UCF suffers another second-half letdown vs. No. 6 Oklahoma

UCF lost four consecutive games for the first time since 2015 and remains winless in the Big 12. It was the third time in the last four games that the Knights led going into the fourth quarter before giving up the lead late.

NORMAN, Okla. — UCF suffered another second-half letdown as the Knights let a great opportunity to pull off a monumental upset over No. 6 Oklahoma slip through their fingers.

Dillon Gabriel got the best of his former team, tossing three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 9:16 in the fourth quarter as the Sooners rallied for a 31-29 win.

UCF drove 75 yards in 1:15 and scored for the final margin but failed on a 2-point conversion.

UCF lost four consecutive games for the first time since 2015 and remains winless in the Big 12. It was the third time in the last four games that the Knights led going into the fourth quarter before giving up the lead late.

It wasn’t the outcome the UCF had hoped for and moral victories don’t count in the standings, but a one-possession loss to a 19.5-point favorite seems better than anticipated.

UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who was back in the lineup for the second time since injuring his knee against Boise State on Sept. 9, scored twice. He spent the past five weeks working to get back on the field and did so briefly against Kansas two weeks ago, but this was his first extended action.

Oklahoma jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter as the Knights struggled to get anything going offensively, punting on their first four possessions. But that changed in the second quarter.

Plumlee scored on a 1-yard run to tie the score at 7 and Colton Boomer’s 21-yard field goal with 4:01 left in the second quarter gave UCF its first lead in more than 87 minutes of play, dating to 1:21 of the fourth quarter against Baylor.

After giving up the lead on a 42-yard touchdown from Gabriel to Nic Anderson, the Knights struck right back when Plumlee found Javon Baker, who had slipped past a Sooners defender and raced untouched 86 yards for a touchdown and a 17-14 lead.

UCF would take a 23-17 lead with 5:28 left in the third quarter but it wouldn’t last as Gabriel would find Drake Stoops for an 11-yard touchdown and a 24-23 lead. The Sooners would tack on a 30-yard touchdown run by Gavin Sawchuck late in the fourth to secure the win.

Standouts

UCF

Plumlee: The quarterback went 16 of 30 for 248 passing yards with two touchdowns.

RJ Harvey: The running back had 122 yards on 23 carries, including a season-long 54-yard run in the first half.

Baker: The wide receiver secured his second 100-yard receiving game after amassing 134 yards, highlighted by an 84-yard touchdown in the second half.

Oklahoma

Gabriel: The quarterback went 25 of 38 for 253 passing yards with three touchdowns. It was the third multi-touchdown game for the redshirt senior.

Anderson: The redshirt freshman receiver had 86 yards receiving, including two touchdowns. He has scored at least one touchdown in five straight games for the Sooners.

Noteworthy

– Plumlee’s 1-yard touchdown run at the start of the second quarter was his second rushing touchdown of the season and the first since a 17-yard score in the first quarter against Kent State in the opener.

– Harvey’s 54-yard run in the second quarter was the season’s longest run for the redshirt senior.

– Plumlee found Baker wide-open after the senior receiver slipped past a defender and raced 86 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest reception of the season for Baker and the Knights. It also was the first passing touchdown by Plumlee since the opener against Kent State.

– After allowing the last three opponents to convert 60% (25 of 42) of their third downs, UCF’s defense stepped up against Oklahoma. The Sooners were just 7 of 15 (38%) on third.

– Boomer was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts of 21, 48 (twice) and 46 yards.

– Senior safety Quadric Bullard picked off Gabriel’s pass in the third quarter. It was the first interception of his career.

Check back for more details, as this is a developing story.

Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.