No. 2 BYU’s run of perfection ended in a jolting way Saturday night, with UCF outlasting the Cougars 39-31 in double overtime in Orlando.
BYU entered the game coming off one of the biggest wins in program history, a victory over No. 2 Notre Dame last week.
But the Cougars couldn’t turn that momentum into another road win, and UCF seized the kind of moment that can redefine a season. It was the biggest win of Scott Frost’s second stint with the Knights, and it left BYU with its first loss of the year.
The Cougars dropped to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play. UCF moved to 4-3 and 2-2 in conference action.
BYU struck first when Bear Bachmeier hit Kyler Kasper for a 27-yard touchdown. UCF answered with 17 points in the second quarter and carried a 17-14 lead into halftime.
From there, the game kept swinging.
Sione Moa’s one-yard touchdown run put BYU back on top, 21-17, but UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins responded with a one-yard touchdown run of his own. Matthias Dunn later tied it at 24 with a fourth-quarter field goal, setting up a frantic finish to regulation.
The final minutes were pure chaos. UCF drove to the BYU one-yard line with less than two minutes left, only for the Cougars to stop Jenkins on fourth-and-goal.
BYU then went three-and-out, handing the Knights one more chance. After a wild sequence that included a replay reversal and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against BYU, UCF lined up for a game-winning field goal.
BYU blocked it.
That sent the game to overtime, where the wild ride only got louder.
In the first overtime, Bachmeier found Legend Glasker for a 28-yard touchdown. UCF answered on the next play, with Jenkins throwing a 25-yard touchdown to Josh Derry.
The second overtime brought the finish. Jenkins hit Grayson Brousseau for a touchdown, then connected with Tyren Hornes on the required two-point conversion to push UCF ahead 39-31. BYU got to the UCF four-yard line on its next possession, but Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass was incomplete, and the Knights celebrated as fans rushed the field.
UCF finished with a 463-373 edge in total yardage, including a 170-116 advantage on the ground. Jenkins was sharp all night, throwing for 293 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Bachmeier finished with 257 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
The loss doesn’t shut the door on BYU’s Big 12 or College Football Playoff hopes, but it changes the picture. After climbing to No. 2 and looking like a team with a path to the top spot, the Cougars now have far less room to breathe.
And in a Big 12 race that already had plenty of chaos, Saturday’s result only turned up the volume.
In Other News...
UCF Backfield Loses A Key Weapon Before Its Biggest Test Yet
UCFs rushing attack took a hit Wednesday when Taevion Swint landed on the injury report and was ruled out for the Knights upcoming trip to BYU. Swint has become a key part of the ground game, so his absence shifts more of the workload onto Duke Watson and Landen Chambers as UCF heads into one of its biggest tests of the season.
Scott Frost did not offer any details on what sidelined Swint or when the injury occurred, leaving the Knights to sort through the backfield without one of their most reliable options. The timing is notable, too, with BYU also expected to be without star running back LJ Martin, setting up a game where both teams will need to adapt quickly on offense. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Gets A Huge Boost For Its Shot At No. 2 BYU
A healthier receiving corps could be exactly what UCF needs with No. 2 BYU looming, and Duane Thomas Jr. is expected to be available for his season debut after missing the opening weeks with a lingering injury. His return would give the Knights another option in a passing game that has been leaning on Josh Derry, who has emerged as a key target for Keyone Jenkins in recent weeks.
Quarterback health is still part of the equation, too, with Alonza Barnett III possibly returning from injury even though Jenkins remains the likely starter. For UCF, that creates a little more flexibility as it tries to piece together an offense capable of keeping pace in a matchup that already carried plenty of weight before the injury news began to shift the picture. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Gets Its Biggest Home Test Yet Against No. 2 BYU
Saturdays matchup at FBC Mortgage Stadium carries the feel of a measuring-stick game for UCF, with No. 2 BYU bringing a top-tier national profile into one of the Knights biggest home stages of the season. The broadcast and radio setup is in place for a late kickoff, and the backdrop only adds to the buzz, with clear skies and cool temperatures expected in Orlando.
The on-field puzzle is centered on the run game, where both sides are dealing with key injury absences at running back. BYUs defense has been stout against the ground all season, and UCF has had trouble generating much there at times already, which puts even more pressure on a game that has long been tilted in the Cougars favor on paper. The odds reflect that reality, but this is the kind of home test that can still tell you a lot about where the Knights stand. [Read more 🡒]