No. 3 Brigham Young, fresh off a program-defining victory against Notre Dame, just tripped big time on the East Coast, falling to unranked Central Florida in a double-overtime thriller, 39-31. It was an upset for the record books, leaving everyone wondering what exactly just happened.
What a Wild Ride in Orlando
This game was absolutely bonkers from the jump, a true highlight of college football chaos. The Golden Knights, playing in their Acrisure Bounce House, came ready to scrap, led by their second-string quarterback Keyone Jenkins. Talk about stepping up! The end of regulation alone was pure insanity. UCF had a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 1:42 left and couldn’t punch it in. Then, with the ball again, they *missed* the game-winning field goal as the clock hit zero in the fourth quarter. You gotta be kidding me, right?
Then came overtime. Both teams scored a touchdown in their first overtime drives, keeping the heart rates up. In the second overtime, UCF kicked a field goal, but hold up! A roughing the kicker penalty brought their offense right back onto the field. And wouldn’t you know it, they cashed in, scoring a touchdown and the mandatory two-point conversion to grab an eight-point lead. BYU got their shot, driving inside the 10-yard line, but their offense stalled. Bear Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass was incomplete, and that was it. The moment that incomplete pass hit the turf, Orlando went absolutely bananas, with fans storming the field. What a finish, right?
The Ranking Drop Is Real, But How Far?
This loss is brutal for BYU. They had clawed their way up to No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, their highest ranking since USA TODAY started running the poll way back in 1991. Now? That No. 3 spot is definitely gone. Central Florida wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire before this. They were coming off back-to-back losses to Houston and Oklahoma State, and their best win before this week was against a struggling TCU team. Plus, let’s be real, BYU didn’t even look like the better team for most of the night, constantly playing catch-up.
So, how far do they drop? BYU could catch a break if voters still remember that huge win against Notre Dame. It could be seen as a wash, where one great victory and one bad loss cancel each other out on the resume. Another top-10 Big 12 squad, Texas Tech, also took a loss earlier in the week, which might help soften the fall. Given all that, the Cougars could land anywhere from the No. 6 to No. 12 range. The final projection is No. 8. They are still in the College Football Playoff picture, but this loss just put them on notice: there isn’t much more room for error this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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