2 days Ago By Matt Murschel
TEMPE, Arizona — With his young quarterback struggling, UCF running back RJ Harvey does what he’s done so many times this season — he ran and ran and ran. Harvey rushed for 126 yards, his fourth straight 100-yard game and seventh overall, but it wasn’t enough as Arizona State rallied from a double-digit first-half lead to beat the Knights 35-31 Saturday night. The Knights have lost four of their last five road contests and seven of the last 10 since 2023.
The loss leaves UCF (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) with no margin for error for a possible bowl bid. The Knights need to win the remainder of their games — at West Virginia (Nov. 23) and Utah (Nov.
29) — to qualify for the postseason for the ninth consecutive season. The team has a bye week before preparing to face the Mountaineers in Morgantown. Dylan Rizk started the game by completing his first eight passes and 12 of 14, but a pick-six at the end of the first half appeared to shake the redshirt freshman’s confidence.
Harvey helped the Knights get on the scoreboard first with an 8-yard touchdown run on the team’s opening possession. Arizona State linebacker Martell Hughes partially blocked a Mitch McCarthy punt and safety Montana Warren picked up the ball and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown to tie the game with 2:17 in the first quarter. It was the first blocked punt for a touchdown against the Knights since Oct.
2, 2021, against Navy. Kicker Grant Reddick connected on a career-long 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter to push the UCF lead to 10-7. Jacurri Brown ’s 6-yard quarterback scramble pushed the advantage to 17-7 with 4:56 left in the first half.
But then everything went South for the Knights. UCF defensive end Nyjalik Kelly was flagged for a face mask on a sack of quarterback Sam Leavitt, which gave Arizona State’s offense new life. Leavitt found tight end Chamon Metayer in the back of the end zone for a touchdown to cut the lead to 17-14 with 1:00 left.
On the ensuing kickoff, freshman Christian Peterson decided to take the ball out of the end zone but changed his mind and was downed at the 1-yard line. In the next play, Rizk’s pass was intercepted by ASU corner Laterrence Welch, who returned it 9 yards for a score. The Sun Devils scored 14 points in the last 2 minutes to take a 21-17 halftime advantage.
Harvey added another 8-yard touchdown halfway through the third quarter to help UCF retake the lead at 24-21. ASU (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) retook the lead late in the third when Leavitt found receiver Jordyn Tyson on a 9-yard fade into the end zone to give the Sun Devils a 28-24 lead. Harvey scored his third touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping the Knights retake the lead at 31-28.
But it was Leavitt again, who found Tyson on a 13-yard touchdown strike for the go-ahead score. Rizk finished 23 of 33 for 218 yards with an interception. Arizona State was without starting running back Cam Skattebo, who entered the weekend ranked third in the Big 12 in rushing (1,001 yards).
The senior was held out of the game with a reported shoulder strain. Matt Murschel can be reached at [email protected].
