UCF and Cincinnati renewed their longstanding rivalry Saturday and continued trending in opposite directions in each school’s third Big 12 season. The Knights (3-3, 0-3) headed to Nippert Stadium and suffered their third straight defeat. They remain without a win in the month of October for nearly three years.
Cincinnati (5-1, 3-0) has ripped off five consecutive victories, its best run in the Scott Satterfield era, since dropping its season-opener to Nebraska in Kansas City.
As for the all-time series, the Bearcats grabbed the lead 6-5. They’ve won the last two matchups, also claiming a 19-13 triumph in the Bounce House last October.
UC quarterback Brendan Sorsby tossed two touchdown passes and finished with 191 yards through the air.
Cam Fancher shouldered the Knights’ offensive load, filling in for Tayven Jackson as starting quarterback. He accumulated 222 passing yards and a team-best 108 yards on the ground.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Scroll down for a pay-by-play recap.
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UCF vs Cincinnati score updates
Final score: Cincinnati Bearcats 20, UCF Knights 11
The Knights are now 0 for their last 9 in October. They remain winless in the month as members of the Big 12 Conference after a 20-11 loss to Cincinnati.
UCF score vs. Cincinnati: Knights cut deficit to 20-11 vs. Bearcats
For the first time in his short UCF career, Cam Fancher has led a touchdown drive.
On second-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Fancher takes a shotgun snap and keeps it up the middle. The Knights then add the two-point conversion with a completion to Chris Domercant.
The drive lasted 19 plays, the longest for a Knights scoring march this season. Cincinnati still leads 20-11 with 2:07 left.
UCF QB Cam Fancher with crazy highlight play
Cam Fancher didn’t see anyone open downfield on fourth down. He scrambled around behind the line of scrimmage. He broke one tackle. He escaped a second tackle. He slipped a third.
Finally, he floated the ball just before taking a hit. It caromed off his receiver’s hands and into the arms of Dylan Wade for a first down.
The Knights have entered the red zone for the first time today.
UC punts football back to UCF after 3-and-out
After a quick three-and-out, UC’s Max Fletcher punts the ball back to the Knights. They will start their drive at their own 10-yard line with 9:07 to go.
Cincinnati remains ahead 20-3.
UCF score vs. Cincinnati: Bearcats lead 20-3 as Knights fail on 4th down
Cam Fancher’s pass is broken up, and the Knights turn it over on downs again.
The Bearcats will take over near midfield with 10:31 left in the game. They lead 20-3 and will be looking to salt away this clock.
UCF holds Cincinnati to red-zone field goal
UCF’s defense tightened up inside its 10-yard line, aided by a botched handoff attempt by Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, and held the Bearcats to a field goal. Still, Cincy restored a three-score lead, going up 20-3 with 13:39 left in regulation.
The Knights have gained 275 yards, but committed nine penalties — including five false starts.
Cincy driving for knockout punch as 3rd quarter ends
Joe Royer flipped the field, and set Cincinnati up for a potential knockout punch with a 67-yard reception on the penultimate play of the third quarter. The Bearcats lead UCF 17-3.
Penalties plagued UCF in its effort to cut it to a one-score game. An illegal chop block and two false starts resulted in a punt on fourth-and-27 to cap a 17-play, 40-yard drive that covered more than nine minutes.
Cam Fancher has 14 rushing attempts for 101 yards, and he is 19-of-29 passing for 137 yards.
UCF stopped on 4th down to begin 3rd quarter
UCF rolled the dice on fourth-and-six from Cincinnati’s 36-yard line, rather than attempting a long field goal, and came up a couple yards short. Cam Fancher’s checkdown to Dylan Wade picked up four, resulting in another turnover on downs for the Knights.
Cincinnati holds a 17-3 lead with 12:08 left in the third quarter. UCF is 2 of its last 8 on fourth down after an 8-for-8 start to the season.
UCF puts points on the board before halftime
Noe Ruelas kicked a 45-yard field goal with 24 seconds left in the first half, cutting UCF’s deficit to 17-3 against Cincinnati.
Cam Fancher has more rushing yards (70) than passing yards (69) through the Knights’ five drives.
The Knights are averaging 4.7 yards per play, but they will get the ball first after halftime.
Cincinnati extends lead over UCF to 17-0
Stephen Rusnak booted a 32-yard field goal, capping a 13-play scoring drive and extending Cincinnati’s lead to 17-0 over UCF with 4:13 left in the second quarter.
