UCF Knights football

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home-and-away series through the 2008 season. The Bulls won each of the four games, which all drew strong crowds, but South Florida declined to continue the series after 2008. The UCF–South Florida game resumed as a regular conference game beginning with the 2013 season, as UCF joined the American Athletic Conference. The Knights won the first game as conference members 23–20 before 45,952 in Orlando. In 2014, the Knights won for the first time at Raymond James Stadium, and delivered the first home shut-out in South Florida history, 16–0. In 2015, South Florida defeated the UCF Knights 44–3 to finish a winless 0-12 season for the second time in UCF history. In 2016, the War On I-4 trophy was introduced for the first time. USF took home the trophy by defeating UCF 48–31 and clinching their first 10-win season in school history, only for UCF to take the trophy back from them the following year.

1623: 10411: 10351: 10313: 10249: 10211: 3660: 11488: 35: 4816:, UCF will be one of 16 full members for football, and the Big 12 will maintain a nine-game regular season intra-conference schedule. The conference announced a four-year scheduling matrix on November 1, 2023. Each team will play each other team in the conference at least once both home and away over the four-year period. Geography will be prioritized in order to minimize travel disruption. UCF will have five intra-conference home games in 2024 and 2026, and four in 2025 and 2027. UCF's budding 611:, 7–6. Jonas led the Knights to a 6–2 inaugural season, behind an average attendance of 11,240, including a Division III record crowd of 14,138. Following the season, in March 1980, Jonas was offered the Knights head coaching job as a full-time position. After leading the team to a 4–4–1 and 4–6 record in 1980 and 1981 respectively, Jonas would leave the Knights following the 1981 season. During the 1980 season, the Knights earned the only tie in program history, an 11–all game against 3711:, the stadium underwent an $ 8 million renovation. The Wayne Densch Center for Student-Athlete Leadership was constructed on the east facade of the stadium, and a party deck known as the "Carl Black and Gold Cabana" was added to the east stands. By many accounts the stadium was built cheaply and as fast as possible. Due to these factors the stadium tends to bounce up and down giving it the nickname "The Bounce House". The stadium was renamed to Spectrum Stadium in April 2017 following 4336: 3574: 1022: 53: 674:, to name just a few. In UCF's first Black and Gold Spring game held in 1983, the defense won 14–6. The Knights finished the 1983 season 5–6, including the team's first win over a Division I–AA opponent. Starting the 1984 season filled with optimism, the Knights were shaken by a 1–6 start. Following the disappointing beginning to the season, Saban stepped away from the program, and was replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach 504: 1572: 971: 2248:

championship that was not awarded by the BCS/CFP or the AP Poll since the beginning of the BCS era, which was criticized by national media, fans, and even head coach Scott Frost; however, 2017 UCF is also the only team to ever finish a season ranked #1 by an NCAA-recognized major selector and be left out of the CFP, a unique circumstance and a reason for the recognized claim.

572:, held a meeting of prospective players, who paid $ 14 per night to stay in the dorms and brought their own uniforms to the tryouts, in March 1979. This would be the first football tryouts for prospective players, and would serve as the first that many students would hear about the new athletic program. O'Leary had previously served as an assistant coach at 678:. Saban had a 6–12 (.333) record during his tenure as the Knights head coach. Anderson finished out the year with the team in an interim position, with a 1–3 (.250) record. UCF finished the season with a 2–9 mark. In the course of the three seasons following Jonas' departure, the Knights went through three head coaches, and amassed a 7–25 record. 783:. After another impressive season, UCF was selected as the preseason No. 1 to start the 1994 season. The 1994 season would prove disappointing however, as the Knights would finish the season ranked No. 20 with a 7–4 record. During the team's final season in Division I-AA, the Knights were reinvigorated by freshman sensation 1222:

O'Leary and other coaches had initially warned players off from providing assistance to Plancher when he became visibly distressed. After a 14-day trial in 2011, a jury found the UCF Athletics Association guilty of negligence in the death of Plancher. The jury awarded each of his parents $ 5 million. Upon

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Following an investigation into recruiting violations in the men's basketball and football programs in 2011, on July 31, 2012, the NCAA announced sanctions – in addition to penalties UCF had previously self-imposed. The NCAA imposed a one-year postseason football ban. The penalty was in addition to a

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saw UCF begin to explore the possibility of a different conference affiliation after just a couple years in the conference. Furthermore, the UCF athletic department was interested in an all-sports conference membership rather than a football-only affiliation. In 2003, UCF was invited as an all-sports

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Reeling after a disappointing string of seasons, there were discussions within the community about the possibility of dismantling the program, and Peterson announced his retirement as the university's athletic director. In addition, due to financial troubles, the team had to postpone plans to move up

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by a score of 31–13. After the 2016 season, Oregon fired Mark Helfrich. Amidst rumors that he might be interested in the Ducks opening, Frost announced he was not interested in Oregon and that he would return as UCF's head coach in 2017. Ironically, the position eventually went to UCF's rival coach,

