The UCF Knights football team represents the University of Central Florida 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. Their head coach is Gus Malzahn. The Knights play their home games at the 48,000-seat FBC Mortgage Stadium, which is located on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida, United States.
Arthur Gustavo Malzahn III is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He was the head football coach at Auburn University from 2013 to 2020. He helped lead the 2010 Auburn Tigers to a National Championship as the team's offensive coordinator. As head coach at Auburn, he led the team to a SEC Championship win and an appearance in the 2014 National Championship. Malzahn has coached Heisman winner Cam Newton and two Heisman finalists: Nick Marshall and Tre Mason, including coaching 14 All-Americans. During Malzahn's tenure at Auburn, he qualified as the second-longest tenured head coach at one school in the SEC, behind Nick Saban. Out of active head coaches, Malzahn also holds the best record against coach Saban.
The 2007 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, in his fourth season with the school. The season was highlighted by the completion of their new on-campus stadium. The Knights moved out of the aging Citrus Bowl in downtown Orlando, and began playing their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium, located on the main campus of UCF in east Orlando, Florida. In addition, the team changed its nickname from "Golden Knights" back to simply "Knights." From its inception in 1979 to 1992, the football team had been known as the Knights, then used the name "Golden Knights" from 1993 until 2006.
The 2007 Ball State Cardinals football team competed in football on behalf of the Ball State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They won the majority of their games, led by their quarterback Nate Davis who threw 20+ touchdown passes connecting to receivers Dante Love and Darius Hill for more than 10 touchdown passes combined.
The 1988 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 39th in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd overall, and their tenth and final season under head coach Bill Walsh. The season was highlighted by their third Super Bowl victory. They failed to improve on their 13–2 record from 1987, and the 49ers struggled to a 6–5 record at the midway point and were in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1982, but rose to defeat the Washington Redskins on a Monday night, eventually finishing the season at 10–6. They gained a measure of revenge by thrashing the Minnesota Vikings 34–9 in the first round of the playoffs; the Vikings had upset the #1-seeded 49ers the previous season in the divisional round. The 49ers then traveled to Chicago's Soldier Field, where the wind-chill factor at game time was 26 degrees below zero. They defeated the Chicago Bears 28–3 in the NFC Championship game.
The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a nationally televised rout of Houston on November 5. For the third time in six years, UCF won the Conference USA Eastern Division and later, became Conference USA champions for the second time in four seasons. As a result, the Knights appeared in the Liberty Bowl, in which they defeated Georgia 10–6, for the first bowl victory in program history. UCF finished the season ranked in both final national polls, 20th in the Coaches Poll, and 21st in the AP Poll.
The 2005 UCF Golden Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, in his second season with the team. It was their first year as a member of Conference USA, playing in the East Division.
The 2011 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights played in the East Division of Conference USA, and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Knights were led by head coach George O'Leary, who was in his eighth season with the team. They finished the season 5–7, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the East Division.
The 2011 Tulsa Golden Hurricane Wave football team represented the University of Tulsa in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Hurricane were led by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship and played their home games at Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium. They were a member of the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They finished the season 8–5, 7–1 in C-USA play to finish in second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Armed Forces Bowl, where they were defeated by BYU, 21–24.
The 2005 Conference USA Football Championship Game was a college football game played on Saturday, December 3, 2005, at Citrus Bowl in Orlando. This was the 1st Conference USA Championship Game and determined the 2005 champion of the Conference USA. The game featured the UCF Golden Knights, champions of the East division, and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, champions of the West division.
The 2014 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were members of the American Athletic Conference, and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida. The Knights were led by head coach George O'Leary, who was in his eleventh season with the team.
The 2015 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference, defending conference co-champions, and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida. The Knights were led by head coach George O'Leary, who was in his 12th and final season with the team. After starting the season 0–6, O'Leary resigned as UCF's interim athletic director, a position he had held since June when Todd Stansbury left for the same position at Oregon State. Following UCF's 59–10 defeat by Houston on homecoming, dropping the Knights to an 0–8 record, O'Leary resigned as head football coach. Quarterbacks coach Danny Barrett served as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
The 2016 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida. They were led by first-year head coach Scott Frost. They finished the regular season 6–6, 4–4 in American Athletic Conference play, finishing in third place in the East Division. They were invited to the Cure Bowl, where they lost to Arkansas State.
The South Florida–UCF football rivalry, better known as the War on I-4, is an American college football rivalry between the South Florida Bulls football team of the University of South Florida and UCF Knights football team of the University of Central Florida. As of the 2022 meeting, the Knights hold a 8–6 lead in the series.
The 2017 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights played their home games at the newly renamed Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Florida, and competed in the East Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by second year head coach Scott Frost.
The 2018 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season was the Broncos' 82nd season overall, fifth under head coach Bryan Harsin, eighth as a member of the Mountain West Conference and sixth within the Mountain Division. The Broncos played their home games at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. They finished the season 10–3, 7–1 in Mountain West play to finish in a tie for first place in the Mountain Division with Utah State. Due to their head-to-head win over Utah State, they were champions of the Mountain Division. They represented the Mountain Division in the Mountain West Championship Game where they lost to West Division champion Fresno State. They were invited to the First Responder Bowl against Boston College. With 5:08 left in the 1st quarter, the bowl game was delayed and ultimately canceled and ruled a no contest.
The 2019 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were led by second-year head coach Josh Heupel and played their home games at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Florida. They competed as members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference.
The 2019 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cowboys were led by sixth-year coach Craig Bohl and played their home games at War Memorial Stadium as a member of the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference. The Cowboys finished the season 8-5, 4-4 in Mountain West play to finish fourth in the Mountain Division. They were invited to the Arizona Bowl, where they defeated Georgia State.
The 2020 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were led by third-year head coach Josh Heupel and played their home games at Bounce House in Orlando, Florida. They competed as members of the American Athletic Conference. The Knights finished the regular season 6–4 and notably did not have any games of their revised schedule postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2023 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were led by Gus Malzahn in his third year as the Knights head coach. The team played their home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
