| UCF Knights football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1979 | ||
| Athletic director | Terry Mohajir | ||
| Head coach | Gus Malzahn 3rd season, 24–16 (.600) | ||
| Stadium | FBC Mortgage Stadium (capacity: 45,301[1]) | ||
| Year built | 2007 | ||
| Field surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Orlando, Florida [a] | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Big 12 Conference | ||
| Past conferences | Mid-American Conference (2002–2004) Conference USA (2005–2012) American Athletic Conference (2013–2022) | ||
| All-time record | 293–234–1 [2] (.556) | ||
| Bowl record | 6–9 (.400) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 1 (2017) | ||
| Conference titles | 6 (2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018) | ||
| Division titles | 6 (2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018) | ||
| Rivalries | Cincinnati (rivalry) South Florida (rivalry) | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 1 | ||
| Colors | Black and gold[3] | ||
| Fight song | "Charge On" | ||
| Mascot | Knightro | ||
| Marching band | Marching Knights | ||
| Outfitter | Nike[4] | ||
| Website | ucfknights.com | ||
The UCF Knights football team represents the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the sport of American football. The Knights compete in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and are a member of the Big 12 Conference, making UCF the youngest school among the Power Five conferences.[5] Their head coach is Gus Malzahn. The Knights play their home games at the 45,000-seat FBC Mortgage Stadium, which is located on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida, United States. [6]
UCF first fielded a varsity football team in the fall of 1979 as an NCAA Division III program and subsequently completed their ascension to Division I–A, now known as the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), in 1996, becoming the first program in NCAA history to have played in all four divisions of football (and the only one until James Madison joined FBS in 2022).[7] As a Division I–AA program, the Knights made the 1990 and 1993 playoffs, and were picked as the preseason No. 1 team to start the 1994 season.[8]
Through the completion of the 2023 season, UCF has compiled 293 victories, six division titles, and six conference championships.
The Knights have made 15 postseason appearances since joining the FBS, including winning two New Year's Six bowls: the 2014 Fiesta Bowl and the 2018 Peach Bowl. The program has produced one Consensus All-American, Kevin Smith in 2007, and three Heisman Trophy candidates, Daunte Culpepper (QB) in 1998, Kevin Smith (RB) in 2007, and McKenzie Milton (QB)[9] in 2017 and 2018. UCF has produced a long line of accomplished NFL players, including Blake Bortles, A. J. Bouye, Daunte Culpepper, Shaquill Griffin, Brandon Marshall, Latavius Murray, Matt Prater, Asante Samuel, Josh Sitton and Gabe Davis. UCF has had four first-round picks in the NFL Draft, 14 Super Bowl winners, seven pro-bowlers, and two Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees.
- ^ "FBC Mortgage Stadium at the University of Central Florida". Whartonsmith. December 9, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ NCAA Statistics https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/history?utf8=✓&org_id=128&sport_code=MFB&commit=Search
- ^ "Colors | University of Central Florida Brand Guide". Retrieved August 4, 2018.
- ^ "UCF signs shoe, apparel contract with Nike". Orlando Sentinel. March 19, 2010. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
- ^ Wells, Adam (June 10, 2022). "Cincinnati, Houston, UCF and BYU to Join Big 12 in Summer of 2023". bleacherreport. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ "FBC Mortgage Stadium at the University of Central Florida". Whartonsmith. December 9, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ "A look back at UCF's football's move to Division I-A" (Press release). UCF Knights. July 19, 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
- ^ "Division I–AA Football Comes to Orlando". University of Central Florida Athletic Association. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
- ^ Romero, Iliana Limón (December 9, 2017). "UCF QB McKenzie Milton finishes eighth in Heisman Trophy voting". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
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