UCF Knights football drops Big 12 road game to Arizona State

by Junna Base November 10, 2024

UCF’s quest for a ninth straight bowl trip got a little bit tougher in the desert Saturday night.

The Knights fell to Arizona State 35-31 at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe. They will need to claim their final two games to ensure bowl eligibility.

UCF (4-6, 2-5 in Big 12) outgained the Sun Devils 406-260 but made a few crucial mistakes.

Arizona State (7-2, 4-2) erased a 17-7 deficit in the final minute of the first half, scoring a touchdown on offense and then picking off Knights QB Dylan Rizk and returning it to the house.

UCF also missed two field goals and failed to convert on fourth-and-2 at its own 34-yard line down 35-31 with three minutes left.

RJ Harvey rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns for the Knights. Rizk completed 24-of-34 passes for 229 yards in his second start of the year.

For the Sun Devils, who were without injured running back Cam Skattebo, quarterback Sam Leavitt finished with 161 passing yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers.

UCF vs Arizona State score updates

UCF football highlights vs Arizona State

The Sun Devils pick up a first down and drain the clock down to five seconds before turning it over on downs at the Knights’ 13-yard line. UCF has time for one snap, and Dylan Rizk fires an 11-yard completion to Jarrad Baker. That ends it.

Arizona State improves to 7-2.

The Knights drop to 4-6. They will need to win their last two games to earn bowl eligibility.

UCF and Arizona State have reached the two-minute warning.

Leading 35-31, the Sun Devils have the ball at the UCF 25-yard line. They got it back by stopping RJ Harvey on fourth-and-2.

Jordyn Tyson caught his second touchdown, a 13-yard pass from Sam Leavitt, to give Arizona State a 35-31 lead with 4:55 to play.

UCF could have taken a two-score lead moments earlier, but elected to attempt a 46-yard field goal rather than go for a fourth-and-two. Grant Reddick’s kick struck the inside of the right upright, clipped the crossbar and fell short.

UCF, which holds a 386-248 advantage in total offense, will have to produce a fifth touchdown drive to pull off the win and even its record for the season.

RJ Harvey broke loose for a 13-yard touchdown, restoring UCF’s lead over Arizona State. The Knights are ahead 31-28 with 13:04 left in regulation.

Harvey has three touchdowns on the night, 10 on the ground in the Knights’ last four games and 21 in total on the year. He’s up to 122 yards on 22 rushing attempts.

Dylan Rizk has completed 21 of 31 throws for 202 yards with an interception for UCF.

Jordyn Tyson skied for a clutch 29-yard reception on third down, and finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown catch to give Arizona State a 28-24 lead over UCF with 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt is 11 of 17 for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Tyson has six receptions for 86 yards and a score.

RJ Harvey barreled through two Arizona State tacklers at the goal line for an 8-yard touchdown, his second of the night, to put UCF back in front. The Knights lead Arizona State 24-21 with 5:03 left in the third quarter.

Harvey is up to 79 yards on 18 carries. The Knights are outgaining the host Sun Devils 303-139 in the game.

UCF wide receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson went down untouched after a 20-yard run on a reverse and reached for his left knee. The Knights trail Arizona State 21-17 with 6:26 left in the third quarter, but have the ball on the Sun Devils’ 31-yard line.

Johnson was helped to the medical tent by the training staff.

Arizona State maintains a 21-17 lead over UCF at the 8:18 mark of the third quarter, and after each team had the ball once out of halftime.

RJ Harvey broke off his longest run of the night, a punishing 18-yard gain in which he lowered the shoulder on a Sun Devil defender. But, Prince Darboh sacked Dylan Rizk outside of field goal range to keep the Knights off the scoreboard.

Grant Reddick’s 57-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the first half clipped the left upright, sealing UCF’s 21-17 deficit against Arizona State at the break.

The Knights hold a 227-103 advantage in total offense, and possessed the ball for more than 19 of the half’s 30 minutes. But three crucial mistakes — two on special teams, and one on offense backed up near the goal line — gifted the Sun Devils 14 points.

