Tyren Hornes didn’t just show up for UCF’s upset of then-No. 2 BYU. He changed the game.
The freshman receiver delivered a career night in last Saturday’s win, finishing with 137 yards on six catches and blowing past his previous high of 34 yards, which came against then-No. 20 Houston on Oct.
- When the Knights needed a big play, Hornes kept giving them one.
His impact started showing up on key downs. Early in the second quarter, Keyone Jenkins found him for an 18-yard gain on second-and-16, a throw that pushed UCF to BYU’s 10-yard line and set up Will Stone’s 20-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead. Hornes also hauled in a 30-yard catch on the final drive before halftime, helping set the stage for Landen Chambers’ 6-yard touchdown reception that sent UCF into the break ahead 17-14.
The biggest burst came in the third quarter. On third-and-18, Scott Frost and offensive coordinator Steve Cooper dialed up a designed wide receiver screen for the freshman.
Hornes shook off multiple tackles and raced 56 yards down the sideline, putting UCF back in scoring range. Jenkins finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Knights up 24-21 before BYU answered to tie it again.
Hornes saved his most memorable moment for double overtime. After Jenkins threw his third touchdown, Hornes dove into the end zone for the two-point conversion that sealed the upset.
Afterward, Jenkins and wide receiver Josh Derry both singled him out in their postgame remarks. Derry praised the 6-foot receiver for being ready when the lights were brightest. Jenkins said Hornes will be a great help for the program and that he hopes they keep him.
Hornes arrived at UCF in January after announcing his commitment at the Under Armour All-American Game. Rivals had him ranked as the No. 14 recruit in Florida and the No. 19 wide receiver in the class.
ESPN labeled him an instant-impact freshman, and through seven games, that scouting report has held up. His breakout against BYU offered a clear look at what UCF’s offense can become with him and Charles in the mix.
In Other News...
UCFs Quarterback Picture Just Got Much More Interesting
The quarterback situation in Orlando has settled, at least for the moment, behind Keyone Jenkins. After UCFs upset of No. 2 BYU, Scott Frost named Jenkins the starter, rewarding a stretch in which the signal caller has posted consecutive games with more than 200 passing yards and multiple touchdowns while helping fuel the Knights recent surge.
Still, the picture is hardly static. Jenkins has earned the job with his playmaking and poise, but Alonza Barnett III is moving back toward availability, which keeps the conversation around the position very much alive. For a UCF offense that has found some rhythm, the next question is how long this momentum holds and how Frost manages the depth chart as the roster gets healthier. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious After That Finish
The fallout from Saturdays BYU-UCF finish is still carrying beyond the game itself, with the Big 12 admitting there were officiating mistakes in recent college football games. For UCF, the broader issue is the same one that has been hanging over the sport all season: administrative errors can swing a game just as much as anything that happens between the lines, and this one landed in a spot where every detail mattered.
Rece Davis called out the growing number of those kinds of mistakes, saying the conference needs to clean them up, and it is hard to argue with the frustration around that kind of public correction. The BYU game also fits into a bigger pattern of controversial officiating decisions that have already drawn attention this fall, including an eye-catching Week 1 ruling in the Big Ten, which only adds to the sense that college footballs officiating standards are under the microscope again. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Got Its First Look At Riley Kugel And One Clear Concern
Riley Kugels first night back in a college uniform at UCF offered a little of what the Knights hoped to see and a reminder of how much still needs to come together. In an exhibition win over Rollins College, UCF came away with an 80-74 victory, and Kugel chipped in eight points as guard Dior Johnson led the way with 19.
Johnny Dawkins left the game focusing on the bigger picture, especially the defensive issues that surfaced even in a preseason setting. Kugels return is clearly a process, and the early look suggested UCF will need time to get him fully settled into the pace and demands of the roster before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]