UCF dominates North Carolina A&T 68-7 in record-setting day

Audio By Carbonatix

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — UCF's Jaden Nixon opened the game with a 92-yard touchdown return and added touchdown runs of 87 and 66 yards as UCF never looked back in a dominant 68-7 victory over North Carolina A&T.

Nixon ran for 156 yards on four carries and two touchdowns. His 87-yard touchdown run was the third-longest in UCF's history. The Knights also fell five points short of setting the program record for points scored in a game.

“It's just a determination that everyone else has, and putting it all together," Nixon said. "It's a team play. I know after that, everybody was like this is going to be a great game.”

The Knights (2-0) took that opening kickoff and kept on running, steamrolling the Aggies even when many of the team's reserves came into the game.

Backup quarterback Jacurri Brown took over in the second half and rushed for 106 yards on five carries, including a 60-yard touchdown run.

The Knights' defense stepped up, too, recording two sacks and forcing three turnovers. That included a strip sack by defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly that was recovered in the endzone by Rodney Lora.

“Everybody was the strength,” Kelly said. “I feel like collectively the whole defense was the strength tonight.”

UCF outgained North Carolina A&T 560-200 in the game. Shimique Blizzard got the Aggies on the board with a 17-yard touchdown run with three minutes to play.

UCF's week one starter Cam Fancher was injured in the second quarter of the Knights' opening game against Jacksonville State last week and was unavailable to play on Saturday.

Tayven Jackson stepped in to lead the Knights to the win last week and continued to make a case to be the starter for the rest of the season.

North Carolina A&T was forced to shuffle its quarterbacks, starting the game with Braxton Thomas before switching to Champ Long after one series. Long was knocked out of the game with an injury in the second quarter, forcing the Aggies to turn to freshman Jy Walls.

Walls finished with 14 yards on 2-for-4 passing in his first taste of college action.

Nixon's opening kickoff return was UCF's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Mike Hughes' 95-yard return against USF in 2017, a game that helped the Knights clinch an undefeated season. It was the first opening kickoff return for a touchdown for the Knights since Quincy McDuffie's 95-yard return against Tulane in 2010.

The opening kickoff of the game was delayed by a little more than an hour due to lightning. It was the second straight game delayed by weather for UCF after last week's game against Jacksonville State was paused for more than two hours.

North Carolina A&T: North Carolina A&T continued to struggle to find its footing after a tough loss last Tennessee State. The Aggies have now lost 12 straight games and 23 of their last 25.

UCF: The Knights got back to their big-play offense with five touchdown scores of 20 or more yards.

UCF has a bye week next before hosting North Carolina on Sept. 20. North Carolina A&T plays its home opener next week against Hampton.

—-

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football