The Bearcats are up to 190 yards of total offense, led by redshirt junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby. He has 105 passing yards with two touchdowns, and a team-high 33 rushing yards.
Jeff Caldwell catches 2nd TD, Cincinnati doubles lead
Brendan Sorsby and Jeff Caldwell connected for their second touchdown, a 9-yard back-shoulder fade matched up against DJ Bell. Cincinnati leads UCF 14-0 with 12:12 remaining in the second quarter.
Bell was flagged for pass interference earlier on the drive as Cincinnati faced a third-and-16 from its own 11-yard line.
Caldwell, who joined the Bearcats from Lindenwood (Mo.), has three receptions for 58 yards.
Cincinnati holds 7-0 lead over UCF after 1st quarter
Jeff Caldwell’s 40-yard touchdown catch has made the early difference as Cincinnati leads UCF 7-0 after one quarter at Nippert Stadium.
UCF has the edge in total offense, outgaining the host Bearcats 107-76. Cam Fancher is 6-of-9 passing for 48 yards, and he has run seven times for 49 yards.
DJ Black has two receptions for 27 yards, but he lost a fumble on the Knights’ second drive. The Knights held the ball for 10 minutes, 20 seconds in the opening period.
Brendan Sorsby has completed 3 of 7 attempts for 55 yards, and Evan Pryor is Cincy’s leading rusher with 17 yards on three carries.
DJ Black loses fumble after 20-yard reception
UCF imploded on its second drive, turning the ball over to Cincinnati near midfield.
DJ Black fumbled the football after a 20-yard reception to the Bearcats’ 47-yard line, recovered by Jiquan Sanks. Before that, Fancher underthrew Black for a potential touchdown pass, and an ineligible receiver downfield penalty erased a 35-yard completion from Fancher to Duane Thomas Jr.
Cincinnati will look to double its 7-0 lead with 6:00 left in the first quarter.
Cincinnati strikes first with 40-yard TD pass
Brendan Sorsby beat the blitz, lofting a 40-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Caldwell to put Cincinnati ahead 7-0 with 8:23 left in the first quarter.
UCF kept all five of its previous opponents scoreless in the first quarter.
UCF stopped on 4th down across midfield
UCF picked up a pair of first downs on its opening drive, but failed to convert on fourth-and-two from Cincinnati’s 41-yard line. Cam Fancher scrambled after being unable to find an open receiver and was stopped at the line of scrimmage.
Fancher completed 3 of 4 throws for 22 yards, and Myles Montgomery rushed twice for 5 yards.
Cam Fancher starting at QB for UCF
Cam Fancher officially makes his second start of the season at quarterback for UCF.
Fancher relieved Tayven Jackson (shoulder) for the final two quarters in last week’s loss to Kansas. He started the opener against Jacksonville State on Aug. 28.
Jackson is available for today’s game, and Jacurri Brown was listed as a game-time decision.
Cincinnati went three-and-out on its opening possession.
UCF, Cincinnati underway
UCF deferred the opening coin toss and sent the kickoff through the back of the end zone. Cincinnati’s offense will start with the football.
Final UCF injury report vs. Cincinnati: Good news on Tayven Jackson
QB Tayven Jackson will be available for the Knights today. He did not appear on the Big 12 availability report Saturday morning after being listed as questionable throughout the week.
Jackson left last Saturday’s game vs. Kansas in the third quarter.
Fellow QB Jacurri Brown is designated as a game-time decision.
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UCF vs Cincinnati injury updates
UCF quarterbacks Tayven Jackson and Jacurri Brown were listed as questionable with shoulder injuries. Tight end Dylan Wade, defensive back Jakob Gude and defensive tackle Rodney Lora also are questionable. Defensive tackle Horace Lockett is out for the season with a torn pectoral.
Who is starting for UCF football at quarterback?
Entering Saturday, it was unknown whether Tayven Jackson, Cam Fancher or Jacurri Brown would start at quarterback. Jackson started last week’s game vs. Kansas but left after reaggravating a shoulder injury, with Fancher finishing the game. Brown did not play with his own shoulder injury. Coach Scott Frost said Monday that Brown could play vs. Cincinnati.
UCF schedule 2025
Here is UCF’s schedule and results. All times Eastern.
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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF football vs Cincinnati final score, highlights, recap
Reporting by Chris Boyle and Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
