UCF baseball fans have every reason to pay close attention to the BYU vs. Kansas series this weekend — because it could determine whether the Knights get a shot at postseason play.
Heading into the weekend, UCF sits just outside the Big 12 tournament cutoff with a 6–18 conference record. Only the top 12 teams qualify, and BYU currently holds that final spot at 7–17. But with the Cougars set to open a three-game series against a tough Kansas squad tonight, the door is wide open for UCF to climb back into contention.
If BYU drops the opener against Kansas — a team that’s 37–13 overall and third in the Big 12 — UCF will have the opportunity to tie them in the standings with a win of their own on Friday against Texas Tech. From that point, the race for the final tournament slot could come down to head-to-head records or other tiebreakers. In other words: UCF’s postseason hopes may rest as much on what happens in Lawrence as what happens on the field in Orlando.
The Knights still have two Big 12 series remaining, including the current one against Texas Tech and next weekend’s finale versus Baylor. With BYU facing a red-hot Kansas team and UCF getting two final chances at home, the momentum could shift quickly.
UCF fans should be scoreboard-watching all weekend. A Kansas win tonight could be the first domino to fall in a comeback scenario that gets the Knights back into the Big 12 tournament conversation. With just a few games left, the path is narrow — but it’s still there.
For UCF, every pitch matters now. And tonight, that includes the ones thrown in Kansas.