Freshman receiver Hornes gave UCF a needed spark Saturday against Oklahoma State, turning in his first career receiving touchdown and helping the Knights draw level before halftime.
With 15 seconds left in the second quarter, Hornes slipped free on the left side of the end zone and finished a 3-yard touchdown catch to tie the game at the break. It was another example of the freshman’s ability to separate and make plays when UCF has needed answers from a receiving group that keeps rotating new names into the spotlight.
That kind of upside has been building for months. Hornes first started getting noticed during UCF’s fall camp, when he was consistently winning on tougher throws from Alonza Barnett III.
Barnett was clearly impressed at the time, saying, "Really good ball skills," Barnett told media in mid-August. "You know, he'll go up, catch the ball.
He can also run by you."
The flashes fit the profile Hornes brought with him to UCF. As a junior, he turned heads with an MVP showing at the All-American camp, which quickly brought offers from Georgia, Florida State and Auburn. He kept the momentum rolling as a senior, catching 42 passes for 646 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games.
He later committed to UCF at that same event one year after his MVP performance, and he left with an even bigger reputation. Before the camp, Hornes was ranked the No. 23 wide receiver in the class.
After a touchdown and several standout catches, ESPN had him up to No. 12.
That jump made him the highest-ranked recruit in UCF history.
On the field, Hornes has already shown the traits that made him such a coveted prospect. He has looked like a downfield threat, and he has come close to breaking loose for more than one big play.
UCF’s offense has been good enough at times to put pressure on opponents, but the second-half issues that have followed the team in recent weeks showed up again Saturday. Even so, the receiving room continues to deepen, with different players earning opportunities each week.
That matters even more with Keyone "Lights Out" Jenkins continuing at quarterback and the Knights needing a more consistent vertical passing game. Duane Thomas Jr., who led UCF in receiving last season, has not yet played because of a lingering injury.
If Thomas returns, UCF would have another weapon who can stress defenses at multiple levels. For now, the Knights go into the bye week with a chance to get healthier and reset for the second half of the season.
In Other News...
UCFs Tight End Picture Just Changed In A Big Way
Caden Piening has quietly become one of the most important pieces in UCFs passing game, and his latest outing only strengthened that case. Against Oklahoma State, the tight end turned in a season-high performance with seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown, giving the Knights a reliable target in a spot that has not always produced much consistency.
For UCF, the bigger significance is where Piening now sits in the tight end hierarchy. He has outplayed co-starter Dylan Wade this season and is drawing notice as a player with NFL upside, which gives Scott Frosts offense a different kind of dimension moving forward. Frost has been encouraged enough by what hes seen to point to the kind of growth that can change a position group, and that leaves Piening as one of the more interesting players to watch as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Johnny Dawkins Has UCF Facing A Much Bigger Test Now
Johnny Dawkins has earned the kind of stability most programs spend years chasing. After guiding UCF to its best Big 12 season and a March Madness berth last year, the Knights rewarded their coach with a new commitment and a bigger platform, one that reflects both what he has already built and what he still believes this program can become. Add in the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year honor, and it is clear Dawkins work has put UCF in a far different place than it was not long ago.
The bigger challenge now is living in the era he has been talking about, where player movement, roster retention and the NIL landscape can reshape everything from one season to the next. Dawkins has been open about the need to keep developing players while navigating those realities, and the extension only raises the stakes for what comes next. UCF is no longer just trying to prove it belongs in the Big 12, but to show it can sustain that level under a coach whose job security and expectations have both climbed with the program. [Read more 🡒]