Jake Retzlaff threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another score, to lead No. 11 BYU to a 37-24 victory over UCF in Big 12 play at Orlando, Fla., on Saturday.
Retzlaff had his fourth straight 200-yard game to help the Cougars (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) continue their best start since 2020. LJ Martin racked up 101 yards and a touchdown on the ground for his second straight 100-yard game. Hinckley Ropati added a season-high 83 rushing yards.
BYU piled up 252 rushing yards — the second consecutive game where the Cougars have rushed for at least 250 yards.
RJ Harvey rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Knights. Jacurri Brown threw for 96 yards and two interceptions. Dylan Rizk added 102 yards and a TD through the air. UCF (3-5, 1-4) trailed wire to wire en route to a fifth straight loss.
Retzlaff ran 29 yards on third down to cap BYU’s opening drive and put the Cougars on the board. BYU converted two fourth downs on a 17-play second drive — including an 8-yard run by kicker Will Ferrin on a fake field-goal attempt — to set up a 41-yard field goal by Will Ferrin and extend its lead to 10-0.
Martin opened and closed a BYU second-quarter drive with a pair of big runs. He bounced off tacklers and dragged one to the goal line on the second run, scoring on a 15-yard scamper to put the Cougars up 17-0.
Harvey finally got UCF on the board midway through the second quarter. He broke through the line and raced 54 yards down the sideline and scored from 2 yards out a play later.
BYU countered just before halftime. Chase Roberts caught a pass, slipped a tackle, and raced for a 62-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 24-10 with 27 seconds remaining in the first half.
Retzlaff’s second touchdown pass in the third quarter slammed the door on any potential UCF rally.
The Cougars rolled up 320 total yards by halftime while averaging 7.8 yards per play. They held the ball for 21:16 during the first half.
–Field Level Media
