WACO, Texas — Football players say they have short memories, which is a good thing for UCF, as it may want to forget its weekend trip to Waco completely.
Sawyer Robertson threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns as Baylor handed the Knights their seventh consecutive road loss in a 30-3 win by the Bears on Saturday.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak by BU.
The loss was particularly forgettable for UCF (4-4, 1-4 Big 12), which has a short week coming up and a date with Houston in the annual Space Game on Friday night.
The Knights entered Saturday’s showdown riding a wave of confidence following an impressive 45-13 win over West Virginia two weeks ago. Additionally, the team was coming off a bye week that helped the overall health of the roster.
Still, it wasn’t enough.
UCF’s defense faced a considerable challenge on Saturday, facing off against Robertson, who is statistically the best quarterback in the Big 12.
Robertson opened the game by connecting on his first five passes, driving the Baylor offense deep into the Knights’ territory, before finding tight end Michael Trigg in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.
It was Robertson’s 24th touchdown pass and Trigg’s sixth touchdown catch of the season.
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UCF struggled to get anything going offensively in the first quarter, punting on its first possession after a three-and-out that featured a dropped pass and a near-interception.
Robertson wasn’t done — not by a long shot, finding receiver Josh Cameron on a quick slant for a 2-yard touchdown and a 14-0 advantage.
The Knights drove down to the Baylor 13, but couldn’t convert on a third-and-1 when Myles Montgomery was stopped short. On the following fourth-and-1, quarterback Tayven Jackson missed Connor Meadows on a play-action pass that turned the ball over on downs.
Kicker Connor Hawkins added a 40-yard and 28-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 20-0 at the half.
A takeaway late in the second quarter keyed UCF’s only score of the half.
Edge rusher Malachi Lawrence stripped Robertson of the football, and it fell into the hands of defensive tackle Derrick LeBlanc, who returned it to the Baylor 35.
UCF kicker Noe Ruelas connected on a 45-yard field goal to cut the lead to 20-3.
It was the 11th consecutive field goal by Ruelas, but the streak ended early in the third quarter when he missed a 53-yarder.
Baylor wrapped up the scoring when Robertson connected with Kole Wilson on a 9-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
This was a make-or-break game for Baylor (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) and coach Dave Aranda, who had entered the weekend on a two-game losing streak. The Bears were considered Big 12 contenders when the season started, but a rollercoaster-type season has fueled rumors of Aranda’s future.
UCF’s defense, which came into the weekend ranked No. 15 in the country in total defense, allowed 416 yards on Saturday. It was the second-most yards allowed this season, behind the 434 yards it allowed in a 34-20 loss at Kansas State.
The Knights led the Big 12 in pass defense, but surrendered a season-high 258 yards to a Baylor offense that ranked atop the conference in passing offense.
Meanwhile, UCF’s offense sputtered to its worst performance of the season with just 225 yards.
Jackson finished 17-of-31 for 146 yards and two interceptions — the most this season.
UCF managed just 74 yards rushing, failing to crack 100 yards in a game for the first time since 2022.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
