UCF Knights at Baylor Bears

Sawyer Robertson throws for 3 TDs, Caden Knighten rushes for 104 yards and Baylor beats UCF 30-3

Robertson completed 29 of 40 passes for 267 yards but coughed up his first fumble of the season on a strip sack late in the first half. He has 2,780 yards and 26 touchdowns passing overall, both marks rank near the top of the FBS.

“A win like that was something that we needed,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “We’ve been really pushing hard to get it. That’s the team that we’ve seen and we’ve known, and so to be able to have other people see it is really fulfilling.”

UCF (4-4, 1-4) scored its only points as time expired in the first half. The Knights were set up with a short field after Robertson’s fumble, and Noe Ruelas drilled a 45-yard field goal.

The Knights’ other drives ended in four punts, three turnovers on downs, a missed field goal and two interceptions, one of which set up Baylor’s only TD of the second half.

Tayven Jackson was 18-of-33 passing for 151 yards with two interceptions for UCF. Duane Thomas Jr. rushed eight times for 77 yards.

It was the first time since Nov. 26, 2015 that UCF did not score a touchdown, snapping a 121-game streak.

“That was as frustrating of an offensive performance as I’ve been a part of,” UCF coach Scott Frost said.

The takeaway UCF: A week after overwhelming West Virginia with 45 points, the Knights struggled to muster offense against a Baylor defense that has given up over 430 yards per game in conference play. UCF finished with just 225 yards of offense despite averaging 442 in league play entering Saturday. The Knights must win two of their final four games to secure bowl eligibility.

Baylor: Coach Dave Aranda and the Bears secured a much-needed win following a two-game skid. Baylor is now one win away from bowl eligibility, and Aranda improves to 36-34 in his sixth season leading the program.

Quick start Slow starts have long plagued the Aranda-led Bears, but two first-quarter touchdowns energized their sideline. UCF had allowed just seven points in the first quarter all season, the third fewest amount in the nation behind only Ohio State and Texas Tech.

“What’s weird is going into the game at the hotel, everything, man — guys were dialed in, excited to play. I thought that was the most ready we were to play, and it certainly didn’t play out that way on the field.”

In the history books With his five-catch, 82-yard and one touchdown performance, Trigg now holds Baylor’s single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end with 607, is tied for first in single-season TDs with six and is tied in single-season receptions with 43.

“If it’s 1-on-1, I think that’s a mismatch,” Robertson said. “Trigg, because he’s so tall and long arms and athletic, he has an easier time making those 50-50 plays, and it’s just my job to give him a catchable ball.”

Up next UCF: No. 22 Houston at home Friday.

Baylor: Off next week, then hosts Utah on Nov. 15.