UCF’s 10th annual Space Game will take place Friday, October 30, 2026, when the Knights host Baylor at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern, with ESPN televising the Big 12 matchup.
This year’s celebration, called Mission X: Origin Story, includes specially designed uniforms, an auction and campus events honoring UCF’s connection to America’s space program. For fans planning to attend, several important deadlines arrive before kickoff.
Why the UCF Mission X Space Game Is Special
The 2026 Space Game celebrates the 10th anniversary of a tradition that began in 2017. What makes the event distinctive is its connection to the university’s founding mission rather than simply an alternative football uniform.
UCF was founded in 1963 to help meet the educational and workforce needs of America’s growing space industry. That history inspired the predominantly white uniforms for Mission X, with design influences drawn from NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs.
The university’s official look at the 2026 Space Game uniforms explains how the design reflects the earliest years of human spaceflight. The result connects UCF’s modern football identity with the university’s original purpose.
For broader season context, florida-football UCF Knights Big 12 schedule guide covers the Knights’ conference schedule and the place of special-event games within it.
Game Tickets and Student Entry Deadlines
General admission tickets are available through UCF’s official ticketing channels, including the purchase link in the Mission X uniform announcement. Fans should check current seat availability and pricing before purchasing.
Eligible UCF students can attend regular-season home football games without paying for a standard student ticket, but admission requires following the university’s ticket-claim process.
Under the 2026 student football ticket policy, Knightmare Society members have tickets automatically loaded into their accounts. Other eligible students can begin claiming tickets at 10 a.m. Monday, October 26, using their UCF student accounts. Claims are first-come, first-served.
Students who secure tickets must still arrive on time. To retain guaranteed entry, they must be in the student-ticket line at least 30 minutes before kickoff. With the currently scheduled 7:30 p.m. start, that means being in line no later than 7 p.m.
Late arrivals may have to use the standby line and can enter only if space remains. Claiming a ticket early therefore solves only part of the admission process.
Uniform Auction and Space Week Events
Collectors have another deadline to remember. UCF’s Mission X uniform auction is scheduled to open at noon Tuesday, October 20, and close at noon Monday, November 2. Some available items will be authentic uniforms and may show signs of use. Auction dates and inventory remain subject to change.
The auction opens 10 days before the Baylor matchup and closes three days afterward, giving supporters an opportunity to participate before and after the game without assuming a particular uniform will remain available.
The celebration also extends beyond football. UCF Space Week runs October 25–30, featuring educational activities, university events and space-industry discussions.
One of the notable public-facing events is the SpaceU Drone Show, scheduled for Thursday, October 29, at 7 p.m. at Memory Mall. The university’s official Space Week event guide provides the wider calendar, which concludes with the Baylor game.
For fans attending Mission X, the best preparation is straightforward: secure a valid ticket, check the game-day entry requirements and confirm event schedules before traveling. UCF’s anniversary celebration offers more than one way to participate, but the most important deadlines arrive well before the Knights take the field.