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Frost headed up the infamously fast Oregon offense for the last three seasons and was a key cog in developing Heisman winner and current NFL QB Marcus Mariota. The 40-year-old will become the tenth football head coach in school history and upon his introduction will be the tenth-youngest head coach

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By 2004, Orlando city officials and UCF's administration expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the aging facility. While UCF was the primary leasing tenant of the Citrus Bowl for 25 years, they received little revenue from football games, and the stadium's capacity (65,000) was considered too

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In Heupel's third and final season, UCF started the season ranked, but lost three games in the regular season, including their first home loss since 2016 (snapping a 21-game home winning streak) and their first conference loss to Memphis, ever. They posted a winning record for the fourth straight

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in preparation for its move to its new on-campus venue, Bright House Networks Stadium (later known as Spectrum Stadium and now as FBC Mortgage Stadium). They dropped the "Golden" from their name, becoming the "UCF Knights". Fortunes seemed to have changed as the Knights moved into new facilities.

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When the university approached the city about possible renovations and new revenue-sharing measures for the stadium, they were met with resistance. The city generally wanted UCF to stay, but expected them to help pay for the upgrades to the facility. At one point during the negotiations, stadium

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dates years before the two schools ever played a game against each other. The matchup was the subject of much discussion and fan enthusiasm since the 1990s, though the first game was not played until 2005. The rivalry, often known as the "War on I–4" or "I–4 Corridor Clash", continued as a four

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computer rankings, ranked UCF No. 1. All other NCAA-recognized major selectors named Alabama as their 2017 national champion. While it is not historically uncommon for certain polls to pick a champion other than the BCS or CFP winner, 2017 UCF is the only team which actively claims a national

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program on November 2, 2008, interviewed players who were at the training session at which Plancher became ill, and which after he died, and stated that the session was longer and far more rigorous than O'Leary and other UCF Athletics officials have admitted to publicly. They also alleged that

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One day during a practice, O'Leary pulled the team aside and unveiled the template for uniforms of "The Fighting Knights". He would reveal a template that would follow the team into the 21st century: black jerseys, gold pants and gold helmets. Less than one year after Colbourn had envisioned a

1076:, 23–13, ending the school's 17-game losing streak, then the nation's longest such streak. UCF fans celebrated by storming the field and tearing down the goal posts. Students came back to the campus and celebrated further by jumping into UCF's Reflection Pond (a practice normally reserved for 3670:

In early 2005, as a response to the deteriorating condition of the Citrus Bowl, and lack of revenue derived from the games there, UCF formally proposed building an on-campus stadium. Additional motivations included drawing more students to the games, a more intimate setting, and establishing

921:. They finished runner-up in the East division with a 6–2 conference record. They finished the season 7–5 overall, completing their 14th winning season in the past 17 years. The excitement, however, would be short-lived. After signing a three-year contract extension at the beginning of the 2251:

2017 Alabama won the CFP and 9 of the 10 NCAA-recognized major selectors—thus, they were the consensus national champions. 2017 UCF won 1 of the 10 NCAA-recognized major selectors—thus, they were a non-consensus champion. Of note, there are over 25 instances of teams officially claiming a

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season opener, the UCF athletic department announced that the entire season-ticket allotment was sold out for the first time in school history. In addition, they created a formal waiting list for season tickets, also for the first time. In the press release, then-UCF athletic director

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with the job of creating a new football program at the school. In addition, Colbourn changed the name of the school to the University of Central Florida (prior to this, the college was known as Florida Technological University), to express the university's expanded academic scope.

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officials told then UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini that "the value of UCF's fans was nothing". Though the city had expressed interest in renovating the Citrus Bowl with or without UCF's support, funding was seriously in doubt. The city was in the planning stages for a

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became the first Knight to sign a professional contract. After his departure, Jonas remained involved in the program, including doing radio broadcasts of UCF football games and a radio sports talk show. Jonas led the Knights to a 14–12–1 (.518) record in three seasons.

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for 19 of 28 seasons, and received their first bowl invitation in 2005. The Knights nearly earned a bowl berth in 1998, when Daunte Culpepper led the team to a 9–2 record. UCF has been ranked going into their bowl game four times, being ranked No. 24 in 2010

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head coach from 1960 to 1970. In their first season playing Division II ball, the Knights went 0–10, and Weir decided not to return for the 1983 season. One bright spot of the season was that Mike Carter became the first Knight to sign with an NFL team, the

794:. At that time, the Knights became the first football program to play in four different NCAA divisions (III, II, I-AA and I-A). In their first two seasons in Division I-A, the Knights posted identical 5–6 records behind Culpepper. In 1997, assistant coach 3743:

Though UCF remains a relatively young program that has shifted conferences several times, it has several long-standing rivalries with schools throughout the duration of Conference USA and The American. The university's biggest rival historically is their

1052:, but resigned in disgrace five days into his tenure after inconsistencies were found on his resume. The difficult coaching transition for 2004, the Knights' final year in the Mid-American Conference, saw the team hit rock bottom, going 0–11. 1267:, there were high hopes for the Knights. After winning 5 straight games, and posting an 11-game conference winning streak, the Knights were ranked for the first time in school history following their nationally televised 40–33 victory over 4206:

UCF retires a student-athlete's jersey but does not retire the respective jersey numbers. The Knights coaching staff can choose to reissue a given number, as the retirement of the jersey does not require that the number not be worn again.

