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OU football vs. UCF: Score, live updates from Sooners-Knights Big 12 game in Week 8

ryan aber, the oklahoman
·10 min read

The sixth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners host the UCF Knights on Saturday in Week 8 of the college football season. Here's everything you need to know about the Big 12 showdown:

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How to watch Oklahoma vs. UCF football

When: 11 a.m. Saturday

Where: Owen Field in Norman

TV: ABC

Radio: 107.7 FM, 1520 AM

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Live updates: OU vs. UCF football

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FINAL: Oklahoma 31, UCF 29

It wasn't always pretty, but the Sooners survived to improve to 7-0 on the season.

Up next is a trip to Lawrence next Saturday to face Kansas.

—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer

Fourth quarter: UCF scores TD, fails 2-point try

UCF goes for it on 4th and 10 at OU's 12, and John Rhys Plumlee finds Javon Baker for the touchdown. UCF tries to complete the 2-point conversion, but Kendel Dolby makes the tackle to preserve OU's 31-29 lead with 1:16 left in the game.

OU recovers onside kick and can now run out the clock.

—Justin Martinez, Staff writer

Fourth quarter: Sooners extend lead

Gavin Sawchuk breaks free and runs for a 30-yard touchdown. He even slowed down on his way into the end zone to kill some more time. OU has a 31-23 lead with 3:13 left in the game.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Fourth quarter: Drake Stoops' TD gives Sooners the lead

The “Stoooooops” chants are raining down in Norman.

With 9:16 remaining, Dillon Gabriel hit Drake Stoops for an 11-yard touchdown to lift the Sooners to a 24-23 lead over UCF.

The touchdown was Stoops’ fifth of the season, behind only Nic Anderson.

OU finally got the run game going a bit with two 13-yard carries from Marcus Major just before Stoops’ touchdown catch.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Third quarter: UCF extends lead with another field goal

OU’s defense once again pulled off a band-but-don’t-break drive, holding UCF to a field goal late in the first quarter to keep the Sooners within one possession, as the Knights took a 23-17 lead on Colton Boomer’s 46-yard field goal.

It was Boomer’s third field goal of the game.

UCF drove from their own 13 to the OU 28 fairly quickly, before OU’s defense bowed up to force the field goal.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Third quarter: UCF goes up 20-17

Colton Boomer hit a 48-yard field goal with 11:51 to go in the third quarter to put UCF up 20-17 on OU.

The Sooners’ defense came up with a big stop after Dillon Gabriel’s pass was intercepted on the first drive coming out of the half.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Oklahoma's Nic Anderson (4) scores a touchdown in the first half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Central Florida Knights at Gaylord Family Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct., 21, 2023.
Oklahoma's Nic Anderson (4) scores a touchdown in the first half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Central Florida Knights at Gaylord Family Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct., 21, 2023.

Halftime: OU 17, UCF 17

Zach Schmit finally had a bit of positive after a rough first half.

Schmit’s 25-yard field goal on the final play before halftime send OU into the locker room tied 17-17 with UCF.

Schmit had missed two field goals earlier in the half.

The Sooners drove the ball down quickly after UCF took the lead with 1:24 remaining.

The Knights were called for a pair of pass interference penalties on the drive, including one in the end zone on the play before Schmit’s field goal. That penalty negated what would’ve been a UCF interception.

OU is being outgained 232-226 at the break.

The Sooners will receive the ball to start the second half.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Second quarter: Javon Baker blows kiss to OU football, gives UCF lead

UCF’s Javon Baker blew the OU sideline a kiss.

Baker was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on his 86-yard touchdown catch late in the first half that put the Knights up 17-14 with 1:24 to go before the half.

But Baker wasn’t called for the penalty during the play, but afterward, allowing the touchdown to stand.

As John Rhys Plumlee scrambled to his left, Woodi Washington bit forward, leaving Baker wide open along the sideline for the touchdown.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Second quarter: Nic Anderson just catches touchdowns

After using mostly a series of runs and short passes, the Sooners set up a deep shot to Anderson, who hauled in a 42-yard touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel with 1:51 to go before half to put OU up 14-10 on UCF.

