Tayven Jackson: A Quarterback's Journey Through College Football
Tayven Jackson, born on January 5, 2004, has navigated a dynamic path through the world of college football. From his high school accolades to his recent commitment to North Texas, Jackson's career has been marked by both promise and change.
High School Success
Jackson attended Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana, where he established himself as a notable quarterback. Over the course of his high school career, he passed for 4,813 yards and 47 touchdowns, showcasing his talent and potential early on.
Early College Career
Tennessee and Indiana
Jackson's college career began at Tennessee in 2022, where he appeared in three games as a true freshman. The following year, he transferred to Indiana, where he competed with Brendan Sorsby for the starting quarterback position. Despite the competition, Jackson's arrival at Indiana was viewed as a homecoming, given his Indiana roots. He made his Indiana debut against No. 2 Ohio State on September 2, completing his lone pass for 24 yards to Cam Camper. On September 8, against Indiana State, Jackson started and completed 18 of 21 passes for 236 passing yards and his first career touchdown pass. Against Akron on September 17, he went 2-for-2 passing for 28 yards.
UCF Knights
2025 Season
Jackson transferred to UCF and became the Knights' starting quarterback in 2025. He started 10 of UCF’s 12 games, leading the team to a 4-6 record. Overall, Jackson completed 63.5% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also rushed for three scores.
His first appearance came in the season opener, relieving an injured Cam Fancher and leading the Knights to two fourth-quarter touchdowns to defeat Jacksonville State. He began his UCF career coming off the bench for the injured starting quarterback, leading the 17-10 comeback victory with two touchdowns and 282 passing yards over Jacksonville State (Aug.
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Highs and Lows
The 2025 season was a roller coaster for Jackson and the Knights. There were moments of brilliance, such as the comeback victory against Oklahoma State, where Jackson erased a 14-0 deficit with two touchdown passes and a game-winning drive. In that game Jackson was 16-for-25 passing for 271 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had seven rushes for 18 yards.
He also tallied a career-best two rushing touchdowns against North Carolina A&T (Sep).
However, there were also struggles, including a 48-9 loss to Texas Tech, where Jackson completed 27 of 33 passes for 178 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, but had negative six rushing yards.
Season Finale
Jackson finished the 2025 season strong, accounting for three touchdowns in the loss to BYU. He helped lead the Knights to an early 14-0 lead as he caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Wade and then tossed a touchdown to Agyeman Addae in the first quarter. It was his first game without a turnover since Week 4, but it was not quite enough to earn the team a win and bowl eligibility. In the season finale against BYU, Jackson completed 21 of 37 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the loss, Jackson expressed pride in his teammates and acknowledged the lessons learned throughout the season.
Transfer Portal
Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, it was reported that Jackson intended to enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. This decision meant that UCF would have a new quarterback in 2026. Despite the winds of change the portal might bring, Jackson said he had the guys in the locker room that the team needs and wants there for the game against the Cougars and that coach Scott Frost "is going to do a great job" in retaining the players he wants and acquiring new ones from the transfer portal.
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North Texas Mean Green
Commitment
In January, Jackson committed to North Texas, marking the next chapter in his college football career.
Impact
Jackson's arrival at North Texas brings experience and leadership to the quarterback room. He is by far the most experienced quarterback in North Texas's room, but he may have to win the starting job during the offseason.
Player Profile
Jackson was rated the No. 100 prospect nationally by Rivals and a top-240 national recruit by ESPN, 247Sports (No. 237), and On3 (No. Ranked the No. 7 pro-style quarterback by Rivals, and No. Earned a No. 4 ranking from Rivals and was the No.
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