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

By Canadian Press on August 28, 2025.

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.

To secure the win, the Knights needed a big defensive stand, stopping the Gamecocks on a 4th and 1 at the UCF 36-yard line with four minutes to play.

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.

Jacksonville State seemed to have the upper hand, breaking a deadlocked defensive battle with a 10-yard touchdown 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.

Jackson played the majority of the game at quarterback for UCF and threw for 282 yards on 17-for-24 passing. Black had three catches for 59 yards and Wade added four catches for 54 to go along with their touchdowns. Running back Myles Montgomery tallied 79 yards on 21 carries and caught three passes for 71 yards, including a 64-yard pass that set up UCF’s field goal.

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.

Weather delay

Florida weather struck in the second quarter. Following a scoop-and-score by Jacksonville State’s Emmanuel Oyebadejo that was called back for a targeting penalty, the game entered a lightning delay that lasted two hours and seven minutes. The game was scoreless with 10:45 left in the second quarter when play was stopped.

Quarterback shuffle

UCF entered its training camp with a three-way battle to be the team’s starting quarterback. FAU transfer Cam Fancher won the job and completed 5 of 9 passes for 32 yards. But he left the game after getting hit on the targeting play during the final play before the rain delay. Jackson took over for Fancher for the remainder of the game.

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 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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Philip Rossman-reich, The Associated Press

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