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of the stadium is 44,206, and plans provide for a future expansion to 65,000 seats. Although the Knights lost their first on-campus home game, they finished the remainder of the stadium's inaugural season undefeated. UCF has hosted the

3588:(formerly Orlando Stadium, and now Camping World Stadium) in downtown Orlando. Located about 15 miles (24 km) from UCF's main campus, the stadium originally opened in 1936. The stadium's first college football game was played in 766:. UCF would make it to the semifinals, and became the first school in history to qualify for the I–AA playoffs in its first season of eligibility. The Knights would finish the 1991 and 1992 with winning seasons as well. In 1992, Dr. 2528:, more than any other C-USA school, with the last being in 2012. Three of the four appearances were against Tulsa of the Western Division. The Knights went on to win two of the four C-USA Championship Games in which they appeared. 1246:

After a lackluster 4–8 season in 2008, UCF bounced back with an 8–5 record in 2009, including winning their last six straight C-USA games. Among those wins was their first victory over a nationally ranked team, beating then No. 12

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as the university's new athletic director. Earning their eighth winning season in 1993, the Knights would again make the playoffs. During the season, the team won their first game over a Division I–A team, a 38–16 victory at

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NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby proclaim that the UCF Knights are this season's best college football team and will be recognized as the 2017 College Football National Champions in

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is legendary at UCF, and the win over Troy thrust the Knights into the position as the No. 1 ranked team in D-II. Between 1986 and 1990 under the leadership of McDowell, the Knights held a 24–6 record at the Citrus Bowl.

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suffered a gruesome knee injury and was taken straight to the hospital, eventually requiring multiple surgeries to save the leg. Milton was out for the season, and never played another down for UCF, transferring to

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maintains a nine-game intra-conference schedule, the Knights will play three out-of-conference games annually. Furthermore, the conference requires at least one of the three out-of-conference games to be against a

831:). Culpepper finished 6th in the Heisman Trophy voting and set the NCAA record for completion percentage that year (73.4%). Following the season, Culpepper was drafted with the 11th pick in the first round of the 1114:. In May 2006, UCF extended O'Leary's contract for 10 years and increased his pay to $ 1 million plus incentives per year after he engineered the fourth-best single-season turnaround in college football history. 822:

was named UCF's new head coach on an interim basis. He would receive the position permanently later in 1998. Daunte Culpepper led UCF to its best season ever with a 9–2 record in 1998 (with losses only coming to

1827:, leaving the team with only 11 regular season games as opposed to the usual 12. The breakout season for Frost and his team made him one of the most sought-after coaches on the market, drawing interest from 1842:

Just hours after winning the AAC, sources confirmed that Frost would be taking a seven-year, $ 35 million deal to become Nebraska's new head coach. Frost and his staff returned for one last game in the

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playoffs, where they earned a 1–1 record. After starting the 1988 season with five straight wins, UCF would be ranked No. 2 in Division II. During a game against the defending D-II national champions

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large for the Knights. With an average attendance of 20,000–30,000 spectators per game, the stadium was left with a mostly empty appearance. The Knights' record home attendance of 51,987 (set at the

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was named UCF's head football coach. Heupel arrived in Orlando with some impressive credentials, overseeing explosive offenses during his time as offensive coordinator at Missouri and his alma mater

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was named interim head coach and led the team for the remaining four games of the season. UCF finished the 2015 season at a winless 0–12, its third such campaign in program history.

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Stadium construction began in 2006 and was finished in time for the 2007 season. The first home-game took place on September 15, 2007, as the Knights nearly upset the No. 6-ranked

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non-consensus national title (which entails winning at least one NCAA-recognized major selector, none of which were the AP Poll, Coaches Poll, NFF/FWAA and, formerly, the UPI).

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stated that UCF would claim the 2017 national championship, hang a national title banner, and hold a national championship parade and celebration. On January 8, the day of the

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proved to be a disappointing season as UCF finished with a 5–7 record and were not bowl eligible for the first time since 2008. The season included out-of-conference losses to

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was not officially protected, but the two teams will play three out of the four seasons. They will also play Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Iowa State, and West Virginia three times.

