Sawyer Robertson throws for 3 TDs, Caden Knighten rushes for 104 yards and Baylor beats UCF 30-3

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WACO, Texas (AP) — Sawyer Robertson threw for three touchdowns, true freshman Caden Knighten rushed for a career-high 104 yards and Baylor got back in the win column with a 30-3 victory over UCF on Saturday.

Baylor (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) scored points on four of its first five drives, including a pair of TD tosses from Robertson to former USC and Ole Miss tight end Michael Trigg and wide receiver Josh Cameron. The Bears built a 20-3 lead by halftime, and Connor Hawkins drilled his third field goal late in the third quarter to put them up 20. Hawkins made kicks from 41-, 40- and 28-yards out.

Robertson completed 29 of 40 passes for 267 yards but coughed up his first fumble of the season on a strip sack late in the first half. He has 2,780 yards and 26 touchdowns passing overall, both marks rank near the top of the FBS.

“A win like that was something that we needed,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “We’ve been really pushing hard to get it. That’s the team that we’ve seen and we’ve known, and so to be able to have other people see it is really fulfilling.”

UCF (4-4, 1-4) scored its only points as time expired in the first half. The Knights were set up with a short field after Robertson’s fumble, and Noe Ruelas drilled a 45-yard field goal.

The Knights’ other drives ended in four punts, three turnovers on downs, a missed field goal and two interceptions, one of which set up Baylor’s only TD of the second half.

Tayven Jackson was 18-of-33 passing for 151 yards with two interceptions for UCF. Duane Thomas Jr. rushed eight times for 77 yards.

It was the first time since Nov. 26, 2015 that UCF did not score a touchdown, snapping a 121-game streak.

“That was as frustrating of an offensive performance as I’ve been a part of,” UCF coach Scott Frost said.

UCF: A week after overwhelming West Virginia with 45 points, the Knights struggled to muster offense against a Baylor defense that has given up over 430 yards per game in conference play. UCF finished with just 225 yards of offense despite averaging 442 in league play entering Saturday. The Knights must win two of their final four games to secure bowl eligibility.

Baylor: Coach Dave Aranda and the Bears secured a much-needed win following a two-game skid. Baylor is now one win away from bowl eligibility, and Aranda improves to 36-34 in his sixth season leading the program.

Slow starts have long plagued the Aranda-led Bears, but two first-quarter touchdowns energized their sideline. UCF had allowed just seven points in the first quarter all season, the third fewest amount in the nation behind only Ohio State and Texas Tech.

“What’s weird is going into the game at the hotel, everything, man — guys were dialed in, excited to play. I thought that was the most ready we were to play, and it certainly didn’t play out that way on the field.”

With his five-catch, 82-yard and one touchdown performance, Trigg now holds Baylor’s single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end with 607, is tied for first in single-season TDs with six and is tied in single-season receptions with 43.

“If it’s 1-on-1, I think that’s a mismatch,” Robertson said. “Trigg, because he’s so tall and long arms and athletic, he has an easier time making those 50-50 plays, and it’s just my job to give him a catchable ball.”

UCF: No. 22 Houston at home Friday.

Baylor: Off next week, then hosts Utah on Nov. 15.

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