Jenkins and UCF defense deliver 21-13 win over TCU

Orlando, FL (AP) — Quarterback Keyone Jenkins completed 19 of 20 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown and UCF’s defense forced four turnovers to guide UCF to a Big 12-opening 21-13 win over TCU.

The Knights (3-1, 1-0) forced four turnovers, sacked quarterback Jaden Craig four times and added eight tackles for a loss. The Horned Frogs gained 339 total yards, well below the 475.0 per game they averaged entering the game.

Craig finished with 310 pass yards and two interceptions. Jordan Dwyer had five catches for 100 yards, including a 49-yard catch that set up TCU’s lone touchdown, a one-yard run by Jeremy Payne in the first quarter.

TCU (2-2, 0-1) outgained UCF in the game, but the Knights took advantage of the short field from their first two turnovers in the game and took the lead. Penalties also helped set the Horned Frogs back and keep the Knights on the field to swing the game.

“They didn’t have to do much to us, we did it to ourselves,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “They did a good job mixing things up, they didn’t give us a lot of big plays and wanted to keep everything in front of us and execute at a high level and we couldn’t do it.”

The Knights scored the lone touchdown of the second half on a one-yard run from Landen Chambers, and kept the Horned Frogs from scoring on their final possession with an Antione Jackson interception inside the five-yard line with less than two minutes to play.

Josh Derry led the Knights with three catches for 41 yards. Caden Piening had two catches for 30 yards, including a 19-yard catch where he dragged a defender the final five yards before reaching over the goal line for the touchdown.

“It was a great win — offense and defense,” Pienning said. “Defense played their butt off. It was a team win today.”

Record Efficiency

Jenkins started his second game in place of injured starter Alonza Barnett III. After throwing 7-for-17 for 86 yards in last week’s win over Georgia State, Jenkins set a new standard for efficiency.

His 94.7 percent passing efficiency topped his quarterback coach McKenzie Milton’s 24-for-26 showing from 2017 against Austin Peay.

Jenkins completed his final 14 passes, the fourth-longest streak in UCF history.

Penalties plague the Frogs

TCU was called for 11 penalties for 86 yards. Two of those penalties came on UCF’s lone touchdown drive in the second half — a pass interference that set UCF up at the TCU 11 and an unnecessary roughness that put the Knights at the goal line.

TCU entered the game with just 19 penalties for 184 yards in the first three games of the season. It was their second game this season with 11 penalties.

Turnovers win games

UCF recorded only 14 takeaways all of last season, ranking near the bottom among power conference teams.

With three takeaways in Saturday’s game, the Knights have nine takeaways through four games. Jayden Bellamy was credited with both the Knights’ interception and forcing and recovering the fumble. Jackson had the game-sealing pick.

The takeaway

TCU: The Horned Frogs racked up a lot of yards but were unable to punch it in for points against a stout UCF defense.

UCF: The Knights continue to establish themselves as one of the best defenses in the Big 12, shutting out a dynamic offense in the Horned Frogs for most of the game.

Up Next

TCU: hosts No. 9 BYU next week.

UCF: travels to No. 25 Houston next week.

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