1855: 1191:. Smith originally stated that he would return for his senior season at UCF, however, he later changed his mind, announcing on January 6, 2008, that he would declare for the 1187:. He also was the only running back in the 2007 season to rush for more than 100 yards against the Texas Longhorns. He was a fan favorite, especially with student section at 12252: 12055: 10576: 2734:) and placed No. 24 in the final rankings. In 2020, they were ranked No. 21 in the preseason poll and in week 4 they were ranked the highest at No. 11 but lost to unranked 12319: 12010: 10863: 10432: 8697: 2083: 1924: 1836: 10480: 8659: 12541: 11053: 1450:. The game was one of the biggest upsets of the BCS era. On January 7, 2014, UCF was ranked No. 10 in the season's final AP Poll, the highest ranking in school history. 750:

couldn't call plays. Godsey complained to the referee about the crowd noise, but instead of helping Troy, the referee called a delay of game penalty on the Trojans. The

9668: 1862:, an NCAA-recognized national champion major selector, also ranked UCF as the number-one team of the season on its final ranking. The team celebrated with a parade at 12035: 10746: 9824:

We think teams like ours should have an opportunity to settle it on the field, White said. We are claiming a national championship. We've been very clear about that.

8272: 4277: 524: 9617: 9399: 1839:, Frost's team went on to play Memphis for the second time and won the title in a 62–55 double overtime thriller, securing UCF's third conference championship win. 12020: 8105: 12482: 11929: 3704: 2540: 2206: 549: 7971: 9565: 9279: 9070: 9927: 6160: 11974: 11515: 5872: 12854: 11225: 11084: 10779: 1847:. The No. 12 ranked Knights faced No. 7 ranked Auburn, and defeated them 34–27 to close out their undefeated season with a 13–0 record. After the win, UCF 9901: 9316: 8087: 11180: 9682: 2222: 1902:

In Heupel's first season, UCF rode its high-powered offense to start the season 12–0 and extend its winning streak to a school-record 25 games. In their

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set an NCAA record with 450 rushing attempts and rushed for 2,567 yards, placing him 2nd on the NCAA's all-time single season rushing list behind only

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battled for playing time. Following the 2011 season, Jeff Godfrey planned on transferring, though he later decided to return to the Knights as a

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that weekend, the game, which originally had been moved up one day to September 8, was rescheduled for September 30. In order to reschedule the

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Quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper and McKenzie Milton, and running back Kevin Smith are the only Knights to finish in the Top–10 of voting for the

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benefits and use, McDowell resigned as head coach on January 20, 1998. Over his 13-year tenure at UCF, McDowell earned an 86–61 (.585) record.

607:. The Knights would prove victorious with a 21–0 shutout, and less than a week later, the Knights would win their first home game by defeating 9084: 8745: 12441: 12292: 12226: 10554: 7794: 5486: 2800: 1168: 1048:. This was a controversial and bold hire because O'Leary had previously left Georgia Tech after the 2001 season and been named head coach at 616: 9520: 6914: 3640: 1271:

on the road. For the polls released on November 7, 2010, UCF was ranked in all three major college polls. The Knights were ranked 25 in the

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in 1982. Another change to the university's athletic programs in 1982 was the departure of O'Leary as athletic director, and the hiring of

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promptly rushed the field to celebrate. UCF dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time in two years. UCF finished the season defeating

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In 2016, Frost and his explosive, up-tempo offense led the Knights to a 6–7 record. UCF began the Frost era with a 38–0 shutout win over

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On April 19, 2013, UCF won its appeal with the NCAA and was eligible for postseason play in 2013. The appeal would prove crucial, as in

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collapsed shortly after a conditioning drill, and was then transported to a nearby hospital where he died approximately one hour later.

580:. He would spearhead the effort to raise more than $ 40,000 to start the program, and would complete a deal for the team to play in the 12527: 2820: 1920: 1431: 1252: 711:. The Knights would finish with a 4–7 mark in McDowell's first year, including a 21–42 loss to UCF's first-ever Division I–A opponent, 7418: 6878: 3616:) was still far short of capacity. The location off campus was considered a significant factor in the inability to sustain a sizeable 1390:

In 2012, the Knights finished 10–4 and won their fourth C-USA East Division championship, though they would fall 33–27 in overtime to

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program and subsequently completed their ascension to Division I–A, now known as the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), in

12672: 11642: 6461: 6325: 5557: 5330: 3874:(WCFF). UCF has had numerous players honored as first team All-Americans. To date, Kevin Smith is the only Consensus All-American. 3684: 3389: 2102: 1776: 1703: 1523: 1127: 1061: 1045: 922: 918: 675: 556:, in January 1979. Colbourn believed that a successful athletics program would bring the university greater renown, and tasked Dr. 415: 384: 10075: 7699: 6111: 5440: 3291:

have led the Knights to the postseason. O'Leary, Frost, and Heupel have coached the team to an FBS conference championship, and a

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Through the completion of the 2023 season, UCF has compiled 293 victories, six division titles, and six conference championships.

