UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson experienced an upper-body injury during a match against Kansas State, which led to his early exit from the game. During the second quarter, Jackson was injured when he was hit by Kansas State’s defensive end, Cody Stufflebean, after releasing a pass. The impact caused him to land heavily on the turf in Manhattan, Kansas.
Following the incident, medical staff assessed Jackson’s condition, and he was seen heading to the locker room without wearing his pads. He later returned to the sidelines with his arm in a sling, indicating the possible severity of the injury, and was dressed in warmups rather than his game uniform.
Jackson, an athlete with previous experience at Tennessee and Indiana, has been a pivotal player for UCF, contributing significantly to their undefeated start to the season. Prior to this game, he had completed 70.1 percent of his passes, throwing for 694 yards with three touchdowns, and also impressively ran for 72 yards and three additional touchdowns. Before his injury, Jackson managed to complete 5 of 9 passes for 18 yards against Kansas State, after which Jacurri Brown stepped in to take his place.
This setback for Jackson comes at a critical time as UCF looked to maintain their strong season start, and his health and recovery will be crucial for the team’s future performance.