Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 8 | W 39-31vs No. 2 BYU | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 0 | 7 | |
| Wk 9 | L 9-41vs Baylor | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 0 | 9 | Season-high 28 yds |
| Total | 7 | 44 | 6.3 | 0 | 9 |
UCF is 4-4.
What’s being said
5 stories in the last 60 days, from 5 outlets.
UCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. praises Tyren Hornes, Josh Derry
Houma Today Oct 16
Played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. A game that shows it: 28 receiving yards and 4 receptions against Baylor — Week 9, 2026.
44 receiving yards · 7 catches · 0 receiving TD
Style of play
Style of play
Play style
Wins underneath on volume and route precision.
Similar players
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
In the news in the last 60 days
from 5 outlets
UCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. praises Tyren Hornes, Josh Derry
Houma Today Oct 16 · 1 outlet
In the news this season
from 8 outlets
UCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. praises Tyren Hornes, Josh Derry
Houma Today Oct 16 · 1 outlet
What they’re talking about
Profile and feature3 stories
Daytona Beach News-JournalUCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. played on absolutely loaded Chaminade-Madonna team - Daytona Beach News-JournalAug 7
Yahoo SportsUCF WR Duane Thomas Jr Provides Insight on Mentoring Younger PlayersAug 9
Sports IllustratedMeet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 7 Duane Thomas Jr. and Antione JacksonAug 27
In his words3 stories
- Yahoo SportsUCF Wide Receiver Duane Thomas Jr. Shares Thoughts on Knights' Secondary and Fellow ReceiversAug 18
RoundtableUCF WR Duane Thomas Jr. Says Offense Will Be ExplosiveAug 19- Daytona Beach News-JournalUCF football WR Waden Charles talks recovery of Duane Thomas Jr. - Daytona Beach News-JournalOct 5
Week by week
- Oct 29 to Nov 4L 9-41 vs BaylorNo stories
- Oct 22 to Oct 28W 39-31 vs BYUNo stories
- Oct 15 to Oct 21No game1 storyUCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. praises Tyren Hornes, Josh Derry Houma Today
- Oct 8 to Oct 14L 28-42 at Oklahoma StateNo stories
- Oct 1 to Oct 7L 17-27 at Houston1 story
- Sep 24 to Sep 30W 21-13 vs TCUNo stories
- Sep 17 to Sep 23W 44-30 vs Georgia State1 storyUCF’s Lewis Carter, Duane Thomas Jr. listed as out against TCU
Orlando Sentinel - Sep 10 to Sep 16L 7-12 at PittsburghNo stories
- Sep 3 to Sep 9W 73-6 vs Bethune-Cookman2 storiesUCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. praises Tyren Hornes, Josh Derry - The Register-Guard
The Register-Guard - Aug 27 to Sep 2No game1 storyMeet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 7 Duane Thomas Jr. and Antione Jackson Sports Illustrated
- Aug 13 to Aug 19No game3 storiesDuane Thomas Jr. praises fellow UCF WRs Tyren Hornes and Josh Derry - Daytona Beach News-Journal Daytona Beach News-Journal
- Aug 6 to Aug 12No game2 storiesUCF WR Duane Thomas Jr Provides Insight on Mentoring Younger Players Yahoo Sports
Each week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
What was said at each stop
Stories we tracked, by school.
UCF14 stories2025 to now
Most about: in his words, profile and feature, preview and matchup.
Locked OnUcf’s Duane Thomas Jr. announces Return, Offense energized I UCF PodcastDec 10- Locked OnDuane Thomas Jr and Josh Derry will Be ucf's Breakout Players On Offense! I UCF PodcastApr 16
- Locked OnUcf’s Duke Watson and Duane Thomas Jr. gear up to deliver Massive Offensive ResultsJul 5
- Daytona Beach News-JournalUCF football WR Duane Thomas Jr. played on absolutely loaded Chaminade-Madonna team - Daytona Beach News-JournalAug 7
- Yahoo SportsUCF WR Duane Thomas Jr Provides Insight on Mentoring Younger PlayersAug 9
Charlotte2023 to 2024not trackedIn the news across his career
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
In the game threads
at Oklahoma State, Oct 10swear if Duane Thomas takes snaps away from hornesFlorida fan, r/CFB game threadNamed in
- UCF football WR Waden Charles talks recovery of Duane Thomas Jr. - Daytona Beach News-Journal
- Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 7 Duane Thomas Jr. and Antione Jackson
- UCF WR Duane Thomas Jr. Says Offense Will Be Explosive
- UCF Wide Receiver Duane Thomas Jr. Shares Thoughts on Knights' Secondary and Fellow Receivers
Where to follow
The latest game
Against Baylor on Oct. 30: 4 catches for 28 yards. In the 2 games drawn here: 7 catches for 44 yards. UCF has thrown to him 9 times in 78 passes.
