How to watch
Channel: ESPN+ I FuboTV
Date: Thursday, August 29
Game time: 7:00 p.m.
Radio: iHeart Radio
Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium
Odds
UCF is a big favorite in this game as they are favored by 40 points, which is huge for the first game of the season. The spread is also set with a 63.5 over/under which is another big number for the first game of the season, with oddsmakers suggesting UCF will score the majority of those points.
Injuries
The biggest injury that the Knights will deal with for the first game and for a good portion of the season is defensive tackle John Walker. Walker was seen in a post on social media wearing a brace on his knee last week and it was announced this week by head coach Gus Malzahn that Walker would be out for "an extended period of time," which gives fans no timeline on when Walker will be back on the field.
Walker is entering his sophomore season with the Knights and is a solid piece to the defensive line and will be missed greatly. With Walker out, UT-Matin transfer Daylon Dotson will get the start against New Hampshire for the foreseeable future. The Knights will also be without tight end Jordan Davis for the rest of the season with an Achilles tear.
Series history
This will be the first matchup between UCF and New Hampshire.
Weather
Most UCF fans know that Thursday night games are slightly cursed at UCF. The most memorable Thursday night game at UCF was the one against Boise State when the game was delayed for hours and did not conclude until almost 1:00 a.m. ET. The game was one of the most exciting for UCF as the Knights pulled out a tight 36-31 win with students cheering in the stands, even with class the next day.
According to the weather forecast from the Weather Channel, Thursday is supposed to be mostly sunny with a high of 90 degrees and a low of 76 degrees. The skies are supposed to be mainly clear with winds coming from the East at about 5 to 10 miles per hour. There is a low percent chance of rain, but this is Florida, and showers can pop up out of thin air at any time.