Howdy, division rivals 👋🏻 Rank 'em 😤 and is Dawkins done?
UCF could be in the same Big 12 division as Texas, before they depart for the SEC. Plus, what an incredible week for Coach Abe and UCF's tournament resume.
We’re all thinking of Kristi Malzahn, the wife of head coach Gus Malzahn, as she’s been hospitalized battling an infection. Get well soon, Kristi. Knight Nation is sending you all the love and prayers!
Today’s read is 3.5 minutes ⏲️
Trending in the Kingdom: Howdy, rival 🤠
The Big 12 may have a numbers problem in the coming years with conference expansion, which could force UCF to play rival with teams like Texas for a few seasons.
Here’s the scoop ✍️: Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reports the Big 12 is set to expand in 2023 before Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC, which would force a divisional split. That would mean a pair of 7-team divisions for likely two seasons, with UCF possibly locked in with Lone Star state opponents - the Longhorns, TCU, Texas Tech, Houston and Baylor.
Dodd reports that UCF Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir met with ADs from the Big 12, including the other newcomers Cincinnati, Houston, and BYU, in Las Vegas back in December. They wanted to plan how the league will look for two seasons (2023-24) before Texas and OU depart.
NCAA rules require any league with more than 12 teams to split into divisions for football, according to Big 12 senior associate commissioner Ed Stewart.
The current Big 12 grant of rights TV deal with Fox and ESPN expires in 2025. If Texas and Oklahoma were to leave ahead of that, they could be forced to pay a nine-figure early exit fee.
Dodd reports the Big 12 is most likely going to stick with its current nine-game conference schedule in 2023 and 2024.
Projected division alignment, courtesy of Dodd:
Here’s UCF’s all-time record against their proposed division mates:
vs. Baylor: 1-0
Houston: 7-3
TCU: Never played
Texas: 0-2
Texas Tech: Never played
West Virginia: 0-2
You’d have to imagine the Big 12 would want to split Oklahoma and Texas into different divisions to avoid any major shifting when they leave. Either way, it’ll be a competitive conference among the Power 5 elites.
“No matter how the league splits itself in the near and distant future, one thing is certain,” Zach Barnett writes, “…even without Oklahoma and Texas, the Big 12 will be a competitive and compelling watch week-in, week-out.”
Give me a Knugget 🐴: If the Big 12 had been at 14 teams this past football season, it would have finished with four top-10 programs: No. 4 Cincinnati, No. 5 Baylor, No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 10 Oklahoma, almost as many as the SEC (2) and Big Ten (3) combined.
ICYMI 🤨: After news broke regarding the Oklahoma and Texas moves, the Big 12 extended invitations just over a month later to UCF, Cincinnati, BYU and Houston, with the group expected to join their new home as early as 2023.
Hey pollsters, rank the Lady Knights 😤
What more does Coach Abe’s team have to do in order to get some respect? This week should have served as a wake-up call to the rest of the nation.
Fill me in 🏀: UCF was named the NCAA Women’s Basketball “Team of the Week” after a pair of huge wins. The lady Knights beat Houston, 62-59, early last week and just demolished No. 24 USF on Sunday, 67-51. It was the Bulls’ first conference loss and UCF’s first win this season over a ranked school.
It’s mind-boggling that UCF hasn’t cracked the Top 25 yet, given their resume:
12-2 overall, 4-0 in the AAC and at the top the conference standings.
Their only two losses are by eight points to current No. 5 Tennesse, who’s 17-1, and at Iowa (10-4), who’s receiving votes in the top 25.
UCF sits 33rd in NET ranking and they’re 6-2 against Top 100 opponents. Arkansas, who they beat 52-51 earlier this season, is one spot ahead of them.
“We’ve got some pretty big wins, too,” UCF head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said after the victory on Sunday. “Obviously us beating them (USF) and they’re ranked 24th, it’s just once again going to keep helping our RPI and net moving forward.”
📆 UCF’s game scheduled for Wednesday against SMU had to be postponed due to COVID issues, but assuming it gets rescheduled, the Knights have five games against current NET Top 100 teams remaining on their schedule, which should be an even bigger boost their their tournament profile.
Keeping track 📊: Coach Abe’s 117 wins are now the most ever for a coach in program history. She passed Joi Williams’ 114 wins with the victory over ECU on Jan. 8. Her .713 win percentage is tied for second-best in team history, behind Nancy Sirmons, who won at a .741 clip over two seasons, from 1978-80.
🎥 By the way, in case you missed this nasty juke move by Alisha Lewis, you better watch it on repeat.
Is Dawkins’ time running out? 🕕
UCF’s improbable comeback against ECU might have bought Johnny Dawkins a bit more time, but is a breakup inevitable?
Tell me more: Dawkins’ seat got pretty warm during the second half against the Pirates, when his Knights trailed by as much as 20, but they stormed back to not only beat ECU in overtime, but also cover 🤑. The Knights handed the Pirates their first home loss of the season.
Still, despite the rally, UCF had another uneven performance and their NCAA hopes have all but slipped away after getting trounced by USF over the weekend.
Is Dawkins on the hot seat 🔥? The Knights do have some impressive wins this season, including against Miami, Michigan and Memphis, but none of those teams are ranked in the Top 25 (Miami is receiving votes). The issue seems to be yet another season of inconsistency under Dawkins.
The Knights have lost to USF (212) and Temple (129), both of whom are ranked outside the Top 100 KenPom College Basketball Ratings.
UCF started the season 9-2, but is just 2-3 since, with one of its most talented rosters in the Dawkins era.
Let’s look at the big picture 🌃: I do think it’s important to view the entire Dawkins era and not just this single season. He has a pair of postseason appearances, including nearly reaching the Sweet 16 in 2019, and boasts a 105–65 (.618) record. That win percentage is second-best in school history behind the great Torchy Clark (.755).
Keep in mind, he had a COVID-shortened year last year and has had to deal with pandemic-related issues this season.
I know this may not be the popular take, but I think Dawkins gets a seventh year next season, especially if this team creeps towards 20 wins, but that seems like a stretch at this point.
Of their 12 remaining games currently scheduled, they play Houston and Wichita State twice, plus Memphis and ECU again.
Knights of the Roundup 🍼📣🎾
🍼 KZ junior: McKenzie Milton announced on his Instagram that he and his fiance are expecting a baby this summer.
📣 Another Top 5 finish: UCF’s cheer squad finished in fifth place in the Division IA competition at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports over the weekend, their 23rd finish in the top five at the UCA National Championships. UCF’s dance team capped off its highest-finish in school history, coming in 7th.
🎾 Dawg-onit: The No. 11 UCF men's tennis team lost to No. 8 Georgia (1-0), 6-1, in their season opener on Monday.