STILLWATER, Okla. — UCF stayed within reach of a ranked road victory Saturday before Oklahoma State pulled away, handing the Knights a 42–28 defeat.
The decisive swing came early in the fourth quarter. Trailing 27–21, UCF lost possession on a backward pass ruled a fumble. The Cowboys returned it for a touchdown and added a two-point conversion, turning a six-point contest into a 35–21 deficit.
It was a costly reversal after a promising start.
Antione Jackson forced an early fumble that Isaiah Nixon recovered, setting up Keyone Jenkins’ touchdown pass to former Oklahoma State player Grayson Brousseau. Josh Derry later scored on a jet sweep to give UCF a 14–7 advantage.
The Knights also delivered a timely response before halftime. Jenkins connected with Waden Charles for 26 yards, then found freshman Tyren Hornes for his first collegiate touchdown to make it 21–21.
UCF could not sustain that scoring pace after the break. Jenkins’ late touchdown pass to Caden Piening narrowed the final margin.
The Knights return home Oct. 24 to face BYU for Homecoming.