It was a wild afternoon in Orlando.
Baylor scored 26 points in the fourth quarter and 29 unanswered to finish its largest comeback in program history by way of a 36-35 victory at UCF on Saturday.
PODCAST: What Should Decide Who the Best Teams in America Are?
The Bears entered the fourth quarter trailing 35-10, and they faced a deficit as large as 28 points in the second half.
A 5-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Blake Shapen and a 6-yard scoring run by Dawson Pendergrass on back-to-back drives positioned Baylor down 35-26 with less than 10 minutes left to play.
READ: Williams throws 6 TDs, No. 8 USC outslugs Colorado 48-41
Then, a muffed snap and a loose football left cornerback Caden Jenkins with green grass. Jenkins scooped up the ball and returned it 72 yards to bring the score within 35-33, still in favor of the Knights.
Baylor forced a three-and-out on UCF’s next possession, then took a nine-play, 61-yard drive into field goal range. Kicker Isaiah Hankins booted a 25-yard field goal with 1:21 left on the clock, and it sealed the Bears’ comeback win.
READ: Davis, Kentucky run past No. 22 Florida 33-14
Shapen completed 62% of his passes and tallied 293 passing yards, including 150 to receiver Monaray Baldwin. Running back Richard Reese had 100 rushing yards on 16 carries.
UCF raced out to a hot start thanks to three touchdowns in the first quarter. Knights quarterback Timmy McClain finished with 234 passing yards and two touchdowns, running back Johnny Richardson had 105 rushing yards and a touchdown and receiver Javon Baker had 113 receiving yards and a score.
