UCF Stuns BYU in Double Overtime

Just a week after a notable and somewhat controversial win against Notre Dame, BYU’s run as the No. 2 team in the nation has come to an unexpected halt, thanks to an incredible finish in their game against unranked UCF. The college football season witnessed one of its most thrilling endings, leaving many wondering if any script could rival what just transpired.

Decision-Making Misstep for Scott Frost

With the score tied at 24, UCF had the opportunity to take a lead with a relatively easy field goal attempt. However, head coach Scott Frost chose to go for it on fourth down, likely trying to put pressure on BYU by forcing them to score a touchdown if they failed. Unfortunately, the gamble backfired, as Keyrone Jenkins was stopped just shy of the goal line. This seven-minute drive yielded no points—a real missed chance.

BYU then quickly went three-and-out, which was surprising given that they opted to run the ball on a critical 3rd and 6. They punted back to UCF, which led to a series of dramatic events that escalated the game into chaos.

Turning Point: A Fumble and Penalty

At one point, it appeared that BYU had recovered a fumble by Jenkins, which could have turned the tide. However, upon review, the play was correctly determined to be an incomplete pass. Adding insult to injury for BYU, Tanuvasa received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which instead put UCF in a more advantageous position for a potential game-winning field goal.

Field Goal Attempts and Missed Opportunities

UCF’s kicker, Will Stone, got his chance to shine on third down, but his 46-yard attempt was blocked. What happened next was almost unbelievable: after recovering the blocked kick, he ran a few yards before losing his helmet. Initially, officials indicated a face mask penalty, which could have extended UCF’s chance to score, but the flag was ultimately picked up.

However, because the play was still active, UCF was allowed to attempt a re-kick on fourth down since the ball hadn’t crossed the line of scrimmage. Yet, due to the rules regarding helmet dislodging, a 10-second runoff complicated matters for UCF, who were left scrambling for a new kicker and ended up going into overtime instead.

Explosive Overtime Action

The first overtime saw BYU score first with a stunning 3rd-and-13 pass from Bear Bachmeier to Legend Glasker. It took UCF hardly any time to respond, as Jenkins connected with Josh Derry for a touchdown, pushing the game into a double overtime.

Controversial Calls Change Momentum

In the second overtime, UCF found themselves in a tricky position but managed to kick ahead with Stone’s field goal. However, an eyebrow-raising roughing the kicker penalty against BYU’s Kendal Wall allowed UCF to continue their offense, leading to a touchdown pass from Jenkins to Grayson Brousseau. They converted a two-point attempt to extend their lead to 39-31.

BYU’s Bid Falls Short

On BYU’s next possession, they needed to score an 8-point touchdown to stay alive. Bachmeier made a decent scramble down to the UCF 4-yard line but then threw three consecutive incomplete passes, culminating in a failed fourth attempt on Walker Lyons. With that, BYU’s undefeated season was no more.

This clash has undoubtedly been one of the most memorable games in a year filled with upsets in the AP Top 10, and UCF’s victory over BYU stands out as one of the season’s most jaw-dropping moments.