Ucf Hopes To Avoid Letdown Against Baylor After Pulling Off Huge Upset Vs. Byu

Forty-eight hours after one of the biggest celebrations in UCF athletics history, a buzz still hung in the air at Acrisure Bounce House Stadium.

Workers were busy cleaning up after the Knights’ thrilling 39-31 double-overtime win over No. 2 BYU on Saturday night, which sent thousands of fans storming the field in euphoria.

The high-priced field cabanas for fans in both end zones, which were damaged by students jumping on them to reach the field, were still worse for wear.

UCF (4-3, 2-2 Big 12), meanwhile, was back to work in earnest with a short week before hosting Baylor (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) on Friday (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

“We’ve got to play with the same intensity that we played with on Saturday,” a tired Scott Frost said on Monday. “I asked the guys to find another level, to find a bit more and they did. That can be a one-time thing, or it can set the stage for the rest of the season. We have to figure it out.

“There have been a lot of teams that have won big games and not played as well the next week. That’s a challenge for us.”

Quarterback Keyone Jenkins said it’s about keeping up the standard.

“We’ve seen we could do it. I was about going out there, doing it every day, for real, and just proving to ourselves that we are who we are,” Jenkins said following the win.

Added receiver Josh Derry: “You celebrate for 24 hours, and then you move on. That’s the part of the game. You can’t let you know one game obviously keep the momentum going to other games, but not let that emotion just drag on and turn to a letdown.”

Frost wanted his team to enjoy the win, but he didn’t want them to get too caught up in the accolades that come with such a monumental victory. It’s hard to avoid with social media filled with videos, photos and memes from Saturday’s win.

Even Frost himself was captured sitting on the field following the game, seemingly taking it all in.

“It’s not that dramatic. I was tired and I wanted to go home,” he recalled. “We had some good friends in town, and they wanted to go back out on the field to get a picture by the scoreboard. … I was just sitting on the ground, just tired and wondering how long we were going to be there before we go home.”

Accolades continued to flow into the program with UCF earning Pop Tarts Bowl Team of the Week honors and Frost being named Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Week.

Back on the field, Frost confirmed Jenkins will start again this week against the Bears. Jenkins has started the previous five games for the Knights, stepping in for the injured Alonza Barnett III.

“Keyone is going to start again,” said Frost. “He’s the hot hand right now.”

Jenkins was instrumental in UCF’s win over BYU on Saturday, tossing a touchdown in overtime, then the game-winning touchdown and a subsequent two-point conversion. He finished with a season-high 293 yards and added a third-quarter rushing touchdown.

“He played a pretty special game Saturday. (He) made plays when we needed to make them. I thought playing the first overtime was elite,” Frost said.

Barnett is closer to returning after rehabbing a hamstring injury he suffered late in a 12-7 loss at Pittsburgh on Sept. 12, but Frost isn’t sure the senior will be 100% for Friday’s game.

Baylor, meanwhile, fired coach Dave Aranda on Sunday following a disappointing 25-24 loss to Kansas. Athletics director Doug McNamee named defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman interim head coach for the rest of the season.

“Dave is one of the better guys in the business. He’s a really good football coach,” said Frost. “That’s this business. They have the same record and the same conference record as we do.

“Everybody in this league is about the same. You can win any week and you can lose any week. I feel for Dave. That’s tough.”

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram at @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

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What: UCF (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) vs. Baylor (4-3, 2-2 Big 12)

When: 7:30, Friday

Where: Acrisure Bounce House Stadium

TV: ESPN

Favorite: UCF by 1.5 points