LJ Martin added 95 yards and three touchdowns on the ground for the Cougars (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No. 11 CFP), who clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship game next Saturday. Parker Kingston added 181 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
Taven Jackson threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns to lead UCF. The Knights (5-7, 2-7 Big 12) did not qualify for a bowl game for the second consecutive season after giving up 31 unanswered points to the Cougars.
Jackson took apart BYU’s secondary in the first quarter, completing 10 of his first 12 passes and throwing for 110 yards. He threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Wade to get the Knights on the board and then threw a 20-yard strike to Agyeman Ade, giving UCF a 14–0 lead. Both receivers were open on their respective scoring plays.
BYU rallied before halftime after allowing UCF to gain only 16 yards during the second quarter. The Cougars forced an interception on a trick play and allowed only minus 4 yards on the ground.
Meanwhile, Martin punched into the end zone twice from a yard out to tie the score. Will Ferrin then kicked a 26-yard field goal just before halftime to give BYU its first lead at 17–14.
The Cougars extended their lead to double digits on Martin’s third touchdown carry. Martin drew several potential tacklers to the goal line with a 4-yard run off the direct snap. Kingston led 31–14 midway through the third quarter after returning a punt 55 yards for a touchdown.
UCF: Second-quarter turnovers and an inability to get stops took away any momentum the Knights built from a pair of first-quarter scoring drives.
BYU: The Cougars once again rallied from a double-digit deficit to reach their first Big 12 title game to keep their slim CFP-at-large hopes alive. BYU has fallen by 10 or more points in four of its eight Big 12 wins this season.
UCF: The season is over.
BYU: At Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday.
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