UCF Topples No. 2 BYU 39–31 in Double Overtime, Shaking Up the College Football Playoff Race

ORLANDO, Florida — October 24, 2026 (final, 2OT). UCF delivered one of the biggest shocks of the college football weekend, defeating previously unbeaten No. 2 BYU 39–31 in double overtime for the Knights’ first victory over an AP top-five opponent. The result was confirmed by both universities and independent Associated Press reporting.

How the upset was decided

Quarterback Keyone Jenkins found tight end Grayson Brousseau for a two-yard touchdown in the second overtime. Jenkins then connected with Tyren Hornes on the two-point conversion, putting UCF eight points ahead. BYU advanced to the UCF four-yard line on its response, but Bear Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass to Walker Lyons fell incomplete, ending the game.

The finish followed a chaotic end to regulation. UCF had a chance to win with a 47-yard field goal, but BYU blocked Will Stone’s attempt. The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime before UCF seized control in the second. Jenkins finished with 293 passing yards and three touchdown passes, according to the AP game recap; Hornes caught six passes for 137 yards.

Why this result matters

BYU arrived in Orlando at No. 2 and unbeaten, with a potential path toward the top of the national rankings. UCF’s victory dramatically changes that conversation. It also compounds a turbulent Big 12 weekend in which previously unbeaten No. 8 Texas Tech lost at Cincinnati. The two defeats make the conference’s route to the College Football Playoff less straightforward, even though one October loss does not by itself eliminate a contender.

The tactical turning point was UCF’s ability to keep BYU from imposing its usual ground game. BYU’s own recap says the Cougars managed only 116 rushing yards after entering the matchup averaging 223.8. UCF’s sustained possessions and opportunistic late execution then mattered more than the favorite’s ranking.

Watch the verified game highlights

Watch FOX Sports’ official BYU–UCF game highlights (October 24, 2026). This is an external link to the rights holder’s event-specific video, not a rehost or an unverified YouTube embed.

Sources and image disclosure

Match reporting: UCF Athletics (October 24); BYU Athletics (October 24); ESPN/AP game recap. Featured photograph: Patrick Ogilvie / Unsplash, licensed under the Unsplash License. Archival illustrative photograph of an American football game at the former Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego; not UCF–BYU and not taken October 24, 2026.

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