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The Knights proved to be a scary team on the road against heavily favored opponents, with close losses including a 10–6 loss at

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and they fell out of the rankings; in week 16 they were unranked but they received votes, but after a loss in their bowl game (

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in 2029. In February 2023, FAU and UCF agreed to reschedule a planned 2025 meeting until 2028, opening up a date for UCF.

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by a score of 37–17. With the wins, the Knights secured the C-USA Eastern Division championship and reentered the polls.

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McDowell would the lead the Knights to their first winning season since 1979, with a 6–5 record in 1986. Also that year,

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Every year, several publications release lists of their ideal "team". The athletes on these lists are referred to as

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for the first time in program history, ranking No. 25. The Knights ended the 2010 season with a 10–6 victory over

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in 1990. In their first year in the division, the Knights earned a 10–4 record, a program best, and a trip to the

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The 2015 season, which began with high hopes, would be a disaster. After dropping their first three, UCF lost to

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bowl appearances. His Auburn team lost to UCF in one of those New Year's Six appearances, the 2018 Peach Bowl.

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in the 10th round. Following an 8–3 regular season record in 1987, the Knights earned their first trip to the

12849: 12311: 12257: 12247: 12120: 11938: 4508: 2991: 2020: 1988: 1932: 1870:

and gave out national champion rings. The claim sparked considerable controversy and debate over whether the

1832: 1804: 1663: 1231: 1188: 1164: 712: 573: 369: 11406: 6096: 1642:, Frost had overseen one of college football's quickest and most explosive offenses at Oregon, won multiple 12601: 12586: 12175: 10690: 9867: 7582:"UCF ranked No. 23 in coaches poll and No. 25 in AP, vaulting into Top 25 for first time in school history" 5163: 5055: 4809: 4583: 4254: 3828: 3810: 3752: 2835: 2715: 2532: 2452: 2361:). O'Leary also led the Knights to The American conference championship in their first year in the league ( 2292: 2178: 2075: 1820: 1744: 1375: 1320: 1155:

Championship Game 44–25, thereby gaining UCF's first ever Conference Championship title and a berth in the

824: 787:. The quarterback would lead the Knights to a 6–5 record, and their tenth straight winning season in 1995. 419: 273: 265: 166: 11028:"Scott Frost, Matt Campbell, and Many Others Honored During American Football Coaches Awards in Charlotte" 10050: 10032: 2730:). In 2019, though they had slipped out of the top 25 prior to the game, the Knights won their bowl game ( 1894:. UCF signed Heupel to a five-year contract worth a fully guaranteed $ 1.7 million in annual base salary. 12591: 12267: 12130: 12115: 7461: 7443: 5230: 4708: 4695: 4626: 3749: 1478:, losing to the Nittany Lions by a score of 26–24. O'Leary's squad dropped to 0–2 after losing to No. 20 903: 659: 9871: 6567: 6289: 3719:. After the naming rights deal with Spectrum expired after the 2019 season, the stadium was renamed the 1923:. Back-up quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. took over and guided the Knights to win that game as well as the 12550: 11158: 6549: 5535: 5418: 5147: 5017: 4906: 4882: 4665: 4587: 4237: 4149: 4008: 3888: 3831:

in the series 5-4 since 2023, though a rivalry has not been confirmed by the University of Cincinnati.

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Surprising even himself, Frost and his team went on to an undefeated regular season in 2017, defeating

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by a score of 25–23, they inaugurated their new stadium by hosting and losing to national power No. 6

12621: 12566: 10387: 8029: 7953: 5074: 4704: 2952: 2723: 2313: 2243:, an NCAA-recognized National Champion Major Selector, and an algorithm formerly used as part of the 2210: 2126: 1891: 1844: 1602: 1097: 1001: 899: 655: 441: 10410: 10364: 10350: 10312: 10248: 10210: 1072:. Not expected to improve much over 2004, they surprisingly won their first conference game against 699:

to fill both positions. McDowell took the helm in 1985, and hired his eventual successor and former

12657: 12606: 12596: 12155: 8660:"UCF Confirms Hiring of Scott Frost as Head Coach; Introductory Press Conference Set For Wednesday" 6797: 6535: 5284: 5047: 4939: 4870: 4821: 3773: 3756: 3597: 3308: 3304: 3292: 2907: 2815: 2370: 2244: 1883: 1871: 1667: 1655: 1527: 1439: 1312: 1256: 1248: 945: 875: 589: 581: 11252:"Big 12 football schedule: Conference releases opponent list for all 16 teams through 2027 season" 11102: 10603:"UConn Randomly Creates Rivalry With Central Florida, Dubs It 'Civil Conflict' - UConn - NESN.com" 7563: 6783: 937:. The Marshall game marked UCF's first nationally televised home football game as it was aired on 886:. After finishing 9–2 in 1998, UCF received a tentative verbal agreement to play in the inaugural 12272: 11085:"College football: Scott Frost named AP Coach of the Year after leading UCF to undefeated season" 8430: 7681: 6922: 5193: 5172: 5043: 3766: 2705:

