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Live updates, highlights for Buffaloes-Knights

Vaseline September 28, 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. – Coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team flew to Florida on Wednesday, a day earlier than they had planned, all to avoid the hurricane that made landfall in the state on Thursday.

Then they tried to prepare for it all – a hot, wet and humid game Saturday against Central Florida and the No. 1 rushing attack in the country (375.7 yards per game).

Last week, the Buffaloes (3-1) needed a miracle to survive a wet home game in Boulder against Baylor. They might need one more on Saturday at sold-out FBC Mortgage Stadium, at least according to oddsmakers who have the Knights (3-0) ahead by 14 points.

The game kicks off at 3:30 PM ET on Fox and will mark a different kind of homecoming for Sanders and many of his players from the Sunshine State, including two-time star Travis Hunter, who hails from West Palm Beach.

A big question is whether Hunter will be enough against the Knights. He has lifted the Buffs to victory at times this year, along with quarterback Shedeur Sanders. But this can be a bigger task. UCF scored no fewer than 35 points this season under coach Guz Malzahn.

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FOOTBALL CHOICES: College football Week 5 predictions for each Top 25 game start with the picks between Georgia and Alabama

ORLANDO, Fla. – Two possessions, two interceptions. After the delayed kickoff, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw an interception on his first possession of the game, setting up a short field for Central Florida at the Colorado 31-yard line.

But the Buffaloes got the ball back with an interception of their own when UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson threw a pass into the end zone that was picked off by Colorado defender Preston Hodge. UCF ran 10 plays before the turnover and has 24 yards of offense.

The score is still 0-0 with 9:17 left in the first quarter.

When is the Colorado-UCF game?

Kickoff is Saturday, September 28 at 3:30 PM ET from FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

How to compare Colorado vs. can watch UCF game

The game will air on FOX and will also be available on Fubo.

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Kickoff for the Colorado-Central Florida game has been delayed until at least 4:20 PM ET due to inclement weather and lightning in the area.

The match was scheduled to start at approximately 3:30 PM on Fox, but was then postponed to 4:05 PM and then 4:20 PM. The new kickoff time is “pending no lightning strike within eight miles,” according to the stadium’s video board.

Virginia Tech at Miami, ESPN, 7:30 PM (Friday, September 27)
Kentucky at No. 5 Ole Miss, ABC, noon
No. 22 BYU at Baylor, FS1, noon
No. No. 20 Oklahoma State at No. 25 Kansas State, ESPN, noon
Minnesota at No. 12 Michigan, FOX, noon
Fresno State at No. 23 UNLV, FS1, 3:30 p.m
Arkansas at No. 24 Texas A&M, ESPN, 3:30 p.m
No. 18 Oklahoma at Auburn, ABC, 3:30 p.m
No. No. 17 Louisville at No. 14 Notre Dame, Peacock, 3:30 p.m
Wisconsin at No. 18 USC, CBS, 3:30 p.m
Mississippi State at No. 2 Texas, SEC Network, 4:15 p.m
No. 19 Iowa State at Houston, FS1, 7 p.m
Stanford at No. 15 Clemson, ESPN, 7 p.m
No. 1 Georgia at No. 4 Alabama, ABC, 7:30 p.m
No. 21 Illinois at No. 8 Penn State, NBC, 7:30 p.m
No. 3 Ohio State at Michigan State, Peacock, 7:30 p.m
South Alabama at No. 13 LSU, SEC Network, 7:45 p.m
No. 7 Oregon at UCLA, FOX, 11 p.m

Colorado vs. UCF odds, line

The Central Florida Knights are the favorites to beat the Colorado Buffaloes in Saturday’s college football game, according to BetMGM betting odds. Do you want to bet? Check out the best college football betting apps in 2024, featuring the best NCAA football betting promos and bonuses in 2024.

Chances from Saturday.

Spread: UCF (-14)
Moneyline: UCF (-550)
Top/Bottom: 61.5

USA TODAY experts are happy to tell you how things will play out in week 5.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A rain cloud erupted over the FBC Mortgage Stadium field about 100 minutes before kickoff, chasing players off the field and under the cover of the stadium. The downpour also chased away 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who strolled across the field as a guest before the game.

It’s not clear how long the rain will last, but the skies here have been something to watch lately. At 1:17 p.m. ET, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission took off about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of the stadium at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch was not visible from the stadium due to cloudy weather.

About an hour before the game, the stadium’s video board was still imploring fans to leave the seating bowl.

“Bad weather in the area!” the video board said. “Please leave the sitting bowl now.”

Many students still remained behind the end zones.

Coach Deion Sanders calls them his “Florida boys” – players on his Colorado football team who, like him, were born in Florida.

This week, many of them came home as the Buffaloes arrived in Orlando on Wednesday for Saturday’s game at Central Florida.

