UCF’s offense flashed early, then unraveled in a hurry Saturday night as a 17-0 third-quarter lead vanished in a 27-17 loss to Houston.
The Knights opened with real rhythm, and backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins picked up right where he had left off after last week’s historic performance. But the night turned when Jenkins left in the third quarter with cramping, and Houston seized the moment. Jenkins eventually came back, but by then the Cougars had already started their charge, and third-string quarterback Kaleb Annett couldn’t keep the offense moving.
The biggest problem was the ground game. UCF managed only 75 rushing yards, and lead back Duke Watson never got rolling in a meaningful way.
Watson finished with 50 yards on nine carries, but 37 of those came on the Knights’ longest run of the night. Outside of that burst, he averaged under two yards per carry.
Taevion Swint and Landen Chambers added just 28 yards combined, leaving UCF far too one-dimensional.
Losing Jacob Maiava only made matters worse. The redshirt freshman center, who had been a breakout performer, went down with a hip injury, and that hit the offense at a bad time.
Still, Jenkins did enough to keep UCF afloat for stretches. Even with shaky protection, he used his legs to buy time and helped push the ball downfield. The passing game was spread around, with 10 different players catching passes.
Josh Derry was the clear standout through the air. The Monmouth transfer turned in his best game as a Knight, finishing with seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
There’s also a bright spot on special teams: Will Stone. The Texas transfer was perfect again, making his lone field goal and both extra-point tries. That moved him to 5-for-5 on field goals and 21-for-21 on PATs.
UCF now has to turn around and head to Oklahoma State, where the challenge gets even tougher. The Cowboys, fresh off a shocking Week 1 loss to Tulsa, have since beaten Oregon, Murray State, and West Virginia while averaging more than 46 points per game. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker leads that surge into a road matchup the Knights can’t afford to approach lightly.
In Other News...
UCF Suddenly Has A Bigger Concern Than The Houston Loss
The Houston loss ended up being only part of the concern for UCF, because the Knights came out of the game with a few health questions layered on top of the result. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins was dealing with cramps during the game, but he got treatment and returned, while wide receiver Josh Derry also worked through an ankle issue and was able to keep going in the second half.
The bigger concern centered up front, where center Jacob Maiava left with a hip injury and had X-rays afterward. With Maiava out, Cooper Terpstra had to step in at center, leaving UCF to sort out what the line looks like if the injury lingers and whether the offense can keep its stability after already absorbing one tough night in conference play. [Read more 🡒]
UCF's Road Problem Just Got More Frustrating
For much of the afternoon in Houston, UCF looked ready to turn a road trip into something useful, building a 17-0 lead midway through the third quarter against No. 20 Houston. The Knights had enough early control to make the game feel tilted in their favor, even with backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins trying to manage the offense under pressure.
Then the second half turned into the kind of collapse that keeps a road streak hanging around. UCFs offense stalled badly over its final five possessions, and Houston answered with Conner Weigman powering in three rushing touchdowns after halftime as the Knights watched another winnable game slip away on the road. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Just Got A Huge Defensive Boost At The Right Time
Cole Kozlowski is back in the mix for UCF at a time when the defense could use a lift. The linebacker has been cleared to play for the remainder of the 2026 season, giving the Knights a veteran presence as they navigate a linebacker group that has been dealing with injuries and a stretch of ranked opponents on the schedule.
For UCF, the timing matters as much as the name. Kozlowski brings experience and proven production to a unit that needs stability, and his return gives the Knights another trusted option in the middle of the defense as the games get tougher and the margin for error gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]