Brendan Sorsby throws 2 TD passes and Cincinnati beats UCF 20-11

By Canadian Press on October 11, 2025.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Brendan Sorsby passed for 191 yards and two touchdowns, both to receiver Jeff Caldwell, helping Cincinnati win its fifth straight game, 20-11 over UCF on Saturday.

The Bearcats (5-1, 3-0 Big 12) won despite being outgained 413 to 306.

Due to injuries to two other quarterbacks, Florida Atlantic transfer Cam Fancher made his second start of the season for UCF (3-3, 0-3) and passed for 222 yards while rushing for 108 yards and a touchdown.

The Knights held their first five opponents scoreless in the first quarter this season before Sorsby found Caldwell for a 40-yard touchdown pass to put Cincinnati ahead 7-0.

Sorsby, the nation’s highest-rated QB (91.1) through five games according to Pro Football Focus, connected with Caldwell again in the second quarter for a 9-yard TD to make the score 14-0.

UCF’s pass defense, which ranked 15th nationally with 150.8 yards allowed per game, limited Sorsby to 116 yards passing until tight end Joe Royer’s 67-yard reception with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.

Royer’s big play set up Stephen Rusnak’s second field goal, a 24-yarder to make the score 20-3 early in the fourth.

The takeaway

UCF: The Knights were without two quarterbacks on Saturday. Starter Tayven Jackson and backup Jacurri Brown were both listed as questionable on this week’s injury report but Fancher was named the starter in a game-time decision.

Cincinnati: The Bearcats received 129 poll points good for 26th in last week’s AP poll, putting them on the brink of being ranked for the first time since 2022.

Up next

UCF hosts West Virginia on Saturday.

Cincinnati plays at Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Jeff Wallner, The Associated Press

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