Anderson has four catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns on the day.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Second quarter: UCF takes 10-7 lead vs. OU

OU’s defense stiffened, but the Sooners still trail.

UCF’s Colton Boomer hit a 26-yard field goal with 4:03 remaining before halftime to put the Knights up 10-7 on the Sooners.

UCF had first-and-goal at the six before the Sooners’ defense came up big with a trio of stops, twice stopping running back RJ Harvey short and then forcing an incomplete pass as Ethan Downs and Jaren Kanak tried to bring down John Rhys Plumlee in the backfield.

UCF is outgaining the Sooners 146-113.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Second quarter: UCF ties it up after penalty

OU looked like it had come up with a big goal-line stand once again.

But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave UCF new life and the Knights took advantage on John Rhys Plumlee’s 1-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to tie the game 7-7.

After RJ Harvey’s 54-yard run gave UCF the ball at the OU 1, the Sooners’ defense stood tall, thrice stopping the Knights short of the goalline.

But after the third-down stop with a loss of 1, linebacker Jaren Kanak was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, giving UCF a new set of downs.

Plumlee then kept it up the middle to tie it.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

End of first quarter: Sooners miss another FG, lead 7-0

Zach Schmit missed his second field goal of the day and OU’s kicker continues to struggle as the Sooners haven’t been able to take advantage much of strong field position early.

Schmit missed a 43-yard field goal wide right after earlier missing a 38-yarder wide left.

The Sooners have started all four of their drives at their own 45 or closer but have just 92 yards of total offense.

It's 7-0 OU after first quarter.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

First quarter: Sooners take 7-0 lead

Nic Anderson just keeps racking up the touchdowns.

The Sooners’ redshirt freshman receiver caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel at the 7:48 mark of the first quarter to put the Sooners up 7-0 on UCF early.

Anderson has seven touchdown receptions on just 12 catches this season.

The rest of the Sooners have a combined 12 receiving touchdowns, with only Drake Stoops (with four) and Anderson having more than two.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

First quarter: Still scoreless after Sooners miss FG

OU couldn’t take advantage of short field position and the game remains scoreless more than five minutes in.

Zach Schmit’s 38-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left with 9:40 remaining in the first quarter after the drive that began on UCF’s 40 stalled out after a quick first down.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

First quarter: Slow start for Knights, Sooners

With Tawee Walker out, Gavin Sawchuk made his first start at running back for the Sooners.

It was a rough start.

On OU’s first offensive drive, Sawchuk couldn’t handle a direct snap, leading to a 5-yard loss and then Sawchuk dropped a pass on the next play as OU was forced to punt.

As indicated in pregame warmups, freshman Cayden Green started at left guard while Caleb Shaffer started at right guard. It was the first Sooners start for each.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

Pregame update: Sooners without a key running back

OU will be without running back Tawee Walker on Saturday when the Sooners take on UCF (11 a.m., ABC).

Walker, a walk-on, leads OU in rushing yards with 239 yards and four touchdowns on 53 carries.

Without Walker, Marcus Major (60 carries, 226 yards, one touchdown) figures to take on an even bigger role.

Offensive lineman McKade Mettauer, who was hurt late against Texas, is dressed out but was not going through drills with the offensive line before the game.

Caleb Shaffer, as expected, was working with the first-team line at right guard while freshman Cayden Green worked with the group at left guard.

A start would be Green’s first this season after Savion Byrd started the first three games and Troy Everett started the last three.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

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Oklahoma's Dillon Gabriel (8) takes a picture with fans at the Walk of Champions before the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Central Florida Knights at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct., 21, 2023.
Oklahoma's Dillon Gabriel (8) takes a picture with fans at the Walk of Champions before the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Central Florida Knights at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct., 21, 2023.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football vs UCF score, live updates from Sooners-Knights in Week 8