Kickoff: 3:30 PM ET
Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium (“The Bounce House”), Orlando, Florida
Broadcast: FOX
Weather Forecast (Orlando, FL)
Temperature: ~86°F (30°C) at kickoff
Conditions: Hot, humid, partly cloudy skies with a chance of scattered showers (typical Central Florida).
Impact: Heat and humidity could test depth, especially for North Carolina traveling south.
Injury Report
North Carolina Tar Heels (ACC):
QB Gio Lopez (119 yards, 2 TD vs. Richmond; 40 rushing yards, 1 TD) healthy and starting.
RB Demon June (148 rushing yards, 1 TD vs. Richmond) available.
WR Jordan Shipp (52 yards, 2 TDs vs. Richmond) active.
Defense healthy, though secondary depth has been a concern since Week 1 vs. TCU.
UCF Knights (Big 12):
QB Tayven Jackson (189 yards passing, 2 rushing TDs vs. NC A&T) healthy.
RB Jaden Nixon (156 yards, 2 TDs vs. NC A&T) available.
WR Duane Thomas Jr. (68 yards vs. NC A&T) active.
Defense intact, allowing just 17 points through first two games.
Key Player Matchups
QB Gio Lopez (UNC) vs. UCF Pass Rush
Lopez is mobile and efficient; UCF must contain him in the pocket.
RB Demon June (UNC) vs. UCF Linebackers
June’s 148-yard outing shows he can carry the load; UCF’s front seven must limit chunk runs.
QB Tayven Jackson (UCF) vs. UNC Secondary
Jackson has been efficient but not explosive; UNC’s DBs must avoid giving up big plays.
RB Jaden Nixon (UCF) vs. UNC Front Seven
Nixon’s 39 yards per carry average last week (on limited touches) highlights his explosiveness.
Recent Team Form
North Carolina Tar Heels (2–1, ACC)
8/30/25: L 38–21 vs. TCU
9/6/25: W 41–6 vs. Richmond
9/13/25: W 41–6 vs. Charlotte
Trend: Offense finding rhythm under Lopez; defense improved after TCU loss but untested against Power Five speed.
UCF Knights (2–0, Big 12)
8/30/25: W 27–24 vs. Notre Dame
9/6/25: W 68–7 vs. NC A&T
Trend: Defense dominant, offense balanced with Jackson and Nixon; home-field advantage at “The Bounce House” is significant.
Series History
This is the first-ever meeting between North Carolina and UCF.
Betting Trends
North Carolina:
2–1 ATS in 2025.
1 of 3 games has gone over the total.
0–5 SU in last 5 vs. ranked non-conference opponents.
UCF:
1–1 ATS in 2025.
1 of 2 games has gone over the total.
15-game winning streak under head coach Scott Frost in his second stint.
Head-to-Head: First meeting.
Historical Betting Results
North Carolina: Often struggles ATS as a road underdog vs. ranked teams.
UCF: Strong ATS at home as a short favorite (–3.5 to –7 range).
ACC vs. Big 12: ACC teams cover ~45% of the time in September non-conference matchups, historically favoring Big 12 squads.
Game Odds
North Carolina Tar Heels 47
Central Florida Knights – 7
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 19, 2025
