Unranked UCF just pulled off the upset of the year, knocking off previously undefeated, No. 2 BYU 39-31 in a double-overtime thriller that was pure, unadulterated chaos from start to finish. This wasn’t just a loss for BYU, it was an absolute gut-punch delivered by a 3-3 team that was a 6.5-point underdog, and it ended their incredible run right after a huge 28-24 win over Notre Dame.
Regulation Went Absolutely Bonkers: That Runoff!
This game was already wild, with UCF dropping a 17-point second quarter that had everyone buzzing, but nothing, and I mean *nothing*, could prepare you for the final moments of regulation. The score was knotted at 24. UCF had the ball on the BYU 43-yard line with just 14 seconds left, a chance to win it. UCF QB Keyone Jenkins got taken down but somehow managed to heave an incomplete pass, avoiding a sack. But wait, there’s a flag! BYU defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa was caught pushing a UCF player’s helmeted head down while they were on the ground. Boom, 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct. Unbelievable timing.
Then, things got seriously weird. UCF looked confused, spiking the ball and then throwing an incomplete pass out of bounds. This set up a 46-yard field goal attempt for the win by kicker Will Stone with 11 seconds left. You’re holding your breath, right? BLOCKED! But Stone recovered his own kick behind the line of scrimmage, only to have a BYU player rip off his helmet. Another flag! It looked like UCF would get another shot with two seconds left, but after an official review, the flag was picked up, and then came the 10-second runoff because of the helmet removal. UCF had no timeouts left to stop the clock. Just like that, the game went to overtime. Former NFL referee Terry McAulay, now an NBC Sports rules analyst, even said there shouldn’t have been a runoff. Chris Hummer from 247Sports broke down the whole mess. Seriously, if you weren’t confused, you weren’t watching closely enough.
Double Overtime Heartbreak and Roughing the Kicker
The first overtime was a straight-up slugfest, with both teams trading touchdowns to keep it tied at 31. BYU QB Bear Bachmeier delivered a clutch 28-yard pass to wideout Legend Gasker on 3rd-and-13, and then Jenkins answered right back with a 25-yard connection to wide receiver Josh Derry. Absolute fireworks.
Then came the second overtime, and the drama only ratcheted up. UCF’s drive stalled, forcing a short field goal attempt, but BYU was called for roughing the kicker. Even game analyst Robert Griffin III wasn’t feeling that call. But the flag stood, and UCF got a second chance. And boy, did they make it count! Jenkins found tight end Grayson Brousseau for a four-yard touchdown, and then Tyren Hornes grabbed the two-point conversion to make it 39-31. BYU got the ball back, drove down to the UCF eight-yard line for a first down, but that’s where the article cuts off. We can only assume it didn’t end well for BYU.
This loss is a brutal blow for BYU. Losing to an unranked, 3-3 team is going to sting in the Associated Press poll. The word is they’ll probably land somewhere in the No. 8-10 range, though they might catch a break since No. 8 Texas Tech also lost to Cincinnati, and No. 11 Tennessee fell to unranked South Carolina. Still, going from No. 2 to fighting for a spot in the top 10 after a night like that? That’s a tough pill to swallow. BYU will be looking to pick up the pieces and show that this chaotic night was just a fluke in an otherwise tremendous season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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