Arizona Wildcats are defeated by the UCF Knights, losing their fifth game in a row

Mental note to all Big 12 teams: Don't draft UCF's “space game.”

Each year, the Knights celebrate the state's connection to NASA and nearby Cape Canaveral. UCF hadn't lost since starting the themed game in 2017.

That didn't change on Saturday when the Knights defeated the Arizona Wildcats 56-12 at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

It was the most points UCF had scored in a Big 12 game. The Knights joined the league last year. Arizona joined this season. It was the first meeting between the two programs and the Wildcats' first game in the Eastern Time Zone since losing to Penn State in Happy Valley in 1999.

The Knights (4-5, 2-4 in Big 12) ended a five-game losing streak that stretched back to a win in the conference opener against TCU in September. The Wildcats (3-6, 1-5) are now on a five-game losing streak entering their second week of byes.

Arizona must win its final three games to secure a bowl berth under first-year coach Brent Brennan.

UCF made the game nearly uncontestable in the first half. After failing to make a field goal on their first drive, the Knights scored on each of their next five drives to take a 35-6 halftime lead. That included a Hail Mary from UCF quarterback Dylan Rizk to wide receiver Randy Pittman Jr. to end the half. Pittman finished the game with five receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns.

That streak extended into the second half as the Knights continued to score and had a streak of seven straight drives with a touchdown before finally suffering a punt in the fourth quarter.

Rizk finished 20 of 25 for 293 passing yards and three touchdowns. Running back RJ Harvey had another big game, finishing the game with 184 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Jacoby Jones had five receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita finished 24 of 33 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan finished the game with seven receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. This score gave him his 24th touchdown, tying him for third all-time in program history.

The Wildcats' running game was terrible. Arizona finished the game with five rushing yards. Kedrick Reescano had 20 yards on seven carries, while Quali Conley had minus-2 yards on seven attempts. Admittedly, football stopped when the game moved out of Arizona.

The Knights outscored the Wildcats 602-261, capitalized on Arizona's only turnover with a touchdown and UCF performed after a dramatic week that saw massive change in Orlando.

Head coach Gus Malzahn fired defensive coordinator Ted Roof, made last year's defensive coordinator Addison Williams the new coordinator and also assigned offensive play duties to offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr.

The Knights also chose Rizk as their starting quarterback, the fourth different starting quarterback they have used this season. He appeared to steady the offense in his first career start.

Arizona's only score in the first half was a 23-yard touchdown pass from Fifita to tight end Sam Olson.