UCF had this one in hand. Then it slipped away fast.
The Knights built a 17-0 cushion midway through the third quarter at TDECU Stadium on Saturday, only to watch No. 20 Houston storm back for a 27-17 win. Along the way, UCF also lost quarterback Keyone Jenkins briefly after an interception, a sequence that helped turn a strong road effort into another painful finish.
The defeat pushed UCF to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, while Houston improved to 4-1 and 1-1. It also stretched the Knights’ road losing streak to 11 games.
Their last road victory came against TCU on Sept. 14, 2024.
UCF has not beaten a ranked opponent since then-No. 15 Oklahoma State on Nov.
11, 2023.
For a while, though, everything pointed the other way.
Jenkins came out sharp and kept the momentum from last week’s win over TCU. He hit Josh Derry twice on the opening scoring drive, including a 49-yard catch-and-run on a curl route that pushed UCF into Houston territory. Six plays later, Jenkins slipped an inside blitz and found Derry again for a 13-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.
Jenkins entered the game on a run of 14 straight completions going back to last week. He had set a school record by completing 95% of his passes, going 19 of 20 in the 21-13 win.
UCF’s defense matched the energy early. Houston’s first drive ended with a punt after the Cougars were pinned at their own 3-yard line.
Then came a strange stretch of near-misses for Houston. The Cougars put together a 10-play drive, but on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Tackett Curtis got a hand on Conner Weigman’s pass at the line and UCF escaped without giving up points.
The Knights were pinned deep on their next possession and couldn’t get out of trouble, punting back. Houston returner Trent Walker then broke off a 22-yard return to swing the field position, but the Cougars again came up empty on fourth down. Willie Fritz went for it on 4th-and-2 from the 3, and Houston failed to convert for a second straight drive.
Prior to the game, Houston had converted just one fourth down this season.
UCF’s defense kept bending without breaking until it finally forced a turnover. After another Knights punt, Houston drove inside the 10-yard line for the third straight possession, but Demari Henderson punched the ball loose from tight end Patrick Overmyer.
The fumble rolled into the end zone, and Curtis recovered it. It was UCF’s 10th takeaway of the season and its third straight game with a turnover.
The Knights took that momentum into halftime with a 10-0 lead after Jenkins guided a late drive featuring completions of 15 yards to Derry and 35 yards to Wade Charles. That set up Will Stone’s 30-yard field goal.
UCF then opened the second half with its cleanest series of the day. Jenkins worked the short passing game, Landen Chambers and Duke Watson helped on the ground, and Watson’s 37-yard burst - the longest run of the game for him - put the Knights at the Houston 5. Two plays later, Jenkins ran it in for his third rushing touchdown of the season, and UCF was up 17-0.
From there, Houston flipped the game.
Weigman answered with a 19-yard touchdown run to trim the margin to 17-7 with 3:38 left in the third quarter. On UCF’s next drive, Jenkins had a pass tipped at the line and intercepted by Houston linebacker Latreveon McCutchin, who returned it 17 yards to the UCF 2.
Jenkins was hurt trying to make the tackle and was helped to the locker room by the training staff. Backup Kaleb Annett took over.
Jenkins did return, but the damage had been done. Weigman scored again on a 2-yard dive to make it 17-14 with 1:11 left in the third, then added a 1-yard touchdown run for his third score of the game to give Houston its first lead.
Jonathan Dimas later added a 40-yard field goal to push the Cougars ahead 24-17 with 4:14 remaining.
UCF heads back on the road next, visiting No. 19 Oklahoma State on Saturday.
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