UCF has played in 15 bowl games and has compiled a 6–9 record in those games. Since elevating to

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finishing the season undefeated; the Oahu Bowl was otherwise committed to taking a team from the

628: 154: 11005: 8765:"UCF's Scott Frost was born to coach, with parents fueling his journey from Nebraska to Florida" 7524:"UCF coach George O'Leary says he won't name a starting quarterback until season opener Sept. 4" 7227: 5030:

Officially announced out-of-conference schedules as of September 2024 are as follows. Since the

12339: 12216: 12005: 11979: 9432: 9038: 9020: 9002: 8984: 8966: 8948: 8930: 8912: 8894: 8876: 8858: 8840: 8822: 8556: 8538: 8520: 8502: 8484: 8466: 8448: 8412: 8394: 8376: 8358: 8340: 8322: 8304: 8181: 8163: 8145: 8069: 7834: 5355: 5256: 5221: 5070: 5036: 4996: 4927: 3784: 3712: 2130: 2016: 1582: 1276: 1259:, their third bowl appearance in five years. Entering the 2010 season, with the recruitment of 981: 828: 9979: 9380: 9260: 9242: 9224: 9206: 9188: 9170: 9152: 9134: 9116: 9098: 7904: 7882: 7860: 7645: 7549: 7509: 7374: 7293: 7253: 7177: 7155: 7133: 6999: 6747: 5986: 3600:. UCF played its first football game at the Citrus Bowl in September 1979, a 7–6 victory over 2337:

Under George O'Leary's leadership, the Knights won four C-USA Eastern Division Championships (

603:

football program for the university, UCF played its first game on September 22, 1979, against

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under head coach Josh Heupel for the program's second set of back-to-back conference titles.

1631: 1227: 1101: 1033: 739: 708: 432:

The Knights have made 15 postseason appearances since joining the FBS, including winning two

12462: 9367:"The Florida Gators offered Scott Frost the head coaching job. Here's why he turned it down" 7315: 6597:"UCF Football Flashback – Going on Krucz Control: Part 7 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 3632:, and "creative village", with stadium renovations seemingly taking less and less priority. 1947:

In Heupel's second season, UCF lost a regular season game for the first time since 2016, at

1835:. Frost passed on the Florida job but avoided questions about returning to Nebraska. In the 715:. Due to financial hardships, McDowell waived half of his annual salary, and FSU head coach 12581: 12211: 12180: 12160: 12125: 12095: 11546: 10723: 9863: 9743:"Inside UCF's rise from D-III to Big 12 and what's next: 'This could be the premier place'" 8746:"UCF coach Scott Frost, like Houston's Tom Herman, will soon get a big-time coaching offer" 8205: 7339:"Former UCF, NFL standout Kevin Smith returns to school eager to start new chapter of life" 6394:"Daunte's World... Orlando's Biggest Attraction: Part 6 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 6218: 5051: 4578: 4568: 4542: 4438: 4373: 3680: 3663: 3100: 3057: 3029: 3006: 2739: 2731: 2064: 1981: 1964: 1455: 1171:. The Knights went on to finish the year with its first 10 win season in the FBS. In 2007, 944:

An increased travel burden, lack of competitiveness, and lack of natural rivals within the

891: 400: 96: 11155:"Scott Frost Named American Heart Association's 2017 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year" 1251:

on November 14 by a score of 37–32 at Spectrum Stadium. UCF finished with a 45–24 loss to

8: 11606: 11600: 11487: 9954: 9366: 8782: 8623:"Interim head coach Danny Barrett talks about responsibility of taking over UCF football" 5009: 4984: 4951: 4919: 4874: 4857: 4721: 4656: 4643: 4604: 4503: 4464: 4412: 3735:

teased a possible expansion of the facility in the future if ticket demand remains high.

3679:

approved the construction of a new on-campus stadium. The new stadium, at the time named

3589: 1590: 1235: 989: 930: 879: 731: 700: 513: 10225: 10187: 5354:

The UCF campus has an Orlando mailing address but is entirely located in unincorporated

12636: 12353: 12346: 11027: 10975:. University of Central Florida Athletics Association. October 23, 2010. Archived from 9780: 7707: 5066: 4988: 4960: 4861: 4780: 4754: 4591: 3659: 3080: 1800: 1598: 1423: 1106: 997: 604: 10481:"UCF President John Hitt eager to open Wayne Densch Student Athlete Leadership Center" 8254: 7356: 6307: 3635:

The Knights compiled an overall record of 112–60–1 at the Citrus Bowl, which includes