Arizona State is 4-0 at home this season, and has now outscored opponents 62-13 this season in the “middle eight” — the final four minutes of the first half, and the first four minutes of the second half.

Rizk is 18 of 24 for 161 yards and a pick-six. RJ Harvey has been limited to 34 yards on 12 attempts, though he has his 17th rushing touchdown of the campaign.

Two gigantic UCF mistakes in the final minute of the first half have given Arizona State a 21-17 lead.

Christian Peterson decided to take the kickoff out from his own end zone after dropping the ball, and was tackled at the 1-yard line. On the next play, Dylan Rizk tossed an interception which Laterrance Welch returned 9 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

Sam Leavitt found Chamon Metayer off playaction for a 4-yard touchdown, pulling Arizona State with 17-14 with 56 seconds left in the half.

The Sun Devils gained 75 yards over nine plays, and extended its drive on a blatant personal foul as Nyjalik Kelly grabbed and turned quarterback Sam Leavitt’s facemask.

UCF has a two-score lead for the first time tonight, courtesy of Jacurri Brown’s 6-yard rushing touchdown. The Knights have a 17-7 lead that does not quite detail its dominance to this point.

The Knights have possessed the ball for 18:20, compared to Arizona State’s 6:44, and outgained the host Sun Devils 207-38.

Dylan Rizk and Jacoby Jones connected for a nine-yard completion on fourth-and-six, and Randy Pittman uncovered for a 19-yard catch to put the Knights in a goal-to-go situation.

Daylan Dotson sacked Sam Leavitt on the first play of Arizona State’s second offensive series, resulting in a three-and-out.

UCF reclaimed the lead with 12:39 left in the second quarter as Grant Reddick knocked through a career-long, 45-yard field goal.

Dylan Rizk is up to 106 yards on 13-of-17 passing. UCF has been held in check on the ground, rushing nine times for 35 yards.

UCF and Arizona State are tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Kobe Hudson made a highlight-reel, one-handed catch for 23 yards against Laterrance Welch on a back shoulder fade. Dylan Rizk is 11 of 13 for 88 yards, and RJ Harvey has six carries for 20 yards and a touchdown.

Arizona State scored its points on a punt block, a 46-yard return to the end zone by Montana Warren.

UCF has outgained the Sun Devils 120-39, holding the ball for 10:29 of the opening 15 minutes.

Arizona State scored on a punt block return for the first time since 2017, knotting the score 7-7 with 2:17 left in the first quarter.

Martell Hughes rose up to swat Mitch McCarthy’s punt after a UCF three-and-out, Montana Warren scooped up the loose ball, stayed in bounds and raced 46 yards for the score.

Dylan Rizk took a sack and fired two incomplete passes on the Knights’ second offensive series.

Quadric Bullard broke up Sam Leavitt’s fourth-down pass to halt Arizona State’s opening drive at the UCF 40-yard line. The Knights will take over there with 3:15 left in the first quarter, leading 7-0.

Xe’Ree Alexander made a key tackle for loss on third-and-three, filling the gap after Lee Hunter absorbed a double team.

UCF marched 75 yards on 13 plays to score a touchdown on the game’s opening drive, capped by an 8-yard touchdown run by RJ Harvey. The Knights lead Arizona State 7-0 with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Dylan Rizk, making his second consecutive start, went 8 of 8 for 54 yards, including a clutch fourth-and-five conversion to Jacoby Jones in Arizona State territory. Kobe Hudson briefly checked out after limping to the sidelines, but he had five receptions for 26 yards on the drive.

Harvey ran four times for 18 yards, and Myles Montgomery gained 13 in a change of pace for UCF.

Cam Skattebo, Arizona State’s most dangeous offensive weapon throughout the season, is not dressed and officially inactive for Saturday’s game against UCF.

Skattebo has accumulated 1,505 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors on four separate occasions this fall.

