UCF dominated by No. 6 Texas Tech, suffers eighth straight road loss

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LUBBOCK, Texas — Earlier in the week, UCF coach Scott Frost emphasized the importance of trusting the process when it comes to the program’s overall direction. He noted that nothing good comes easy.

On Saturday, the process was put to the test in front of a sellout crowd of 60,229 at Jones AT&T Stadium as No. 6 Texas Tech demonstrated why the Red Raiders are the apex predators of the Big 12.

Texas Tech scored the opening touchdown in a little more than a minute to start the game and didn’t look back, building a 36-point advantage before cruising to a 48-9 win over UCF.

UCF (4-6, 1-6 Big 12) lost its eighth consecutive road game on Saturday, marking the second-longest road losing streak in the Big 12, behind Oklahoma State’s nine-game losing streak.

The Red Raiders were 24-point favorites in the game and looked all the part throughout the game.

It took Texas Tech (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) a little more than a minute to score on its opening drive as running back Cameron Dickey scored on a 12-yard run that was set up by a 40-yard pass from Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton to receiver Reggie Virgil.

It wasn’t much better on offense for the Knights.

Tayven Jackson fumbled the snap on UCF’s opening drive and was sacked on the very next play by former Knights tackle Lee Hunter. One play later, UCF was punting the ball back to Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders picked up right where they left off, driving 56 yards down to the UCF 2.

TTU coach Joey McGuire inserted linebacker Jacob Rodriguez in at quarterback and the senior took the snap and rushed in for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

Davi Belfort replaced Jackson on the team’s third offensive possession, but the redshirt freshman didn’t do much better as UCF was forced to punt on its third straight possession.

UCF was without backups Cam Fancher and Jacurri Brown, who were listed as out on the weekly player availability reports. Fancher has been dealing with a broken rib he suffered against Cincinnati on Oct. 11, while Brown has been out of action while recovering from a strained AC joint he sustained at Kansas State on Sept. 27.

Virgil was at the forefront again when the 6-foot-3 receiver took a pitch from Morton and scored on a 5-yard sweep to push the Texas Tech advantage to 21-0 with 14:55 left in the second quarter.

UCF’s first points came about five minutes into the second quarter when Texas Tech was pinned down at its own 2-yard line. Morton scrambled in the end zone, but there was a holding penalty that gave the Knights a safety.

It was the first safety since UCF safety Ladarius Tennison recorded one against New Hampshire in the 2024 season-opener on Aug. 29, 2024.

UCF started to move the ball somewhat, but Rodriguez picked off a Jackson pass late in the second quarter, setting up an 8-yard touchdown by Virgil on a pass from Morton to extend the lead to 35-2.

Virgil, a former Mount Dora Christian Academy product, finished with TBD yards and three total touchdowns.

It was Jackson’s fourth straight game with an interception and the fifth pick he’s thrown since the start of October.

TTU kicker Stone Harrington connected on a 45-yard field goal at the end of the half to make it 38-2. The 38 points were the most points allowed in the first half by a UCF defense since SMU scored 38 in a 55-28 loss on Nov. 13, 2021.

UCF opened the second half by driving down the field before Jackson found tight end Dylan Wade in the middle of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown that cut the lead to 38-9.

It was Jackson’s sixth touchdown pass of the season, but the first since he tossed two against West Virginia on Oct. 18.

Harrington added his second field goal of the game, a 53-yarder that pushed the lead to 41-9.

The Red Raiders added another touchdown thanks to Dickey’s one-yard plunge.

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.

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