UCF walked out of its upset over then-No. 2 BYU with history on its side, but the Knights are already turning the page.
After pulling off a monumental win, the defense is heading into Friday’s Space Game with a different kind of goal: keep building, keep pressuring, keep sharpening the details. The performance against the Cougars had its moments, especially when UCF needed stops most, but the unit knows there’s more to unlock.
Last Saturday, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier still found success through the air, hitting 28-yard and 32-yard completions on consecutive snaps in the second quarter. That sequence ended in a 1-yard touchdown run and flipped the lead back to the Cougars. UCF answered with a key turnover when linebacker Tackett Curtis snagged his second career interception after defensive tackle Thomas Collins got a hand on the pass.
The Knights also came up with a three-and-out in the final minute, opening the door for a game-winning field goal try. Then in double overtime, BYU went after safety Ty Bartrum, who had stepped in for the injured Demari Henderson, and Bartrum delivered important stops on the Cougars’ last drive. That helped seal UCF’s upset of an AP Top-5 opponent and set off program history.
Even with the turnover edge, the pass rush never really got rolling. UCF finished with just one sack, marking the third straight game with that number. Defensive tackle Jeffson Lafontant said the group has moved on from the celebration and is locked in on improvement ahead of Baylor.
Part of the issue against BYU was the matchup up front. The Cougars’ offensive line entered Week 8 tied with Kansas State for fewest sacks allowed in the Big 12 at three. Baylor’s line has been more vulnerable, giving up 14 sacks this season, which is tied with Iowa State for sixth-most in the conference.
That gives defensive coordinator Alex Grinch a chance to see the kind of pass rush he has been waiting for since Week 6. Lafontant has been a big part of that push, emerging as a breakout presence and ranking second on the team with two sacks, behind EDGE Isaiah Nixon’s 2.5.
There’s also a path for UCF to make noise against the run. Baylor sits fourth-worst in the Big 12 in rushing offense at 146.1 yards per game, and a big interior group led by Lafontant and Horace Lockett should be in position to post its best run-stopping outing in weeks. The standard is clear: get back to the level UCF showed in Week 4, when it held TCU to 33 rushing yards.
That was in a 30-3 blowout by Aranda’s team, with Big 12 passing leader Sawyer Robertson throwing for 267 yards and three touchdowns to future NFL teammates Kole Wilson, Michael Trigg and Josh Cameron.
In Other News...
Big 12 Takes Strong Stand After What BYU Faced At UCF
A football game that should have been remembered for the action on the field instead became a problem for the stadium atmosphere, and the Big 12 moved quickly to make that clear. The conference said UCF had followed pregame protocols and took immediate steps during the game to remove the people responsible for the anti-religious chants directed at BYU fans, a response that likely mattered in how the league viewed the situation.
The bigger takeaway is that the incident is not being treated as an isolated embarrassment. The Big 12 used the case to announce a new approach to discriminatory conduct at athletic events, one that brings heavier discipline for schools and more consequences when behavior crosses the line. For UCF, the immediate issue is the fine, but the long-term concern is how the league intends to police this kind of conduct going forward. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Dangerous Baylor Twist With Bowl Hopes Rising
Baylors trip into this week already comes with a different feel after the Bears parted ways with David Aranda and handed the program to interim coach Joe Klanderman. For UCF, it adds another layer to a matchup that already mattered plenty, with the Knights trying to keep their momentum rolling after a recent upset win and move one step closer to bowl eligibility.
Scott Frost has already pointed to Baylors defense as a real challenge, and the coaching change only sharpens the uncertainty around what UCF will see on Friday. The Knights also have a little extra motivation from last seasons Space Game loss, while a few key pieces may be trending in the right direction as game time approaches, leaving the injury picture worth watching as the week goes on. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Defense Faces A Harsh Baylor Test In The Space Game
UCF heads into its Space Game matchup with Baylor already trying to manage a thin defensive margin, and the timing could not be worse. The Knights are preparing to do it without senior linebacker Lewis Carter and without senior defensive back Demari Henderson, two experienced pieces who have helped anchor the unit as the schedule tightens.
Hendersons absence is the bigger blow in the secondary, where UCF will need others to step into larger roles in a hurry. Antione Jackson and Jayden Bellamy are among the defensive backs who will be asked to absorb those snaps, and against a Baylor offense, the Knights will need that reshuffled group to hold up from the start. [Read more 🡒]