ORLANDO, Fla. - Football season has finally arrived. Fresh off the best season for the program since joining the SWAC, the fourth year of the Raymond Woodie Jr. era begins with a trip to nearby Orlando as the Wildcats take on the Knights of UCF, Thursday, September 3 at 7p.m. EST

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Fans can listen to B-CU's coverage of the game live for free at YouTube.com/CatEyeNetwork,  BCUAthletics.com/Radio, or on local radio waves at 1380 WELE in Daytona Beach.

B-CU enters the 2026 season coming off a 6-6 finish a year ago with a 5-3 SWAC record. The Cats finished a perfect 5-5 at home, capping off the season with a thrilling win over Florida A&M in the 2025 Florida Blue Florida Classic down the street at Camping World Stadium.

The 2026 squad returns 49 players from a season ago, led by All-SWAC first-team selections OL Christian Loving, LB Stephen Sparrow Jr., and LS Cole Hash. Joining them on all-conference preseason selections, checking in on the second team, was DL Isaiah Washburn, DL Malik Stinnett, and CB Naim Lassitter. 

Lassitter was also named to the Aenease Williams Award Preseason Watchlist, recognizing the best defensive back in DI HBCU football, while kicker Aiden Lanier was named to the Fred Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List, recognizing the nation's most oustanding non-FBS collegiate place-kicker.

The 2025 Wildcats were led by an offensive resurgence, finishing in the top 40 among FCS schools in scoring offense, passing offense, rushing offense, and passing efficiency.

B-CU saw both its top signal-callers depart in the offseason to graduation in Cam'Ron Ransom and Timmy McClain, naming Florida A&M transfer Tyler Jefferson starting quarterback ahead of week one. 



Thursday, September 3
Opponent:  UCF (5-7, 2-7 BIG12)
Time: 7 p.m. EST
Location: Orlando, Fla. | Acrisure Bounce House
Watch: https://plus.espn.com/
Listen: 1380 WELE / Youtube.com/CatEyeNetwork / BCUAthletics.com/Radio
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=673339
Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/ucf-knights-football-vs-bethune-cookman-orlando-florida-09-03-2026/event/2200649DE3729433




The Wildcats will face a UCF team that struggled to find footing in the first season of the second tenure of returning head coach Scott Frost. The Knights finished 5-7 overall with a 2-7 record in Big 12 play. 

UCF will bet its 2026 rebound on transfer quarterback Alonza Bernett III, who joined the Knights after leading James Madison to the College Football Playoff in 2025. He was named the Sun Belt Player of the year a season ago, tossing a pair of touchdowns with a rushing score against Oregon last postseason. He totalled 2,806 yards in the air and 23 touchdowns to eight picks with nearly 600 yards on the ground and 15 rushing scores last season. 

UCF returns its top three pass catchers in receivers Duane Thomas Jr. and Walden Charles, as well as tight end Dylan Wade. In the rushing game, they return only 95 yards from last year's roster, relying on portal additiona Duke Watson (Louiville) and Landen Chambers (Central Arkansas) to bolster the backfield. 

Defensively, the Knights' strength lies in their secondary, ranking 22nd in the nation in passing yards allowed per game a year ago, their best mark in the statistic since 2001. Four starters from that secondary return this year in corners Jayden Bellamy and Antione Jackson, along with safety Demari Henderson and nickle Braiden Marshall.




HOME HEAVY
Following Thursday's game at UCF, the Wildcats will return to the friendly confines of Daytona Stadium for four straight games. The home opener is set for September 12 against Volusia County neighbor, Stetson, followed by a homecoming matchup with Virgina - Lynchburg. B-CU wraps up its first homestand by hosting defending Celebration Bowl champions, South Carolina State, and SWAC preseason favorite Alabama State. B-CU will have only two home games remaining following their first homestand.

SUNSHINE STATE OF MIND
The Wildcats open the 2026 season in the state of Florida for the third straight sea son after road tripping to FIU and Miami a season ago, and USF in 2023. B-CU has faced a road game against an in-state, non-conference opponent in eight straight seasons dating back to 2017.

AWARD-WINNING DEPARTMENT
Bethune-Cookman's 2025 football squad served as an integral part as the Bethune-Cookman Athletic De partment received the SWAC's 2026 C.D. Henry Award. The prestigious award is presented annually to the SWAC institution demonstrating the strongest overall athletic performance across conference-spon ored men's sports throughout the academic year. Bethune-Cookman finished atop the league standings with 70.5 points after placing fourth in the final standings in the 2024-25 season.

FROM B-CU TO HOF
Wildcat great and Green Bay Pack ers Super Bowl Hero Nick Collins was named to the Black College Football Hall of Fame in January. The NFL cornerback and former B-CU assistant coach was inducted to the hall in June of this year.

NEW CATS ON CAMPUS
B-CU added five new assistant coaches to the staff following the 2025 season. Billy Parker joins the Cats from Texas Southern as Cornerbacks Coach. Dillon Sharpe and Kenny Strong will take over analyst duties for defense and offense, respectively. Randall Moore and Whitney Jacobs arrive on campus from Southern, with Moore serving as Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, while Jacobs serves as Assistant S&T Coach as well as Director of Football Operations. Additionally, two former Wildcats return to the staff as Brandon Woods takes over Co-Special Teams Coordinator Duties as well as Tight Ends, while Myron Dillard serves as Academic Coordinator and Director of Player Personnel.

A WIN OVER UCF WOULD...
• Mark the first win for B-CU over the Knights since 1989, when the Cats took down UCF, 23-15, in Orlando.
• Mark the first season-opening win for B-CU since the Wildcats took down Jackson State, 36-15, in the 2019 MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta. That win kickstarted the last winning season for B-CU at 7-4.
• Make it back-to-back wins in the city of Orlando for B-CU, who defeated Florida A&M, 38-34, to close out the 2025 season in the Florida Blue Florida Classic
• Mark Raymond Woodie, Jr.'s first win over an FBS opponent at the helm as head coach, and the first for the program since they last defeated FIU in 2014



Saturday marks the 18th meeting all-time between UCF and B-CU, with UCF owning an 5-12 advantage in the series. The Wildcats have lost eight straight in the series, most recently a 63-0 game at the Bounce House in 2021.