UCF Completes Incredible 4th Down Conversion Enroute To Epic Choke Job

The UCF Knights pulled off an incredible 4th down conversion against the Baylor Bears that set up an attempt to turn a monumental choke job into a miracle victory

This game was a tale of two halves. It started with the Knights running roughshod over the Bears. In the first half, the Knights had 4 touchdowns, three of them on massive plays.

We're talking a 79-yard run, a 65-yard pass, and an 87-yard fumble recovery all landed UCF in the endzone.

Then halftime came along and harshed their mellow.

Full disclosure: I'm a proud UCF grad (2017 National Champions, look it up), so for the first half of the game, I was kicked back, doing some writing and all was well in the world. It was great.

Then all of a sudden the wheels completely fell off, and everything was considerably less fun.

The Bears stormed back with a monstrous 4th quarter and kicked a field goal to go ahead by one late in the game, 36-35.

The Knights got the ball back and struggled to get into field goal range for kicking stud Colton Boomer. All of a sudden, they faced a pivotal 4th down.

UCF quarterback Timmy McClain — who has been deputizing for the injured John Rhys Plumlee the last few weeks — took the snap and then found himself under a ton of pressure.

So, he took off and kept running. All the way back to his own endzone then did this.

Absurd. That's the only word for it. What a bizarre play that somehow worked. Incredible work from McClain to get anything out of that.

UCF continued to move upfield ever so slightly and managed to get into field goal range for kicker Colton Boomer. Barely. The Sophomore who has only ever missed one kick in his college career. That was a 64-yarder last year against Memphis despite head coach Gus Malzahn's wishes to just go for it on 4th down.

Still, the Knights' offense only gained enough yardage to limit his potential game-winning field goal attempt to 59 yards.

And, well...

That was an incredible comeback for Baylor who held on to win 36-35. Meanwhile, it was a monumental collapse for UCF.

But hey, that's the beauty — and sometimes immense frustration — of college football.

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