UCF’s Alonza Barnett III threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Caden Piening with one second left, sealing a 33-32 win that snapped the Knights’ 12-game road losing streak and kept their bowl hopes alive heading into Saturday’s game against Arizona State at the Acrisure Bounce House.
Both teams enter the matchup with identical 5-4 records and 3-3 marks in Big 12 play, reflecting how close this contest could be. UCF coach Scott Frost pointed out the parity across the conference and stressed the importance of quarterback play in such tight games. “You’ve got to play well that week. Turnovers become even more important, and penalties and playing a clean game,” Frost said during his press conference. “The biggest differentiator, to me, is quarterback play.”
That difference might lie in experience. Barnett, a redshirt senior who transferred from James Madison after helping them reach last year’s College Football Playoff, returns to the UCF starting lineup. Arizona State counters with Jake Fette, a freshman preparing for his third career start. Fette made headlines last week, becoming the first Arizona State quarterback since Jake Plummer in 1996 to catch a touchdown pass. He completed 13 of 19 attempts for 187 yards and a touchdown against Colorado in his second start.
UCF’s offense leaned heavily on Barnett’s leadership last weekend. After squandering a 19-point lead over the final 25 minutes, Barnett engineered the game-winning drive, capping it with Piening’s touchdown catch. Josh Derry caught eight passes for 143 yards and a touchdown, while UCF’s defense improved its takeaway total to 14, tied for 25th in the Football Bowl Subdivision, by recovering two fumbles.
Arizona State’s defense, led by linebacker Owen Long who made 17 tackles last week, has held three consecutive opponents under 100 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils’ offense struggles with consistency, ranking last in the Big 12 in third-down conversion rate at 30.4 percent and near the bottom in red zone efficiency with 18 touchdowns on 30 possessions. Their wins and losses have alternated through the season, and their only road victory came in a neutral-site game in London against Kansas.
UCF’s backfield saw a boost last weekend with the return of Taevion Swint, who scored a touchdown and made an impact on kickoff returns after missing two games with an ankle injury. Duke Watson remains sidelined with a foot injury, but Landen Chambers is expected to play. Swint has had limited carries this season but brings a substantial workload experience from high school with 581 carries and 64 touchdowns. “Staying in the training room, building my body back up, getting back right, stay ready when your number gets called,” Swint said.
UCF also hopes to end two other streaks with a win Saturday. The Knights have not won back-to-back conference games since November 2023, and a victory would secure bowl eligibility for the first time since that season. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch welcomed the return of senior linebacker Lewis Carter, who missed six games with a knee injury but is expected to play. Carter led the team in tackles last year and made 24 stops in three appearances this fall. Frost’s defense will also be without redshirt senior safety Demari Henderson, who is among six players listed as out, while sophomore wide receiver Waden Charles is doubtful after a fall during the Kansas game.
Arizona State faces its own challenges after losing its fourth starter for the season, though details on the injury remain unconfirmed.
Ken Willis of The News-Journal agrees with Frost’s view on quarterback play being the deciding factor, noting the Sun Devils’ lack of road success beyond their London win. UCF’s home-field advantage at the Bounce House, known for its lively atmosphere and concessions that do not include mediocre fish-and-chips or warm beer, could tilt the balance.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday as both teams fight to keep their postseason hopes alive in a game that could come down to which quarterback handles the pressure better.
According to Yahoo Sports.
