Jacob Maiava Started at Center for UCF

The redshirt freshman stepped into the starting center role during the team's recent matchup against Georgia State.

Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Football

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Redshirt freshman Jacob Maiava made his first career start at center for the UCF football team in their game against Georgia State. The 280-pound offensive lineman filled the position as the team navigated ongoing injury issues.

Why it matters

Maiava's promotion marks another change in a unit that has relied on nine different starting centers over the last four seasons. The move was necessitated by an injury to Owen Spell, forcing the coaching staff to reshuffle the offensive line.

Jacob Maiava earned a 76.7 grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance against Georgia State. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound lineman replaces a position group that has seen nine different starters across the last four years.

The players

Jacob Maiava

He is a redshirt freshman offensive lineman for the University of Central Florida who played high school football in Hawaii.

Owen Spell

He is a UCF offensive lineman currently sidelined due to a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis.

Lokahi Pauole

He is a former UCF football captain who provided mentorship to Maiava during the spring season.

Connor Meadows

He is a UCF offensive lineman who transitioned to right guard to support the team's reshuffled line.

The details

To prepare for his starting debut, Maiava consulted with his brother, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, and reviewed game film with former UCF captain Lokahi Pauole during the spring. The offensive line shift included moving Connor Meadows to right guard to compensate for the injury absence of Owen Spell.

January 2025: McKenzie Milton recruited Maiava to the UCF program.
2023: Matt Lee departed the program for Miami.
September 2026: Jacob Maiava earned his first start against Georgia State.
September 26, 2026: UCF faces TCU at 3:30 p.m.

The Big Picture

The use of Pro Football Focus analytics allows coaching staffs to quantify individual player impact beyond basic box score statistics. This data-driven approach benchmarks current players against the historical performance standards set by past team captains like Lokahi Pauole.

The current offensive line configuration, including Maiava at center and Meadows at right guard, is expected to continue for the upcoming TCU game. Fantasy players and fans should note this stability as the team attempts to minimize rotation frequency compared to recent seasons.

The takeaway

Maiava's seamless transition into a starting role highlights the importance of offseason mentorship and sibling connections in college football development. His performance indicates that the team's depth can successfully mitigate the impact of sudden personnel injuries.