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
- L 9-41 vs Baylor4 catches, 28 yds
- W 39-31 vs BYU3 catches, 16 yds
a catch, by its yardsa touchdownthrown to him, incomplete
Each game is split into its four quarters, so the columns line up from game to game; inside a quarter, plays keep their order. Third and fourth downs are marked under the line, bold when he moved the chains.
Career stats
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Last game (Wk 9): 28 receiving yards, 4 catches.
Game log
Signature game
Week 8 · 2026
W 39-31
vs BYU
3 rec · 16 yds · 7 rush yds (2 car)
Edged out BYU at home in a shootout.
With K. Jenkins — 293 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 81.0 · 35 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD · A. Bertrams — 48 yards per punt · 4 punts · 2 inside the 20
Signature plays
The plays that mattered most
- Week 9 · Baylor · 1st and 10 · Q2 · EPA +1.25Jenkins to Thomas Jr.: a 9-yard pass.
- Week 9 · Baylor · 2nd and 5 · Q3 · EPA +0.93Jenkins to Thomas Jr.: a 7-yard pass.
- Week 9 · Baylor · 2nd and 17 · Q4 · EPA +0.71Barnett III to Thomas Jr.: an 8-yard pass.
- Week 8 · BYU · 1st and 10 · Q1 · EPA +0.60Jenkins to Thomas Jr.: a 7-yard pass.
- Week 8 · BYU · 2nd and 10 · Q6 · EPA −0.15D.Thomas Jr. rush left for 2 yards gain (M.Hall)
- Week 9 · Baylor · 2nd and 9 · Q1 · EPA −0.14D.Thomas Jr. rush left for 2 yards gain (H.Wheeler)
4 more plays
- Week 8 · BYU · 1st and 10 · Q1 · EPA +0.11Jenkins to Thomas Jr.: a 5-yard pass.
- Week 8 · BYU · 1st and 10 · Q4 · EPA +0.11D.Thomas Jr. rush right for 5 yards gain (E.Johnson)
- Week 9 · Baylor · 2nd and 10 · Q4 · EPA −0.05Barnett III to Thomas Jr.: a 4-yard pass.
- Week 8 · BYU · 1st and 10 · Q6 · EPA −0.04Jenkins to Thomas Jr.: a 4-yard pass.
Teams and coaches
2023Charlotte3-9HC: Biff Poggi · Run-leaning
2024Charlotte5-7HC: Biff Poggi · Balanced, slow tempo
2025UCF5-7HC: Scott Frost · Balanced
2026UCF4-4HC: Scott Frost · Balanced
Our ratings
Splits
Home and road splits, scheme and staff
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 REC/g, 22.0 YDS/g, 6.2 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Scott Frost
Pass share
48.3%
248 pass / 265 run
Plays / game
64.1
8 games
Team sack rate
5.7%
280 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
7 catches and 3 carries in 2 games
About as many catches a game as a typical FBS receiver who plays every week.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #22 of 55 Big 12 WRs
How the All-Big 12 base rate is computed
A base rate for the rank, not a forecast of this player: 15% of returning players who ranked #21 or lower at their position in their conference made an all-conference team the next season (95% confidence interval 13–17%).
Starter
The No. 2,070 recruit in the country is starting at receiver in the Big 12 as a senior.
Four seasons, two schools
2026 is in progress.
- 2026 UCF FrostYear 4 · 2 games
- 2025 UCF FrostYear 3 · 12 games
- Jan 2025 Entered the transfer portalCharlotte to UCF
- 2024 Charlotte PoggiYear 2 · 4 games
- 2023 Charlotte PoggiYear 1 · 12 games
- High school Chaminade-MadonnaHollywood, FL · Class of 2023Three-star, No. 2,070 in the 2023 class. Signed with Charlotte.Also from Chaminade-Madonna: Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Joshisa Trader (NC State), Kenyatta Jackson (Ohio State) and 26 more.
Moves
- Transferred from Charlotte to UCF, Jan 18, 2025.
A stat line in 30 games over four seasons.
The week the volume broke through — put up 77 yds at Baylor.Baylor · L 3-302025
2023 12 games
- Signed with CharlotteThree-star, out of Chaminade-Madonna
2025 12 games
- Transferred to UCFfrom Charlotte
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2024
Biff Poggi
Charlotte
Played for 2 head coaches at 2 schools: Biff Poggi and Scott Frost.