ORLANDO, Fla. — A new era of UCF football began with a win Thursday night, though it was far from a conventional one. In Scott Frost's highly-anticipated return to the sidelines for his second tenure as head coach, the Knights battled through a two-hour rain and lightning delay and a late deficit to defeat the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, 17-10. The victory, a testament to the team's resilience, marked the program's 300th win and extended their streak of season-opening victories to 10. While the offense struggled to find a rhythm early, key late-game heroics ultimately sealed the hard-fought victory.

The Knights' victory was truly a tale of two quarterbacks. After starter Cam Fancher exited the game in the second quarter following a big hit that led to an extended weather delay, backup Tayven Jackson was thrust into the spotlight. Jackson rose to the occasion, shaking off the rust to orchestrate a late comeback. With the game tied at 10-10, Jackson found tight end Dylan Wade for a 39-yard touchdown pass to knot the game in the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks responded with a field goal to retake the lead, but Jackson's final drive was the stuff of legends.

After a crucial fourth-down stop by the UCF defense gave the Knights the ball back with less than two minutes to play, Jackson led the offense down the field. The deciding play came when Jackson connected with DJ Black on a 33-yard touchdown pass with just over a minute remaining, giving UCF the lead for good. The final nail in the coffin was an interception by Jayden Bellamy with 16 seconds left on the clock, securing the 17-10 win and kicking off Scott Frost's second era in winning fashion. While it was an imperfect performance, the Knights' ability to overcome adversity and finish strong bodes well for the season ahead.