Kyson Brown is expected to shoulder the lead rushing responsibilities for the host Sun Devils.

UCF vs Arizona State time today

Date: Saturday, November 9
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Mountain America Stadium (Tempe, Arizona)

Watch UCF vs Arizona State live on Fubo (free trial)

What channel is UCF vs Arizona State game on today?

UCF vs. Arizona State will broadcast nationally on ESPN2 in Week 11 of the 2024 college football season. Brian Custer and Rod Gilmore will call the game from the booth at Mountain America Stadium, with Lauren Sisler reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

The Knights began the 2024 season led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, an Arkansas transfer who was named preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Freshman Dylan Rizk has taken over as starting QB. Running back RJ Harvey is first in the Big 12 with 1,201 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. UCF boasts two also preseason All-Big 12 selections: receiver Kobe Hudson (first team) and defensive lineman Lee Hunter (second team).

The 2024 Sun Devils are led by running back Cam Skattebo, who is third in the Big 12 with 1,001 rushing yards and second with 11 touchdowns. He is also ASU’s second-leading receiver with 404 yards and two TDs.

UCF vs Arizona State history

Series history: Arizona State leads, 1-0
Arizona State’s last win: September 7, 2002 (46-13)

Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal: Arizona State 27, UCF 24

“Cam Skattebo’s potential injury absence is certainly a plot twist; he’s been named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week four times this fall while compiling 1,505 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns for the Sun Devils. As is the emergence of Dylan Rizk at quarterback for UCF. … But, the Sun Devils have it rolling right now at 6-2 — the same number of wins they accumulated across the previous two seasons combined — with a perfect 4-0 mark at Mountain America Stadium.”

Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal: Arizona State 31, UCF 24

“So Dylan Rizk, huh? The Knights hid him on the bench for two months? The redshirt freshman was sensational in his first start last week, turning in the best performance by a UCF quarterback this season. If he can produce similar results Saturday, the Knights will like their chances, especially if Skattebo doesn’t suit up. … But Leavitt and Co. might just be too much.”

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday:

Spread: Arizona State (-2½)
Over/under: 55½ points
Money line: UCF +125, Arizona State -150

UCF vs Arizona State injury report

UCF tight end Jordan Davis is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo is “doubtful to questionable” after sustaining an injury last week vs. Oklahoma State. Linebacker Keyshaun Elliott is out with a neck injury. Wide receiver Zechariah Sample is questionable.

UCF vs Arizona State weather updates

Weather.com predicts 73 degrees with sunny skies at kickoff in Tempe. Winds are expected to be light and variable, blowing out of the west at 4 mph. There is a near 0% chance of rain throughout the night.

August 29: vs. New Hampshire (W 57-3)
September 7: vs. Sam Houston (W 45-14)
September 14: at TCU* (W 35-34)
September 21: Open
September 28: vs. Colorado* (L 48-21)
October 5: at Florida (L 24-13)
October 12: vs. Cincinnati* (L 19-13)
October 19: at Iowa State* (L 38-35)
October 26: vs. BYU* (L 37-24)
November 2: vs. Arizona* (W 56-12)
November 9: at Arizona State*
November 16: Open
November 23: at West Virginia*
November 29: vs. Utah*, 8 p.m.
Record: 4-5 (2-4 in Big 12)

*- Big 12 game

Arizona State football schedule 2024

August 31: vs. Wyoming (W 48-7)
September 7: vs. Mississippi State (W 30-23)
September 12: at Texas State (W 31-28)
September 21: at Texas Tech* (L 30-22)
September 28: Open
October 5: vs. Kansas* (W 35-31)
October 11: vs. Utah* (W 27-19)
October 19: at Cincinnati* (L 24-14)
October 26: Open
November 2: at Oklahoma State* (W 42-21)
November 9: vs. UCF*, 7 p.m.
November 16: at Kansas State*
November 23: vs. BYU*
November 30: at Arizona*
Record: 6-2 (3-2 in Big 12)

*- Big 12 game

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