1726:, gaining bowl eligibility. Frost's squad concluded the regular season with losses to 1622: 12165: 12090: 6029: 5765: 5681: 5394: 5380: 5031: 4805: 4793: 4733: 4713: 4682: 4669: 4560: 4529: 4482: 4477: 4399: 4305: 4080: 3969: 3464: 3296: 3280: 2795: 2770: 2574: 2421: 2184: 2106: 2098: 2032: 1863: 1848: 1217: 1184: 1156: 1041: 1030: 929:

who finished out the dismal 3–9 season with losses to Mid-American Conference rivals

895: 836: 771: 569: 565: 433: 411: 388: 373: 144: 11006:"UCF Athletics To Commemorate Four Football Jerseys During Homecoming Game vs. Rice" 10365:"UCF Trustees Approve Financing Plan, Groundbreaking for On-Campus Football Stadium" 6250:"Division I–AA Football Comes to Orlando: Part 5 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 422:

joined FBS in 2022). As a Division I–AA program, the Knights made the 1990 and 1993

12400: 12395: 12170: 11953: 5001: 4955: 4878: 4849: 4772: 4674: 4516: 4499: 4451: 4443: 4434: 4391: 4360: 4215: 4129: 3932: 3912: 3902: 3895:, 2007 (AP, FWAA, WCFF, SN, SI, ESPN, CBS Sports, College Football News, Scout.com) 3878: 3849: 3695: 2775: 2710: 2226: 2110: 1867: 1706:. Central Florida then suffered a close 26–25 loss due to a late touchdown pass to 1163:, but did not reach the top 25, ranking 27th. The Knights lost the Liberty Bowl in 1093: 784: 632: 457: 404: 334: 124: 11459:"UCF Announces Future Football Games, Including Series with Pitt and Northwestern" 11202: 10901: 9809:"'We are on the map.' Unbeaten UCF stakes claim to football national championship" 9451:"2017 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 8805:"2016 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 8641:"2015 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 8287:"2014 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 8128:"2013 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 8052:"2012 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 7817:"2011 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 7072:"2006 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 6974:"2005 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 6897:"2004 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 6766:"2003 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 6712:"2002 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 6619:"1998 UCF Knights Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com" 1951:, whose fans promptly rushed the field to celebrate. UCF also fell on the road to 1638:

was named as UCF's tenth head coach on December 1, 2015. Serving under head coach

1546:

by a score of 31–14 on September 26 to fall to 0–4. Following UCF's 59–10 loss to

10827: 10751: 10718: 10685: 10156: 9902:"National champions: UCF Knights finish season ranked No. 1 in the Colley Matrix" 7419:"Ereck Plancher trial: Jury finds UCFAA guilty of negligence in Plancher's death" 6856:"George O'Leary Makes His Mark at UCF: Part 8 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 5465: 4968: 4964: 4898: 4894: 4425: 4386: 4271: 4187: 4169: 4059: 4023: 3993: 3938: 3908: 3617: 3593: 2233: 1911: 1471: 1260: 671: 654:

replaced Weir as the Knights head coach in 1983. Saban had previously coached at

557: 553: 473: 377: 11907: 11226:"Cincinnati, Houston, UCF reach exit deal with American, to join Big 12 in 2023" 10641:"UConn-UCF's new 'Civil Conflict' rivalry trophy is already the country's worst" 7764: 7615: 3787:. However, UCF does not acknowledge the rivalry, and has publicly dismissed it. 2051:, 36–31. Following several critical injuries, including to starting quarterback 313: 12410: 12277: 11589: 10976: 10931: 10403: 10343: 10305: 10241: 10203: 9280:"Three TDs in 53 seconds? UCF beats USF in college football's game of the year" 7667: 7487: 5911: 5656:"The Birth of Saturday Knights Live: Part 1 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 4750: 4737: 4648: 4618: 4525: 4101: 3802: 3780: 3648: 3126:

The Knights appeared in the Division I–AA playoffs twice with a record of 2–2.

2932: 2416: 2172: 2052: 1812: 1748: 1739: 1651: 1647: 1459: 1438:), third conference title, and the program's first appearance and victory in a 1238:

caused the death and the university didn't owe any money to Plancher's family.

1192: 1152: 1144: 1069: 954: 832: 807: 803: 780: 727: 645: 453: 160: 10845: 9352: 7972:"UCF football and basketball teams hit with one year postseason ban from NCAA" 7103: 6855: 6596: 6393: 6249: 6138: 5964: 5815: 5655: 5579: 1283:. In their first game as a nationally ranked squad, the Knights fell 31–21 to 12843: 12519: 12405: 12206: 11611: 9496:"National champions: UCF Knights finish season ranked No. 1 in Colley Matrix" 4746: 4691: 4661: 4635: 4596: 4555: 4538: 4521: 4490: 4486: 4460: 4408: 4369: 4035: 4002: 3862: 3408: 3276: 3154: 2302: 2240: 2232:

proclaimed the team national champions by way of their undefeated season and

2004: 1859: 1451: 1407: 1359: 1355: 1196: 1180: 1077: 759: 696: 688: 667: 636: 612: 74: 10327: 10289: 6955: 6065:"John L. Smith and the 10 Worst Interim Coaches in College Football History" 3218:

The Knights appeared in the Division II playoffs once with a record of 1–1.

