Auburn parted ways with coach Gus Malzahn this past offseason, but the former Tiger coach wasn’t out of a job for long.

On Thursday night, Malzahn will coach his first game as the head of the UCF program when his Knights host Boise State.

There’s a familiar face on the sidelines watching Malzahn — Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl. Pearl said he came to the game to support his friend:

We’ll see if Pearl is a good luck charm for his old colleague Malzahn. Per the DraftKings Sportsbook, UCF is a 6.5-point favorite over Boise State.

Malzahn’s UCF team has plenty of talent. Can he make the most of it in 2021?