STILLWATER, Okla. — UCF knows this feeling all too well.
The Knights had been in this position before, and sadly, the outcome remains the same. After putting up a tough road fight against a ranked opponent, they once again saw their chances of victory slip away because of a costly second-half blunder.
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker found the end zone three times as the 18th-ranked Cowboys pulled away for a 42-28 win at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday.
The Knights held their own through the first half, but a fourth-quarter fumble on a screen pass by quarterback Keyone Jenkins gave OSU a touchdown and put the game out of reach.
“We can’t have a catastrophic play like that, particularly on the road against a good team,” said coach Scott Frost. “If you take that one away, I don’t know what the game looks like.”
A week earlier, UCF let a 17-0 lead evaporate against then-No. 20 Houston as the Cougars scored 27 unanswered points, sparked by a late interception.
UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) lost its second straight game and extended its road losing streak to 12. It’s the second-longest losing streak in program history, behind a 15-game stretch that ran from the 2003 to 2005 seasons.
The day didn’t start gloomy for the Knights, however.
UCF’s defense made an immediate impact, forcing a takeaway on just the second play. Cornerback Antione Jackson knocked the ball loose from Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins, and edge rusher Isaiah Nixon recovered it at the OSU 25.
This marked the Knights’ 11th takeaway of the season.
“We knew in order to win this game, we were going to need a couple of them,” said linebacker Tackett Curtis. “We got the first one right at the beginning of the game. We needed to find another one and it just didn’t happen.”
Taking advantage of the Cowboys’ miscue, Jenkins faked a handoff to running back Landon Chambers on a crucial third-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Jenkins found former Oklahoma State tight end Grayson Brousseau wide open in the end zone for the touchdown.
It was the fourth straight game in which the Knights scored on their opening drive.
“It was a big moment for him,” Jenkins, who finished 30 for 42 for 265 yards and four touchdowns, said about Brousseau. “He blocked his butt off and he barely sees the ball, so he earned that.”
Oklahoma State responded on its next possession with an impressive 75-yard drive capped by an 11-yard run by Mestemaker.
UCF went to work on its next possession, moving the ball downfield quickly. Jenkins delivered a perfect pitch to receiver Josh Derry on a jet sweep, and Derry zig-zagged into the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown, putting the Knights up 14-7.
It was the second straight game with a touchdown for Derry, who finished with a team-high 11 catches for 84 yards.
Mestemaker picked up where he left off, moving the Cowboys downfield efficiently before tight end Morgan McPhaul scored in a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
UCF, meanwhile, struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the second quarter. The Knights had possession twice but failed to cross midfield on either drive, resulting in two punts.
UCF cornerback Antione Jackson (7) returns a punt in front pastOklahoma State’s Israel Polk (5) in the first half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
UCF receiver Tyren Hornes (2) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Josh Derry in the second quarter of their game against Oklahoma State on Saturday. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State wide receiver Wyatt Young (10) catches the ball in the first half of the NCAA college football game against Central Florida in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State linebacker Ethan Wesloski (32) tackles Central Florida running back Duke Watson (26) in the first half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins (12) throws a pass in the first half of the NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
UCF wide receiver Tyren Hornes (2) scores a touchdown in the first half of the NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
UCF head coach Scott Frost and Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris meet before an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
UCF’s Landen Chambers is stopped on fourth-and-1 with just under nine minutes left in the game by Oklahoma State defensive tackle Luke Webb on Saturday in Stillwater, Okla. OSU beat UCF 42-28. (Mitch Alcala/AP)
Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Bowick (0) runs past Central Florida defensive back Kahmel Johnson (14) and linebacker Jahleel Culbreath (34) in the second half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State defensive end Billy Walton III (31) and linebacker Ethan Wesloski (32) tackle Central Florida running back Taevion Swint (4) in the second half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins (12) hands the ball off to running back Duke Watson (26) in the first half of the NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Central Florida head coach Scott Frost talks with a referee in the second half of the NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) hands the ball off to Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins (24) in the second half of the NCAA college football game against Central Florida in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Central Florida safety Caleb Flagg (18) tackles Oklahoma State running back Ayo Adeyi (25) in the second half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State safety Evan Jackson (1) runs back a fumble for a touchdown in the second half of the NCAA college football game against Central Florida in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) runs the ball for a two-point conversion in the second half of the NCAA college football game against Central Florida in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) runs in for a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA college football game against Central Florida in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State wide receiver Wyatt Young (10) catches the ball in front of Central Florida defensive back Rukeem Stroud (25) in the first half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
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UCF cornerback Antione Jackson (7) returns a punt in front pastOklahoma State’s Israel Polk (5) in the first half of the NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
Oklahoma State’s offense was humming as Mestemaker threaded the needle to receiver Justin Bowick for an 18-yard touchdown, giving the Cowboys their first lead of the game, 21-14.
With about two minutes left in the first half, the Knights got the ball and drove down to the OSU 3 with 16 seconds left; then Jenkins found Tyren Hornes on a quick pass for a touchdown to tie the game heading into the half.
After a UCF punt to start the second half, Oklahoma State drove deep into Knights territory before Sam Keltner kicked a 40-yard field goal to retake the lead at 24-21.
The Knights put together a methodical drive that took more than 12 plays and lasted more than six minutes, but kicker Will Stone missed a 45-yard field goal that would have tied the game. It was Stone’s first miss of the season.
Keltner added a 29-yard field goal to extend Oklahoma State’s lead to 27-21 with 12:11 left in the fourth.
“If you had told me we had the ball in the fourth quarter down six with a chance to take the lead, I would have probably signed up for it on the road,” said Frost.
On the next UCF possession, Jenkins attempted a screen pass to Day Day Farmer on a second-and-8 at their own 39, but the ball never reached the line of scrimmage and OSU safety Evan Jackson picked it up, returning it 28 yards for a 35-21 lead.
“I didn’t think it was a backward pass,” said Jenkins. “I watched it on film a couple of times. It was a low ball, for sure, but I didn’t see a backward pass.”
“We didn’t bring him in here to be the starter and he’s done an unbelievable job for the situation he was thrust into,” added Frost.
Oklahoma State added another touchdown midway through the quarter when Mestemaker found receiver Wyatt Young for a 10-yard score to make it 42-21.
Jenkins found tight end Caden Piening open for a 4-yard touchdown pass with under four minutes left. It was Jenkins’ fourth touchdown pass of the game. He became the first UCF quarterback to throw four touchdowns in a game since John Rhys Plumlee against Temple on Oct. 13, 2022.
UCF finished with 375 yards of offense while Oklahoma State had 414.
The Knights have a week off before hosting No. 8 BYU on Oct. 24.
“This bye week comes at a really good time for us to try to get guys back and get everybody else fresh and ready to go,” said Frost.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram at @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.