Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 73-6vs Bethune-Cookman | 7 | 110 | 15.7 | 1 | 64 | Season-high 110 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 7-12@ Pittsburgh | 6 | 10 | 1.7 | 0 | 8 | |
| Total | 13 | 120 | 8.7 | 1 | 64 |
#26
Duke Watson
Junior running back for UCF. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 185 lb · Forsyth, GA · Mary Persons
CFB Index 63 · #59 of 310 RBsHigh confidenceTransferred Louisville → UCF for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
120
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 9.2 per carry · 3 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 110 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Bethune-Cookman
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for UCF. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Louisville in 2024.
- Transferred from Louisville to UCF in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Rivals warmer than fans
The rival fanbase is unexpectedly warm on him relative to his own.
36.7own fans
70rival fans
The UCF Knights opened the season with a BANG at home against Bethune Cookman in the Bounce House. Alonza Barnett and Duke Watson had big nights while Alex Grinch’s defense was near perfect on the scoreboard. The Locked on UCF crew…
Also worth knowing:
Duke Watson
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Jeff Brohm and Scott Frost. The receipt: 110 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Bethune-Cookman — Week 1, 2026.
120 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 13 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
202412 games
- Signed with Louisville4-star out of Mary Persons
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
UCF
Coaching transition mid-career: Gus Malzahn → Scott Frost. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UCF
2025Louisville
2026UCF
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Louisville9-4HC: Jeff Brohm · Balanced
2025Louisville9-4HC: Jeff Brohm · Balanced
2026UCF1-1HC: Scott Frost · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidenceFading
Elite: yards / carry (100th percentile). Strength: long run (83rd percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 60.0 YDS/g, 8.7 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Scott Frost
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCF | 13 | 120 | 9.2 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Louisville | 49 | 158 | 3.2 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Louisville | 67 | 597 | 8.9 | 7 | -- |
| Career | 129 | 875 | 6.8 | 9 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCF | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Louisville | 6 | 49 | 8.2 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Louisville | 5 | 60 | 12.0 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 14 | 116 | 8.3 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 73–6
110 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 67-point win at home against Bethune-Cookman.
With T. Swint — 48 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · A. Barnett — 158 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 46.9 · 9 rush yds (5 car) · 1 TD
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Bethune-Cookman · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +5.15(11:08) Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush middle for 64 yards gain to the BCU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 11:02, 1ST DOWN #15 W.Stone kick attempt good (H: #97 M.Denaburg, LS: #44 K.Hicks)
- Week 1 · Bethune-Cookman · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.71(10:36) Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush middle for 11 yards gain to the BCU37 (#0 I.Washburn; #6 N.Lassiter), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -1.06(11:05) No Huddle-Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush middle for 2 yards loss to the UCF27 (#44 J.Scott)
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.77(12:43) Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush right for 1 yard gain to the UCF47 (#0 B.Lovelace)
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.70(01:24) Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush left for 2 yards loss to the UCF18 (#14 J.Guerrier)
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 2&9 · Q2 · EPA +0.56(00:13) No Huddle-Shotgun #14 A.Barnett III pass complete short left to #26 D.Watson caught at UCF29, for 8 yards to the UCF34 (#3 S.Lee Jr.), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 3&6 · Q2 · EPA -0.54(13:37) Shotgun #14 A.Barnett III pass complete short right to #26 D.Watson caught at UCF43, for 1 yard to the UCF43 (#12 C.Brookins)
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 2&12 · Q3 · EPA -0.39(10:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #14 A.Barnett III pass complete short left to #26 D.Watson caught at UCF25, for 2 yards loss to the UCF25 (#2 I.Neal), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Pittsburgh · 2&1 · Q4 · EPA +0.26(11:32) Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush middle for 8 yards gain to the UCF44 (#12 C.Brookins; #3 S.Lee Jr.), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Bethune-Cookman · 1&7 · Q1 · EPA -0.24(03:41) No Huddle-Shotgun #26 D.Watson rush middle for 2 yards gain to the BCU05 (#10 L.Lurry Jr)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Richard Reese’s 2024 season.
75%match
Matches Richard on
Yards / carry
Weight
Yards / reception
Differs from Richard on
Class year (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Ty Jordan’s path through Utah.
91%match
All-Pac-12
Matches Ty on
Yards per carry
Recruiting rating
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Anthony Williams Jr.'s sophomore season at Akron (2021).
Matches Anthony on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Weight
EPA / carry (adj)
Differs from Anthony on
Yards / reception (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Duke Watson
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #217
Peaked at #217 this season.
The backfield · UCF
- #26Duke Watson158 rushing yards · 2025
- #35Agyeman Addae50 rushing yards · 2025
- #11Landen Chambers2 games · 2026
- #24Arthur Lewis IV1 game · 2026
- #42Chance Nixonno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · UCF team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology