UCF Knights Football

The 2024 UCF Knights football team from the University of Central Florida (UCF) is part of the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA Division I FBS. Gus Malzahn, their head coach for four years, leads them. Their home ground is FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Let's cheer for the Knights!

UCF Knights Football Team Introduction

The UCF Knights football team, representing the University of Central Florida (UCF), competes in NCAA Division I FBS football. They're a member of the Big 12 Conference, with Gus Malzahn leading as head coach. Their home turf is the 45,000-seat FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida. UCF began its football journey in 1979, rising through NCAA divisions to FBS status in 1996. They've made a mark with 293 victories, six division titles, and six conference championships. Notable achievements include two New Year's Six bowl victories and producing NFL stars like Blake Bortles, Daunte Culpepper, and McKenzie Milton.

UCF Knights Football Team History

The UCF Knights football team has a rich history. They started playing in 1979 and have climbed to compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Over the years, they've won many games, earning six division titles and six conference championships. They've also made 15 postseason appearances, including big wins in New Year's Six bowls. The team has produced star players like Kevin Smith, Daunte Culpepper, and McKenzie Milton, who've excelled in college and the NFL. With a strong legacy and dedicated fan base, the UCF Knights continue to make their mark on the football world.

UCF Knights Football Team Coaches

Arthur Gustavo Malzahn III, born October 28, 1965, is an American football coach leading the University of Central Florida (UCF) team. Formerly, he coached at Auburn University, guiding them to a National Championship in 2010 as offensive coordinator and later as head coach. Malzahn is known for his successful coaching career, producing Heisman winners like Cam Newton and coaching teams to SEC Championships. He's earned numerous coaching awards, including SEC Coach of the Year. Malzahn also played football at Arkansas and Henderson State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1990.

UCF Knights Football Team Stadium

The UCF Knights play at the impressive FBC Mortgage Stadium, which opened in 2007 as part of the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village. Located on the north side of UCF's campus, this stadium features luxury boxes, a large club lounge, and a natural grass field. The Knights moved here after 28 seasons at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The stadium debuted with a game against Texas, drawing a capacity crowd. In 2015, it was renovated to add the Carl Black and Gold Cabana, a 10,000-square-foot lounge. More premium areas, including field-level cabanas and the Stadium Club, were added in 2017. The stadium also boasts a large, high-definition video board and a ribbon display for enhanced viewing experiences.

UCF Knights Football Team Rivals

South Florida Bulls

The South Florida Bulls are UCF's biggest rival. The two teams compete in the "War on I-4," a fierce annual game. This rivalry is intense because both teams are from Florida, and fans are passionate about their schools. Games between UCF and South Florida are always exciting and highly anticipated.

Cincinnati Bearcats

The Cincinnati Bearcats are another major rival for UCF. The rivalry grew stronger as both teams often competed for the top spot in their conference. Games between UCF and Cincinnati are competitive and closely watched, adding excitement to the season.

Houston Cougars

The Houston Cougars are also a key rival for UCF. Their matchups are known for being tough and competitive. Both teams have strong football programs, and their games are usually thrilling, with fans eagerly awaiting the outcome.

Memphis Tigers

The Memphis Tigers are another rival for UCF. The games between these teams are intense, often with high stakes. Both teams have had strong seasons, making their matchups exciting and significant for fans and players.

UCF Knights Football Team Record and Stats

National Championship

In 2017, under head coach Scott Frost, the UCF Knights had a perfect 13-0 season. They were not selected for the College Football Playoff but won the Peach Bowl against No. 7 Auburn. UCF's athletic director declared them national champions, holding a celebration and hanging a championship banner. The Colley Matrix, an NCAA-recognized ranking system, also ranked UCF No. 1. Although Alabama won the CFP and was the consensus national champion, UCF uniquely claimed the title based on their undefeated season and Colley Matrix ranking.

Conference Championships

Under George O'Leary, the UCF Knights won four C-USA Eastern Division Championships (2005, 2007, 2010, 2012) and two Conference USA Championships (2007, 2010). O'Leary also led the Knights to win The American Conference championship in their first year in the league (2013), securing a spot in a BCS bowl game. In 2014, the Knights won another conference championship. They claimed The American conference title again in 2017 under Scott Frost and in 2018 under Josh Heupel, achieving back-to-back conference titles for the second time.

Division Championships

UCF won four division titles in Conference USA, appearing in the championship game four times and winning twice. Three of these games were against Tulsa. After moving to the AAC, UCF won two more division titles and qualified for the 2022 AAC Championship Game as the #2 seed after divisions were removed.

