Alonza Barnett III led the UCF Knights on a drive down the field and, with a final chance remaining, connected with Caden Piening for the touchdown that tied the game against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday.
Kicker Will Stone successfully made the decisive field goal, preventing a second-half downturn, ending the game at 33-32. This victory also marked the end of a 12-game road losing streak that lasted 785 days since their 35-34 triumph over the TCU Horned Frogs on September 6, 2024.
This scenario is somewhat poetic as both road victories were nail-biters decided by only one point.
Barnett quieted the passionate Jayhawk crowd and gestured towards his play-sheet wristband while doing the iconic “ice in my veins” celebration. Coach Scott Frost brought in the notable transfer specifically for these pivotal moments in games.
“I’m too old for this,” Frost humorously said as he made his way to the locker room and shared an uplifting speech following the game.
He has made a mark in his second season back at UCF. His team also achieved a stunning victory over the then-No. 2 BYU Cougars on October 24, which stands as the highest-ranked win in the program’s history.
Saturday’s triumph alleviates some of the considerable pressure on the Knights and brings them one step closer to bowl eligibility. It can be regarded as a comeback victory significant to the season.
Road games have been the program’s downfall. A winless season away from their home ground last year crushed their bowl aspirations.
UCF, now standing at 5-6, made the journey to Provo, Utah, to compete against Kalani Sitake and then-No. 11 BYU. The squad began the quarter with an unexpected advantage.
Frost’s group surprised everyone with a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. However, the Cougars outscored the Knights 41-7 from the second quarter onward, sending them back to Orlando with a loss.
Currently at 5-4 with three matches left, their outlook appears promising. They have consecutive home games against the Arizona State Sun Devils and Iowa State Cyclones, concluding the season with an away game against coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes.
According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, UCF is favored to win against Arizona State (53.6%) and Iowa State (68.1%). If the prediction holds true, Frost could achieve seven wins, with a potential eighth against Colorado.
Arizona State may pose the most significant challenge among the last three games. The Sun Devils are currently 5-4 and recently secured a 20-10 victory over the Buffaloes, with wide receiver Reed Harris leading the Big 12 with 907 receiving yards.
Iowa State holds a 4-5 record, while Colorado stands at 3-6. Although UCF’s schedule may appear favorable, success ultimately depends on their execution over a full sixty minutes.
The Knights’ performances have been inconsistent. They claimed an upset victory against BYU but then faced their most significant defeat of the season against the Baylor Bears, losing 41-9, and had a 19-point lead in the third quarter before the Jayhawks launched a comeback with 25 unanswered points.
