UCF knows exactly where the pain has been lately. It hasn’t been in the first half, or even most of the second.
It’s been in the stretch that decides games, and that’s the issue the Knights are trying to solve as No. 2 BYU arrives at the Bounce House on Saturday.
The matchup gives UCF its toughest assignment yet, and the Knights understand the size of the hill they’re trying to climb. They are 0-6 against teams ranked in the top five of the Associated Press poll, and a win over the Cougars would count as the program’s first signature victory since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2023.
UCF enters at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12, and the pattern has been frustratingly familiar: the Knights compete, hang around, and then see games slip away late. Coach Scott Frost said the group has been close enough to flip some of those outcomes.
“We’ve played well enough to win and we haven’t played well enough to win,” said coach Scott Frost. “I’m happy with our team’s effort, but we can find a little more.
“We’ve had several opportunities where we can make one play here or there that would have flipped a couple of these games. I want our guys hunting for those opportunities.”
That’s been especially true in the second half. Against then-No.
20 Houston, UCF carried a 17-0 lead late into the third quarter before an interception changed everything. Houston answered with 27 straight points, with quarterback Conner Weigman rushing for three touchdowns in a 27-17 win.
The next week brought another sharp turn. UCF was tied with then-No.
18 Oklahoma State at 21 at halftime, but a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage turned into a fumble, and the Cowboys converted it into a touchdown. That sequence helped Oklahoma State build a 35-21 fourth-quarter lead and eventually win 42-28.
“We’re going against top 25 teams and rolling them up for the first three quarters and then it just goes downhill after that,” said senior offensive lineman Preston Cushman. “We’re right there.
That’s the motivation. We’re right there on so many levels.”
The numbers back up the frustration. UCF was outscored 48-14 in the second halves against Houston and Oklahoma State. Before those two games, the Knights had allowed only nine combined second-half points against TCU, Georgia State and Pitt.
On defense, Alex Grinch said the missing ingredient has been making the decisive play when the game reaches its most critical point.
“You’ve got to make plays in the fourth quarter,” said defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. “The opponents over the last two weeks made more plays in the fourth quarter than we have.
Our opponents have gotten momentum-type takeaways in the third and fourth quarters. We haven’t matched those momentum plays on our side of the ball.”
UCF has generated plenty of turnovers overall, tying Baylor for the second-most in the Big 12 with 12. But in the last two losses, the Knights recovered two fumbles in the first half while Houston and Oklahoma State cashed in on their own takeaways after halftime.
Offensive coordinator Steve Cooper said part of the push has been about raising the standard inside practice, especially late in the day when the margin for error gets thin.
“When it comes down to it, you’ve just got to find the edge. You’ve got to find that grit and that’s the challenge that we’ve been putting on the offense,” Cooper said.
Frost pointed to both mentality and physical reality when asked what still needs to change.
“When you think you’ve given everything you have, usually there’s more in there. Part of it’s a mentality; part of it’s us being healthy and running out of depth.”
For players like cornerback Antione Jackson, the lesson is important, but the focus has to move forward quickly.
“Obviously, we can learn from them, but just leave them where they are in the past, and just focus on getting better each week,” Jackson said. “Focus on how we can pull off the wins and finish strong, play four quarters strong.”
In Other News...
BYU Backfield Suddenly Has A New Spotlight At UCF
BYUs backfield has taken on a different look heading into Saturdays trip to Orlando, with the Cougars suddenly needing to lean on a runner who was not expected to be the focal point this week. Sione Moa has been cleared to return after working back from a knee injury and acute compartment syndrome, giving BYU another option as it prepares for a game in which it is favored by 7 points against UCF.
The larger concern for the Cougars is the absence of their usual lead back. LJ Martin is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks because of an ankle injury, leaving BYU to sort out how it wants to distribute carries in one of its more important road spots of the season. For UCF, that adds another layer to a matchup already shaped by the challenge of facing a ranked favorite with a backfield puzzle to solve. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Looks Far More Dangerous Than Early Projections Suggest
The early read on UCFs roster never really captured how much more seasoned it could look by the time Johnny Dawkins finished reworking it. The Knights added a wave of transfer help in Arturo Dean, Cayden Vasko, Dior Johnson and Isaiah Malone, giving the group a mix of ball-handling, shot creation and interior depth that should make this team far less predictable than the usual preseason guesswork suggested.
Just as important, UCF is not leaning entirely on newcomers. Riley Kugel, John Bol and Carmelo Pacheco give the Knights a returning base to build around, and that combination of experienced holdovers plus portal additions is what makes the roster more intriguing than the outside projections. The next question is how quickly all that new talent settles into roles and whether the staff can turn the added depth into something more than paper promise. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Fans Have Two Former Knights Facing Very Different NBA Fights
Taylor Hendricks is getting ready for his fourth NBA season in a new uniform, one of two former Knights giving UCF fans a familiar name to track when the league tips off. After being traded from Utah to Memphis last season, Hendricks spent most of his year with the Jazz before finishing the campaign with the Grizzlies, where he played 59 games and put together a steady role as a young frontcourt piece.
Tacko Falls path looks very different. After several years playing overseas, he is back in regular-season basketball in the U.S. on a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a return that would have been a feel-good reset for a player who still draws attention wherever he lands. His comeback, though, has already hit an early snag as an injury has kept him from getting on the floor right away, leaving the next step in his return to be determined. [Read more 🡒]