The Saturday night lights shine on the Acrisure Bounce House as the crowd anticipates the fate of their UCF Knights. It’s 4th and goal with 1:47 left in the game as the Knights snap the ball to quarterback Cam Fancher, who dives into the end zone and... it’s a turnover on downs.
The Kansas Jayhawks' defense celebrated its game-winning stop, and the offense took the field in victory formation as they soared to a 27-20 win.
UCF has lost back-to-back Big 12 games, moving its record to 3-2 (0-2 Big 12). The Jayhawks, now 4-2 (2-1 Big 12), get back in the win column after losing to Cincinnati last Saturday.
Head coach Scott Frost spoke on the team’s poor execution in their scoreless second half.
“We came out in the second half, and first downs were bad,” Frost said. “We missed a block on a counter, we missed a block on a wide zone on first down, and it set us back. We got to be better than that in the third quarter.”
This game was a tale of two halves, as the Knights started the game with 14 straight unanswered points. It was the Myles Montgomery show in the first half. UCF established its run game with its workhorse running back, who carried the ball 22 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
Montgomery continuously moved the chains for the Knights when they handed him the ball. An energized UCF offensive line created open gaps for the Jacksonville native to burst through, as they contributed to Montgomery’s opening 29-yard touchdown.
The Knights' running back was in the zone; he nimbly avoided Jayhawk defenders and introduced two of them to the Montgomery Bounce House after a pair of hurdles. He scored his second touchdown of the game on a three-yard rush to start the second quarter. UCF led Kansas 14-0 off the legs of Montgomery.
Kansas struggled, but wouldn’t let UCF’s potent offense ruffle its feathers. The Jayhawks put together an impressive third drive to get on the scoreboard, led by sixth-year quarterback Jalon Daniels.
The Kansas quarterback completed 18-of-26 passes for 235 yards and added an additional 25 yards on the ground through 10 carries.
Daniels kept the Knights' defense honest with his precise passes to his receivers and tight ends, and extended drives with his lower body. He zipped a pass to tight end Boden Groen, making UCF defenders miss, for 46 yards. Kansas shortly approached the red zone off a fourth-down conversion from Daniels, leading to a one-yard touchdown from running back Leshon Williams.
The Jayhawks' offense responded to UCF’s unanswered scoring, cutting the deficit to a one-touchdown lead. It wouldn’t take long for Kansas to score another touchdown after UCF kicker Noe Ruelas nailed his first field goal of the game to push the Knights lead to 17-7.
UCF’s defense couldn’t stop Kansas from spreading its wings as Daniels' dual-threat ability mixed with Williams' rushing kept moving the chains for the Jayhawks. Their fourth drive of the game resulted in Williams punching in a four-yard touchdown to make it a three-point game.
Ruelas made another field goal to end the half. UCF led Kansas 20-14. The Knights had the Jayhawks’ number in the first half, but Kansas returned their calls with backbreaking plays and excellent defensive stands.
Wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. bluntly pointed out the key to Kansas’ second-half dominance.
“They adjusted,” Thomas Jr. said. “I don’t think we executed at a high level like we’re supposed to. They made a lot of good plays; they made more plays than us.”
The Jayhawks' dominant second half started with a pair of field goals from kicker Laith Marjan to knot the game at 20-20. UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson took the field in their territory, and then thunder struck them. Safety Jalen Dye swooped into the pocket and sacked Jackson, forcing a fumble the Jayhawks would recover at the UCF two-yard line.
Perfect positioning for Williams to walk in his third touchdown of the game, granting his team their first lead of the game. The comeback was complete, and it was up to the Jayhawks' defense to prevent UCF from scoring.
Kansas' defense forced the Knights to punt twice and turn the ball over on downs twice in the fourth quarter to secure a comeback victory.
UCF’s defense couldn’t handle Kansas’ offense once it started flying, and the absence of defensive tackle Horace Lockett was glaring. Coach Frost revealed Lockett suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle, which he underwent surgery on after UCF’s loss against Kansas State.
Defensive back Braeden Marshall knows the defense must move on and remain steadfast in the light of Lockett's injury.
“Injuries are a part of the game,” Marshall said. One thing about it is it’s the next man up mentality. So that’s why everybody got to stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.”
UCF drops its second Big 12 game and moves to 3-2 (0-2 Big 12). Facing a serious injury to the defensive line, the Knights must adjust in order to get back in the win column.
The Knights play their next Big 12 team, the Cincinnati Bearcats, next Saturday on FS1 at Nippert Stadium at 12 p.m.