Tayven Jackson returns from injury to power UCF past West Virginia 45-13

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson returned from injury to throw two fourth-down touchdown passes to freshman receiver Chris Domercant as the Knights snapped a three-game losing streak with a 45-13 victory over West Virginia on Saturday.

Jackson missed last week’s game against No. 24 Cincinnati after injuring his shoulder against Kansas two weeks ago. UCF (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) was without its starter from last week, Cam Fancher, out with broken ribs.

Jackson threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns on 23-for-34 passing. Domercant caught five passes for 89 yards to lead UCF’s receiving group.

“I felt like I just stay steady and try to put one forward ahead,” Domercant said. “I feel good. I feel like we are trending in the right direction.”

West Virginia (2-5, 0-4) struggled to find its offense. The Mountaineers only scored off the Knights’ turnovers, the first on fourth down in Mountaineers territory in the second quarter, and the other after a fourth-quarter interception was returned to the 2.

Kahlil Wilkins led the Mountaineers in rushing with 48 yards on 15 carries, including a 6-yard touchdown run. Diore Hubbard scored the other touchdown.

UCF outgained West Virginia 578-210.

“We stunk in every phase and every way,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. “We didn’t do anything well, looked slow, out of position, missed tackles, didn’t block. Poorly coached, poorly executed, poorly played, poorly everything.”

Despite that, UCF led only 14-7 at the half. But the Knights broke the game open with 21 points in the third quarter. Jaden Nixon scored twice, capping a nine-play, 92-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run and then scoring an 83-yard touchdown run. Nixon finished with 116 yards on seven carries with his two scores.

The Knights’ defense got on the board between Nixon’s touchdowns with a strip-sack forced by Nyjalik Kelly that Keli Lawson returned 32 yards for a touchdown.

“We were overdue,” Lawson said. “Our objective is to get (a) turnover every game. To come up short the last three games and see the outcome, it’s a direct correlation. ”It was really important to get that one.”

QB shuffle

West Virginia started freshman Scotty Fox Jr. after starters Nicco Marchiol, Khalil Wilkins and Jaylen Henderson all suffered injuries this season. Fox became the first freshman to start at quarterback for the Mountaineers since Fred Wyant in 1952. Fox finished 6 for 17 for 47 yards and was sacked five times. He and Wilkins split quarterback for the game.

Fancher update

UCF coach Scott Frost said of Fancher: “Cam, I can’t tell you how much respect I have for him. He has a couple of broken ribs, we didn’t know about it until midweek, he practiced with it, he finished the (Cincinnati) game with it. So it says a lot about how tough he is.”

October blues

UCF set several firsts with the win over West Virginia — the first time since joining the Big 12 that the Knights threw for 300 yards. But the biggest first was putting another losing streak to bed.

The Knights snapped a six-game Big 12 losing streak and a nine-game October losing streak.

The takeaway

West Virginia: The Mountaineers continue to seek balance in their backfield after injuries decimated the quarterbacks and running backs.

UCF: The Knights snapped a three-game losing streak and avoided the drive-killing mistakes that cost them in their last three outings.

Up next

West Virginia is home next Saturday against TCU.

UCF plays at Baylor on Nov. 1.

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