Cougars move to 8-0 with 37-24 win at UCF

ORLANDO, Fla. — No. 11 BYU defeated UCF 37-24 to advance to 8-0 for the fifth time in program history Saturday night at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

BYU’s 8-0 start marks the program’s second under Sitake (2020) and fifth in program history as the Cougars also went 8-0 in 2001, 1984 and 1979. 

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff went 16-for-24 for 228 yards and two passing touchdowns. Retzlaff threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Chase Roberts for the Cougars’ longest play from scrimmage on the season. In the third quarter, he connected with Mata’ava Ta’ase for a one-yard passing touchdown. Retzlaff also ran for 38 yards, including a 29-yard rushing touchdown to start off the scoring. 

Roberts led the receivers with 75 yards in the game. Both Darius Lassiter and Parker Kingston had four catches each for 54 and 37 yards respectively. Six other players had a reception for the Cougars.

BYU outrushed UCF 228-198 in the game. The Cougars were led by LJ Martin who had 101 rushing yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. Hinckley Ropati added 83 yards on 13 carries. 

On defense, the Cougars were led by Crew Wakley and Isaiah Glasker who had five tackles each. Glasker also added an interception. BYU had another pick courtesy of Faletau Satuala. Blake Mangelson had four tackles, a sack and a pass deflection.

The Cougars racked up 480 yards of total offense to UCF’s 379 and led in time of possession 40:28 to 19:32. The 40+ minutes in time of possession is the most for the Cougars since 2015 and ninth highest time of possession in BYU history.

First Quarter

The Cougar offense started the game with the ball and scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game. Retzlaff ran 29 yards to the endzone to cap off an eight-play, 75-yard drive that spanned 4:28 seconds. BYU led 7-0 with 10:32 remaining in the first frame.

A third-down open-field tackle by Harrison Taggart ended UCF’s opening drive at its own 49-yard line. UCF punted the ball back to BYU with 8:22 left in the opening quarter. 

Retzlaff connected with Lassiter on a 4th-and-two to extend BYU’s second drive at its own 47-yard line. Four plays later, Will Ferrin was brought on the field to attempt a 46-yard field goal on 4th-and-five. The Cougars faked the kick with holder Sam Vander Haar getting the ball to Ferrin through his legs after a double hike. Ferrin ran the ball eight yards to the 20-yard line for BYU’s fourth first down of the drive and second fourth-down conversion of the game. 

The Cougars led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter with BYU winning the time of possession battle 12:38 to 2:22. It was the most time of possession for the Cougars in a first quarter since 2001.

Second Quarter

An incomplete pass on third down brought Ferrin back to the field. He connected on a field goal from 41 yards out to increase the BYU lead to 10-0 following an 18-play, 69-yard drive that spanned 8:17. 

The Cougar defense held the Knights once again. After four plays and 21-yards of offense, UCF was forced to punt. 

Martin started BYU’s ensuing drive with a 20-yard run and capped it off with a 15-yard rush into the endzone. The Cougars marched 92 yards in eight plays to lead 17-0 with 8:13 left in the first half. 

The Knights’ offense was kick-started with a 54-yard run up the Cougars’ sideline to set up a two-yard run into the endzone. UCF scored on four plays and went 75-yards. BYU led 17-7 with 7:02 remaining.

BYU was unable to produce on its next drive as three short runs forced the Cougars to punt for the first time in the game and the first time since the first half of BYU’s previous game. 

UCF connected on a 40-yard pass up the field before an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty plagued the drive, pushing them back to the Cougars’ 25-yard line to bring up 3rd-and-20. The Knights eventually settled for a 38-yard field goal and the Cougars led 17-10 with 59 seconds left. 

Ahead of the break, Roberts caught a pass from Retzlaff on the sideline, broke a tackle, stayed in bounds and ran 40 more yards for a touchdown. The 62-yard play is the Cougars’ longest play from scrimmage this season. The four-play, 75-yard sequence spanned just 32 seconds, and BYU led 24-10 at the half. 

Third Quarter

Despite a third-down offside penalty against the BYU defense, the Cougars forced a quick three-and-out on the Knights’ opening drive of the half. 

Retzlaff and the BYU offense then retook the field and put together a 10-play, 72-yard scoring drive. After a failed one-yard quarterback sneak, Retzlaff connected with Ta’ase in the middle of the endzone. BYU increased its lead to 31-10 with 7:01 left in the third. 

On the third play of the Knights’ next drive, Jack Kelly was credited with a quarterback hurry that ultimately led to a Glasker interception. The takeaway marks BYU’s 17th of the season.

Three plays later, Ferrin connected on a 37-yard field goal as the Cougars increased their lead to 24 with 3:40 remaining in the frame. 

The Cougar defense forced UCF’s fourth punt of the game following a four-play, 19-yard series. BYU led 34-10 with one quarter left to play. 

With the 10 points scored in the third quarter, the Cougars have now outscored their opponents 93-23 in the third quarter this season.

Fourth Quarter

Three snaps into the final quarter, Retzlaff was sacked, the ball came loose and UCF recovered at its own 49-yard line. 

The Knights gained 15-yards over four plays before Satuala intercepted a deep pass down the center of the field and BYU’s defense tallied its second takeaway of the night, 18th of the season. 

UCF’s defense forced the Cougars’ first three-and-out of the game to take the ball back down 34-10 with 10:48 left in the game. 

Two completed passes quickly moved the Knights into BYU territory. UCF rushed in for a touchdown to wrap up a four-play, 60-yard sequence. A two-point conversion proved successful and the Knights cut the Cougar lead to 16 at 34-18 with 9:14 remaining. 

Ferrin connected on his third field goal of the game, this time from 36 yards, to cap off a BYU drive that lasted just over six minutes for 11 plays and 57 yards. 

UCF completed a 29-yard pass to the endzone and failed on the two-point conversion to conclude the game’s scoring, as BYU neeled out the rest of the game. 

Following a bye week on Nov. 2, the Cougars will next head to Salt Lake City to face-off against Utah Nov. 9 in Rice-Eccles Stadium. Kick off time and broadcast have yet to be announced.