941:. Kruczek ended his six-year stewardship of UCF with a 36–30 (.545) record. 770:, UCF's fourth president, announced that the program would make the move to 8719: 5005: 4943: 4911: 4789: 4631: 4547: 4512: 4447: 4430: 4352: 4241: 4154: 4086: 4029: 3918: 3892: 3625: 3601: 3427: 2524:

UCF won four division crowns and subsequently made four appearances in the

1919:

after the 2020 season and playing his final season of eligibility there in

1658:. All this after a successful collegiate playing career at quarterback for 1351: 1223: 819: 791: 716: 704: 469: 445: 10846:"Winsipedia – UCF Knights vs. Cincinnati Bearcats football series history" 10828:"Winsipedia – UCF Knights vs. South Florida Bulls football series history" 5061:

On May 2, 2024, UCF announced the scheduling of home-and-home series with

3573: 2742:), they didn't receive any votes and were unranked in the final rankings. 1510:

on November 1. UCF won its next four to close the regular season; topping

1131:

After defeating a BCS AQ conference school for just the second time ever,

12385: 12080: 11481: 11057: 7294:"Smith aiming for Sanders' single-season, Dayne's career rushing records" 6435:"Plus: College Football – Central Florida; Coach Quits After Guilty Plea" 5335: 4947: 4915: 4853: 4776: 4759: 4717: 4652: 4564: 4534: 4495: 4473: 4469: 4258: 4226: 4219: 4134: 4065: 3963: 3898: 3882: 3845: 3605: 3540: 3521: 3502: 3288: 3284: 3052: 2978: 2927: 2672: 2649: 2502: 2484: 2297: 2008: 1887: 1635: 1506:. The Knights' five-game winning streak was snapped with a 37–29 loss to 1280: 798:

was named the national assistant coach of the year, due to his work with

775: 743: 608: 592: 577: 477: 461: 396: 355: 84: 10367:. University of Central Florida Athletics Association. December 14, 2005 9539:"Unbeaten UCF celebrates self-proclaimed national title at Disney World" 5965:"The Knights Move Up to D-II: Part 3 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 3755:, played from 2005 to 2008, and since 2013. Other rivalries include the 426:, and were picked as the preseason No. 1 team to start the 1994 season. 12140: 11493: 11008:. University of Central Florida Athletics Association. October 18, 2010 9955:"NCAA officially recognizes UCF football's national championship claim" 6161:"Ex-NFL player from Zephyrhills heading to prison on gun, drug charges" 4678: 4639: 4622: 4600: 4574: 4421: 4395: 4365: 4230: 3942: 3922: 3445: 3352: 2229: 2205:

completed a 13–0 perfect season. The Knights were not selected for the

1903: 1482:

by a score of 38–10. Central Florida then won its next five; defeating

1470:

The Knights finished 9–4 in 2014. The Knights kicked off the season in

926: 795: 624: 596: 392: 344: 277: 10622:"UConn Promotes 'Rivalry' Game with UCF, Knights Deny Any Involvement" 8823:"South Carolina State vs. UCF – Game Recap – September 3, 2016 – ESPN" 7897:"UCF vs. Southern Mississippi – Game Recap – November 12, 2011 – ESPN" 7400:"Florida Supreme Court sides with UCF over 2008 football player death" 7276:"Kevin Smith offers insight to UCF's young backs on injury prevention" 6858:. University of Central Florida Athletics Association. August 17, 2007 6139:"UCF Develops Winning Ways: Part 4 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 5816:"Finally, Gametime Arrives: Part 2 of 8 – The History of UCF Football" 3620:, while the stadium's upper decks were rarely occupied for UCF games. 691:. Without a head coach or athletic director, President Colbourn hired 631:, became UCF's new head coach and led the Knights in their move up to 9987:. Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018 9644:"UCF honors 'national championship' with parade at Walt Disney World" 9566:"UCF AD sees promise fulfilled as Knights unveil championship banner" 9521:"UCF honors 'national championship' with parade at Walt Disney World" 9317:"UCF, Memphis game postponed by Hurricane Irma to be played Sept. 30" 6599:. University of Central Florida Athletics Association. August 8, 2007 6217:. University of Central Florida Athletics Association. Archived from 5013: 4865: 4356: 3371: 3334: 3300: 2373: 2024: 1089: 1021: 887: 767: 651: 585: 548:

The UCF football program can be traced back to a speech given by the

11276: 10455:"UCF's East Side Club gets a new name, new six-figure title sponsor" 9683:"UCF taps Missouri OC Josh Heupel as new coach, Randy Shannon as DC" 9298:"Memphis vs. UCF football game now Friday because of Hurricane Irma" 8259: