Tayven Jackson’s TD pass to DJ Black lifts UCF to 17-10 win over Jacksonville State

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson found DJ Black for a 33-yard touchdown pass with 1:03 remaining to give the Knights a 17-10 win over Jacksonville State in the teams’ season opener.

Both UCF and Jacksonville State featured new coaching staffs and new players with the Knights adding nearly 70 players through recruiting and the transfer portal and the Gamecocks adding more than 50.

The lack of rhythm for both teams was apparent as they struggled to get much going on offense. The teams did not score until they traded field goals in the third quarter.

“A win is a win,” Jackson said. “I think any win is a confidence booster. You always try to stay plus-one in football. Any given day, anyone can win a game. Just coming out with a win and knowing we can get better, that’s the exciting thing.”

Jacksonville State seemed to have the upper hand, breaking a deadlocked defensive battle with a 10-yard touchdown run by Andrew Paul early in the fourth quarter for the first touchdown of the game.

UCF answered the score with a seven-play drive capped off with a 39-yard touchdown catch-and-run from Jackson to Dylan Wade to tie the game at 10 apiece. The Gamecocks missed their chance to take the lead late when they faced 4th and 1 in UCF territory with four minutes to play. But the Knights secured the stop to set up their go-ahead drive.

“When you play a team with their quality and their coaching, you can’t give up explosive plays, you can’t have penalties and you have to take care of the football. We just didn’t do the things it took to win,” Jacksonville State coach Charles Kelly said.

Gamecocks quarterback Gavin Wimsatt completed only 15 of 29 passes for 139 yards. Cam Cook led the ground attack with 75 yards on 17 carries.

Jackson played the majority of the game at quarterback for UCF, replacing starter Cam Fancher after a second-quarter injury. He threw for 282 yards on 17-for-24 passing. Black had three catches for 59 yards to go along with his touchdown.

“I have lost three or four quarterback battles in my whole career,” said Jackson. “I always wait for my moment and when my moment comes, seize it. I feel like I did a good job of that last year (at Indiana) and did a good job of it this year.”

Quarterback shuffle

Fancher won a three-man quarterback battle and completed 5 of 9 passes for 32 yards as the starter. But he left the game after getting hit on a targeting play early in the second quarter. Coach Scott Frost said Fancher would be reevaluated on Friday before his status is determined for next week.

Weather delay

The game entered a lightning delay that lasted two hours and seven minutes early in the second quarter.

The takeaway

Jacksonville State: The Gamecocks showed their defense could hang with a Big 12 team and put them in a position to win. But a lack of cohesion and passing attack kept them from the last inch needed to win.

UCF: The Knights showed they still have a ways to go to get back to the level they were at from Scott Frost’s first stint with the team. But their defense stepped up to make several key plays that kept the game in their favor.

Up next

Jacksonville State plays its home and Conference USA opener against Liberty next week and UCF hosts North Carolina A&T.

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