West Virginia headed all the way down to Florida and nonetheless couldn’t discover the win column.
The Mountaineers bought rolled 45-13 by UCF, losing their fourth-straight sport of the season. WVU has misplaced all 4 Big 12 video games this season and is 2-5 total. UCF will get its first Big 12 win and strikes to 4-3.
“We stunk,” Rich Rodriguez stated. “In every phase.”
It was nearer within the first half, with the protection getting some stops, however as soon as the offense couldn’t produce, the protection gave up large performs, letting UCF dominate.
WVU’s offensive inefficiency has been a problem all season, and the quarterback play has been one of many root causes. And Saturday was no completely different.
True freshman Scotty Fox Jr. was named the starter for WVU, which was the fourth completely different beginning quarterback for Rich Rodriguez this season.
Fox didn’t final lengthy. He began off with a deep shot, drawing a move interference penalty. From there, Fox was sacked a few instances and couldn’t get the offense shifting. He was sacked 4 instances in simply the primary quarter.
WVU’s offensive line didn’t assist. The line allowed some defenders to run by unblocked and couldn’t get push on run performs. The offense appeared each half because it has previously three Big 12 video games.
With WVU not threatening offensively, UCF instantly took benefit.
UCF had a quarterback subject as properly. Usual starter Tayven Jackson didn’t play the final sport in opposition to Cincinnati with an damage. Cam Fancher stepped up in his place and made it a aggressive sport in opposition to a now top-25 squad. Fancher was dominated out for WVU, so Jackson bought the beginning as soon as once more.
Jackson didn’t miss a beat and harm the Mountaineers with the deep play, a weak spot all season.
On UCF’s first drive of the sport, Jackson rolled out on fourth and 4 and hit a wide-open Chris Domercant for a 40-yard scoring, 7-0. WVU has trailed in all 4 Big 12 video games. UCF’s subsequent drive, Jackson loaded up deep once more, hitting Domercant once more, for a 34-yard rating. The Knights have been up shortly 14-0.
Jackson completed throwing for 277 yards on 23-for-34 passing and two touchdowns.
“Weren’t playing as fast as we needed to,” Rodriguez stated. “We missed some tackles. We looked slower… The execution part, the scheme part we’ll have to look at.”
After three drives of Fox, Khalil Wilkins got here in at quarterback for WVU. After a cease on fourth and 1, WVU began the drive in UCF territory. Wilkins had a few large runs and led the Mountaineers to their first rating of the day, 14-7. Wilkins didn’t full a move on the drive.
The remainder of the day, each quarterbacks took turns taking reps, like in observe, and neither might transfer the ball. WVU had 79 passing yards and 210 yards of whole offense.
Out of the half, the wheels began to fall off for WVU.
UCF opened the half with a landing, ending any momentum WVU had after the Wilkins landing. UCF marched 92 yards on 9 performs, which was capped off with a Jaden Nixon 12-yard rush. It was 21-7, UCF.
Then, catastrophe struck. Wilkins was strip-sacked, and UCF took it 32 yards for the rating.
It appeared like WVU had momentum heading into the half, however after back-to-back scores, the Mountaineers have been deflated.
The Knights stored pouring it on within the second half, and the protection was gashed. Just earlier than the tip of the third quarter, Nixon went up the center and took off for an 83-yard landing. If WVU wasn’t lifeless already, Nixon delivered the dagger. He rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
UCF had 45 factors and 578 yards of whole offense. It was a beatdown.
Fox got here again in to try to get one thing going by the air and threw a garbage-time landing. By then, the sport was over, and UCF handed WVU its fifth lack of the season.
“We didn’t do anything well,” Rodriguez stated. “Looked slow. Out of position… Poorly coached, poorly executed, poorly played, poorly everything. I’m hoping this is bottom.”