseason participation. Kansas State and Iowa State, both dealing with head coaching transitions, informed the league they would not accept bids. The Big 12 subsequently fined both schools $500,000, citing their decisions as a violation of league expectations.
Later in the afternoon, No. 11 Notre Dame, fresh off being left out of the College Football Playoff, also announced it would not participate in a bowl.
That chain reaction set off a domino effect, opening slots for 5-7 teams based on the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) tiebreaker formula. According to On3’s Brett McMurphy, the first five 5-7 teams in line, in order of APR: Rice, Auburn, UCF, Mississippi State, and Florida State.
Rice accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl, where they’ll face Texas State. Mississippi State, now in their second season led by former UCF offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, accepted a bid to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and will face Wake Forest.
As of 5 p.m., negotiations continued with a pair of 5-7 teams to accept the final vacancy in the Birmingham Bowl, according to McMurphy.
UCF, however, passed.
Roster not bowl-ready
Though the possibility of a 5-7 bowl bid existed, UCF did not expect one to materialize following the regular season finale at BYU. As a result, players were dismissed for the semester and held exit meetings this past week. Several players quickly announced intentions to enter the transfer portal, including quarterbacks Tayven Jackson and Jacurri Brown, leaving the roster extremely thin at several key positions.
UCF would have had only two available quarterbacks for a potential bowl game: redshirt freshman Davi Belfort and walk-on Brock Hansel. Cam Fancher, the season-opening starter, is pursuing a medical redshirt waiver after suffering broken ribs in the Cincinnati game. He would have been questionable, at best.
Eight players had publicly announced transfer intentions by the end of the week, further complicating depth across both sides of the ball.
UCF ultimately determined the available roster would not allow for a safe or productive bowl game, and formally declined when contacted, per source.
Had UCF accepted a bowl invitation, it would have meant an extra year added to Scott Frost’s contract. His current deal is structured to include a sixth season if the Knights reached a bowl game in 2025, his first year back in Orlando.
