UCF’s journey has been a rollercoaster, going from undefeated seasons to just trying to qualify for a bowl game—a stark contrast to their 2017 peak. Their move to the Big 12 hasn’t gone smoothly, with a 10-15 record, including only 5 wins against Power Four teams. Last season’s 4-8 performance only made things worse for them. Now, the Knights are hoping for a turnaround by bringing back Scott Frost, who coached their last successful team and knows the program inside and out. His goal is to motivate the current players and restore UCF to the level of success that once made them the talk of college football.
Frost knows the challenge will be greater than the 2016–17 turnaround, when UCF went from 7-6 to 13-0 and claimed a national championship. On top of that, replacing the 320-pound tackle Lee Hunter, who transferred to Texas Tech, will be a major challenge for a unit that struggled last year. However, Frost views the deep recruiting pool in the Orlando area, along with 37 transfer players, as a significant asset.
On top of that, he’s making sure he pumps up team grit to climb the Big 12 ladder by keeping them fired up with his words. Talking to his team, Frost said, “We can do that again, and we’re on our way to doing that again, and I can feel it in the locker room, the fun we’re having and the amount of joy we have being around each other, and the level of sacrifice we have for each other, boys, but it’s going to take constant work. And what those guys had in 2016 and 2017, I want that for you so bad, too.” So, one thing is pretty clear: Frost isn’t letting his second stint at UCF go in vain.
Now, Scott Frost’s initial success at UCF was built on young talent, and the 2025 team echoes that. Back in 2016, McKenzie Milton, Adrian Killins, and Trysten Hill burst onto the scene, followed by Otis Anderson Jr., and Gabe Davis, who fueled the undefeated 2017 season. Now, with emerging talents like Kylan Fox, Sincere Edwards, and Waden Charles, he’s planning to do the same. If these young players develop quickly, they could ignite UCF’s return to national prominence. “We’re going to get it there in three ways. It’s got to be gratitude, it’s got to be sacrifice, and it’s got to be hard work,” Frost said.
“What those guys had in 2016-17, I want that for you so bad too” pic.twitter.com/wirR9JP2IG
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 15, 2025
The Knights haven’t missed consecutive bowl games in 20 years, and sportsbooks set their over/under at 5.5 wins. To succeed, they’ll need to slightly exceed expectations, which is possible with a strong start. Jacksonville State and NC A&T offer early opportunities, but the home game against North Carolina could be a game-changer. But then the schedule toughens, with road games against Kansas State, a home game against Kansas, followed by winnable games at Cincinnati and against West Virginia.
Well, the finish is brutal: Baylor on the road, a must-win Space Game against Houston, then Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and BYU. The numbers are tight, but the path exists—especially if Frost’s roster overhaul pays off quickly. A bowl appearance would significantly boost morale for a program struggling after long losing streaks, signaling the rebuild in Orlando is gaining traction.
But even with all the development, Nebraska’s regret still stings high on Scott Frost’s heart.
Scott Frost is shaking Nebraska stint
Scott Frost is back at UCF, but the shadow of Nebraska still looms. On the August 5 episode of The Jim Rome Show, he discussed his time with Sean McVay at the Rams and reminisced about Cubs great Ryne Sandberg. However, once the conversation wrapped up, Rome shifted gears and addressed the elephant in the room: the struggles Nebraska faced under Frost’s leadership and how it still impacts his reputation.
And talking about Scott Frost’s Nebraska stint, Rome didn’t mince words before laying out Frost’s actual feelings. “He’s still wounded by that. He’s moved on.” Rome said. “He has a new challenge. He’s in a place where he’s had success before. Clearly, he’s much happier now, but you can tell he’s still wounded by the way things went at Nebraska, and why wouldn’t he be? He was a legend.” Rome’s perspective confirmed what many thought—Frost bears emotional scars from a chapter that didn’t unfold as expected.
In 2017, Scott Frost left UCF following a perfect 13-0 season and an AAC title, motivated by a sense of duty to his alma mater, Nebraska. At the time, Nebraska was struggling, with a 19-19 record under Mike Riley from 2015 to 2017. Now, believing that he could revive the program’s winning tradition, Frost took the reins. Even when he wasn’t sure it was the right fit.
And the result? Things quickly went south. In over four seasons, Frost compiled a 16-31 record at Nebraska, including a dismal 5-22 in close games, making him one of college football’s biggest coaching disappointments. Then he was fired in September 2022, and now, back at UCF in the Big 12, he inherits a team that went 10-15 in the last two seasons under Gus Malzahn.
Now, Frost’s second act at UCF begins with a sense of unfinished business. Nebraska didn’t deliver the happy ending, but Orlando offers a chance for redemption in a familiar setting. With Jacksonville State as the first opponent on August 28, he has the opportunity to rewrite the narrative—not by forgetting the past, but by demonstrating he can win big again where it all began.
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