Bowl Games

UCF has played in 15 bowl games, winning 6 and losing 9. Since joining Division I FBS, they've been bowl-eligible for 19 of 28 seasons, with their first bowl game in 2005. UCF has been ranked going into a bowl game four times, achieving notable rankings and victories in those seasons.

UCF Knights Football Team Roster

Offense:

Quarterbacks (QBs):

Brock Hansel

Timmy McClain

John Rhys Plumlee

Dylan Rizk

Gunnar Smith

Xavier Williams

Running Backs (RBs):

Demarkcus Bowman

Preston Foreman

RJ Harvey

Kam Ingram

Jordan McDonald

Mark-Antony Richards

Johnny Richardson

Wide Receivers (WRs):

Jarrad Baker

Javon Baker

Andrew Dickson

JaJuan Forte'

Corey Gammage

Jaylon Griffin

Tyler Griffin

Kobe Hudson

Amari Johnson

Chauncey Magwood

Dionte Marks

Stephen Martin

Tyree Patterson

Cullen Smith

Xavier Townsend

Trent Whittemore

Dwartney Wortham

Tight Ends (TEs):

Jordan Davis

Garrett French

Alec Holler

Max Holler

Zach Marsh Wojan

Randy Pittman Jr.

Grant Stevens

Thomas Wadsworth

Offensive Line (OL):

Patrick Barnett

Johnathan Cline

Edward Collins

Keyon Cox

Tylan Grable

John Harris

Ethan Higgins

Shaheem Hill

Amari Kight

Cameron Kinnie

Caden Kitler

Chidoziri Maghiro

Marcellus Marshall

Adrian Medley

Drake Metcalf

Lokahi Pauole

Andrew Phelan

Matthew Prigmore

Paul Rubelt

Bula Schmidt

Defense:

Defensive Ends (DEs):

Kaven Call

Josh Celiscar

Dallaz Corbitt

Finau Fine

Jamaal Johnson

Malachi Lawrence

K.D. McDaniel

Jack Morgan

Tre'mon Morris-Brash

Isaiah Nixon

Trace O'Hara

Shaun Peterson Jr.

Defensive Tackles (DTs):

Matthew Alexander

Ricky Barber

Kervins Choute

Christopher Ficka

Keshaun Hudson

Lee Hunter

Derrick LeBlanc

Andrew Rumph

John Walker

Linebackers (LBs):

TJ Bullard

Keenan Cupit

Rian Davis

Troy Ford Jr.

Kingston Gorney

Andrew Harris

Quentin Hatch

Keeron Henderson

Jason Johnson

Kam Moore

Isaiah Paul

Camden Vining

Walter Yates III

Defensive Backs (DBs):

Brandon Adams

Nicholas Antoine

Quadric Bullard

R.D. Cooper

Fred Davis

Jason Duclona

Hudson Gibbs

Demari Henderson

Ja'Cari Henderson

Terrell Jackson

Champ Jenkins

Braeden Marshall

Nikai Martinez

DeJordan Mask

Daniel McCullon

Ja'Maric Morris

Decorian Patterson

Corey Thornton

Jarvis Ware

William Wells

Jireh Wilson

Special Teams:

Kickers (Ks):

Colton Boomer

Kriston Esnard

Grant Reddick

Punters (Ps):

Michael Carter

Mitch McCarthy

Long Snappers (LSs):

Chris Bowerfind

Aidan Fedigan

Gage King

UCF Knights Football Team Schedule

Aug 29, 2024

Opponent: New Hampshire

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $8.33

Sep 7, 2024

Opponent: Sam Houston

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $18.00

Sep 14, 2024

Opponent: TCU

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $70.00

Sep 28, 2024

Opponent: Colorado

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $148.50

Oct 5, 2024

Opponent: Florida

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $117.30

Oct 12, 2024

Opponent: Cincinnati

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $26.40

Oct 19, 2024

Opponent: Iowa St.

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: Jack Trice Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $55.00

Oct 26, 2024

Opponent: BYU

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $34.00

Nov 2, 2024

Opponent: Arizona

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $36.00

Nov 9, 2024

Opponent: Arizona St.

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: Mountain America Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $29.31

Nov 23, 2024

Opponent: West Virginia

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $54.35

Nov 29, 2024

Opponent: Utah

Time: TBA

TV: Not specified

Venue: FBC Mortgage Stadium

Ticket Prices: Starting at $36.00