The Colorado roster officially lists 18 players on the roster from Florida, second only to players from Texas (21) and even more than players from Colorado itself (14).

But there are more than that with connections to the state. The list doesn’t even include two-time star Travis Hunter, who is from West Palm Beach but moved to Georgia before high school. It also does not include starting offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, who played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, but is from Washington, DC.

The list also includes wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, who returns home a hero after catching a Hail Mary touchdown pass as time expired in the fourth quarter of a 38-31 overtime win against Baylor last week. He is from Palmetto, Florida, and was transferred to Colorado from Florida Atlantic along with his brother Jaylen, a linebacker for Colorado.

Sanders is from Fort Myers, Florida, and played at Florida State. He has made a point of recruiting players from Florida, citing the state’s high number of players in the NFL. Earlier this year, he also hired Orlando native Warren Sapp to join his coaching staff as a graduate assistant. Sapp played at the University of Miami.

UCF is expected to host dozens of recruits on Saturday. But Deion Sanders suggested many will be there to watch the Buffaloes.

“I shouldn’t be saying this,” Sanders said on his weekly show on CBS Colorado. “But this is the way we do it… A lot of recruits who really want to see us will sign up to go to the game on behalf of an opponent.”

Sanders said he guaranteed the Knights will have “their biggest weekend of recruiting” this weekend.

“Every Florida recruit is going to be on the sidelines,” he said.

ESPN: UCF has an 82% chance of winning

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the UCF Knights have an 82% chance of beating the Colorado Buffaloes in Week 5.

The Oklahoman: UCF 34, Colorado 31

Justin Martinez writes: “Colorado exceeded its odds in its overtime win over Baylor last week, getting a Hail Mary touchdown from Shedeur Sanders to LaJohntay Wester at the end of regulation. However, I don’t think the Buffaloes will be able to repeat that magic against the Knights. UCF ranks first in the nation in rushing yards per game this season (375.7), and it will use that strength to control time of possession and get the ball out of Sanders’ hands than the odds suggest, but UCF will still get the win.”

Buffalo Wire: UCF 34, Colorado 28

Jack Carlough writes: “The Knights are currently favored by about two touchdowns, which is way too generous against UCF. However, Colorado’s special teams woes and continued offensive line issues still have me leaning toward those Knights. “

Saturday will mark the first time the two programs meet and will pit UCF (3-0) against Colorado (3-1), led by its second-year coach, Deion Sanders.

Offence

QB: Shedeur Sanders
RB: Isaiah Augustave
WR: Will Sheppard
WR: Travis Hunter
W.: Jimmy Horn Jr.
TE: Sav’ell Smalls
LT: Jordan Seaton
LG: Tyler Brown
C: Hank Zilinskas
RG: Kahlil Benson
RT: Phillip Houston

Defense

DE: BJ Green
DT: Chidozie Nwankwo
DT: Shane Cokes
DE: Samuel Okunlola
LB: Lavonta Bentley
LB: Nakhai Hill-Green
Note: Preston Hodge
CB: Travis Hunter
S: Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig
S: Carter Stoutmire
CB: DJ McKinney

Specialists

Punter: Mark Vassett
Place kicker: Alejando Mata

Offence

Q: KJ Jefferson
RB: RJ Harvey
W. Xavier Townsend
W: Kobe Hudson
WR: Trent Whittemore
TE: Randy Pittman Jr.
LT: Amari Kight
LG: Adrian Medley
C: Caden Kitler
RG: Marcellus Marshall
RT: Paul Rubelt

Defense

LDE: Malachi Lawrence
NT: Lee Hunter
DT: Ricky Barber
RDE: Nyjalik Kelly
WLB: Deshawn Pace
MLB: Ethan Barr
CB: Brandon Adams
S: Sheldon Arnold
S: Quadric Bullard
CB: Mac McWilliams
NOTE: Braeden Marshall

Specialists

Punter: Mitch McCarthy
Placekicker: Colton Boomer

USA TODAY Sports’ Dan Wolken and Paul Myerberg discuss these topics and more in this week’s edition of the College Football Fix.

Nebraska and Memphis both dropped out of this week’s American LBM Coaches Poll. The Georgia Bulldogs took the lead and came in a close second to take first place with the Texas Longhorns.

There is still plenty of time left in the season for teams to continue jockeying for position, hoping to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff or at least a bowl game. Here are Erick Smith’s USA TODAY Sports bowl projections after the results of the Week 4 games.

Paul Myerberg delivers this week’s USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-134, where he ranks every team in college football, including Colorado and UCF before they meet this afternoon.

Reporter Eddie Timanus is back to provide a broader perspective in response to the Week 4 controversy, much of which was generated by members of one conference in particular.

Every now and then we recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate commission. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently and this does not impact our reporting.

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Live updates, highlights for Buffaloes-Knights

When is the Colorado-UCF game?

How to compare Colorado vs. can watch UCF game