No. 2 BYU’s perfect season came crashing down on Saturday, as the Cougars suffered a stunning 39-31 double-overtime loss to UCF in Orlando.
One week after BYU knocked off No. 2 Notre Dame in one of the biggest wins in program history, the Cougars couldn’t carry that momentum into the Bounce House. Instead, UCF delivered the biggest win of Scott Frost’s second stint with the Knights and handed BYU its first loss of the season.
BYU fell to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play, while UCF improved to 4-3 and 2-2 in conference action.
The Cougars had their opportunities.
BYU opened the scoring on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Bear Bachmeier to Kyler Kasper, but UCF responded with 17 second-quarter points to take a 17-14 lead into halftime.
The teams traded punches throughout the second half. Sione Moa’s one-yard touchdown run put BYU back in front, 21-17, before UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins answered with a one-yard touchdown run of his own. Matthias Dunn eventually tied the game at 24 with a fourth-quarter field goal.
The wildest sequence came late in regulation.
UCF reached the BYU one-yard line with under two minutes remaining, but the Cougars stuffed Jenkins on fourth-and-goal. BYU went three-and-out, however, giving the Knights another opportunity. After a chaotic final drive that included a replay reversal and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against BYU, UCF lined up for a potential game-winning field goal.
BYU blocked it, sending the game to overtime.
Bachmeier then found Legend Glasker for a 28-yard touchdown in the first overtime, but UCF needed just one play to respond, as Jenkins connected with Josh Derry for a 25-yard score.
In the second overtime, Jenkins found Grayson Brousseau for a touchdown before connecting with Tyren Hornes on the mandatory two-point conversion, giving UCF a 39-31 lead. BYU reached the UCF four-yard line on its ensuing possession, but Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, sending UCF fans pouring onto the field.
The Knights outgained BYU 463-373, including 170-116 on the ground. Jenkins threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, while Bachmeier finished with 257 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
For BYU, the loss doesn’t end its Big 12 or College Football Playoff hopes. But after reaching No. 2 in the country and appearing positioned for a run at the No. 1 ranking, the Cougars suddenly have significantly less margin for error.
And in a Big 12 race that was already chaotic, Saturday’s result just blew the door wide open.
