List of UCF Knights football seasons

Last updated

Bright House Networks Stadium from Student Section, Sept. 15.jpg
FBC Mortgage Stadium, the Knights' home field
UCF at the Texas goal line.jpg
UCF playing Texas at FBC Mortgage Stadium, then Bright House Networks Stadium, in 2007

The UCF Knights college football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), representing the University of Central Florida in the Big 12 Conference. Since the program's first season in 1979 under Don Jonas, the Knights have played more than 517 games, with over 290 victories. UCF has won six division titles (2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018), six conference championships (2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018), and has made ten postseason appearances since joining FBS, including three BCS/NY6 bowl games. [1] The Knights also claim a National Championship for the 2017 season, as recognized by the Colley Matrix. The Knights' current head coach is Scott Frost. The Knights have played their home games at FBC Mortgage Stadium, located on the main campus of UCF in Orlando, Florida, since 2007.

Contents

UCF began as a Division III program, moving in succession to Division II, Division I-AA (FCS), and subsequently completed their ascension to Division I-A (FBS) in 1996. Initially a Division I-A Independent the Knights first moved into a "Group of Five" conference in 2002, and then into a "Power Five" conference in 2023. [2] In doing so, the Knights became the first NCAA football program to play at all four sanctioned levels. As a Division I–AA program, the Knights made the 1990 and 1993 playoffs. [3]

After George O'Leary took over the program, the Knights gained national prominence as members of C-USA and later the AAC. O'Leary guided UCF to their first division title (2005), first conference championship (2007), first bowl game (2005), first bowl victory (2010), first appearance/victory in a New Year's Six game (2014), first national rankings, [4] [5] and numerous other milestones and superlatives.

The Knights' main rivals are the South Florida Bulls; other historic rivals include East Carolina and Marshall. UCF has played one Consensus All-American, Kevin Smith in 2007, and produced three Heisman Trophy candidates, Daunte Culpepper in 1998, Kevin Smith in 2007, and McKenzie Milton in 2017 and 2018. The program has also produced a long-line of NFL players. [6] Playing in fourteen Super Bowls and including four pro-bowlers, the list most notably includes Blake Bortles, Brandon Marshall, Bruce Miller, Daunte Culpepper, Matt Prater, Asante Samuel, and Josh Sitton.

Seasons

National Champions †Conference Champions *Division Champions‡Bowl game berth College Football Playoff game§Shared standing TNot applicable
SeasonTeamHead coachDivisionSeason resultsChampionship and postseason resultsFinal ranking
ConferenceOverall AP Coaches'
Finish
[note 1] 		Win(s)Loss(es)Tie(s) [note 2] Win(s)Loss(es)Tie(s) [note 2]
UCF Knights
NCAA Division III Independent (1978–1981)
1979 1979 Don Jonas 6 [n 1] 20
1980 1980 4 [n 2] 41
1981 1981 460
NCAA Division II Independent (1982–1989)
1982 1982 Sammy Weir 0100
1983 1983 Lou Saban 460
1984 1984 Lou Saban [15]
Jerry Anderson 		290
1985 1985 Gene McDowell 470
1986 1986 650
1987 1987 940L NCAA Division II semifinal
1988 1988 650
1989 1989 730
YearCoachOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#AP°
Gene McDowell (FCS Independent)(1990–1995)
1990 Gene McDowell10–4L NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
1991 Gene McDowell6–5
1992 Gene McDowell6–4 [n 3]
1993 Gene McDowell9–3L NCAA Division I-AA First Round
1994 Gene McDowell7–4
1995 Gene McDowell6–5
Gene McDowell (FBS Independent)(1996–1997)
1996 Gene McDowell5–6
1997 Gene McDowell5–6
Mike Kruczek (FBS Independent)(1998–2001)
1998 Mike Kruczek9–2
1999 Mike Kruczek4–7
2000 Mike Kruczek7–4
2001 Mike Kruczek6–5
Mike Kruczek (Mid-American Conference)(2002–2003)
2002 Mike Kruczek7–56–22nd (East)
2003 Mike Kruczek [16] 3–72–4Fired
Alan Gooch (Interim)(Mid-American Conference)(2003)
2003 Alan Gooch0–20–25th (East)
George O'Leary (Mid-American Conference)(2004)
2004 George O'Leary0–110–87th (East)
George O'Leary (Conference USA)(2005–2012)
2005 George O'Leary8–57–11st (East)L Hawai'i
2006 George O'Leary4–83–54th (East)
2007 George O'Leary10–47–11st (East)L Liberty
2008 George O'Leary4–83–5T-4th (East)
2009 George O'Leary8–56–22nd (East)L St. Petersburg
2010 George O'Leary11–37–11st (East)W Liberty 2021
2011 George O'Leary5–73–55th (East)
2012 George O'Leary10–47–11st (East)W Beef 'O' Brady's
George O'Leary (American Athletic Conference)(2013–2015)
2013 George O'Leary12–18–01stW Fiesta †1210
2014 George O'Leary9–47–1T–1stL St. Petersburg
2015 George O'Leary [17] 0–80–4Resigned
Danny Barrett (Interim)(American Athletic Conference)(2015)
2015 Danny Barrett0–40–46th (East)
Scott Frost (American Athletic Conference)(2016–2017)
2016 Scott Frost6–74–43rd (East)L Cure
2017 Scott Frost13–08–01st (East)W Peach †76
Josh Heupel (American Athletic Conference)(2018–2020)
2018 Josh Heupel12–18–01st (East)L Fiesta †1211
2019 Josh Heupel10–36–22nd (East)W Gasparilla 2424
2020 Josh Heupel6–45–3T–3rdL Boca Raton
Gus Malzahn (American Athletic Conference)(2021–2022)
2021 Gus Malzahn9–45–33rdW Gasparilla
2022 Gus Malzahn9–56–2T–2ndL Military
Gus Malzahn (Big 12 Conference)(2023–2024)
2023 Gus Malzahn6–73–6T–9thL Gasparilla
2024 Gus Malzahn4–82–7T–14th
Scott Frost (Big 12 Conference)(2025–present)
2025 Scott Frost
Total:299-241-1
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. ↑ The official NCAA Statistics do not include the game against Fort Benning, resulting in a record of 5–2 [8]
  2. ↑ UCF's 1980 record is disputed. The Carson–Newman Eagles were forced to forfeit their opening day 30–21 victory [9] over the Knights due to an ineligible player. [10] The official NCAA Statistics (possibly by error) maintain UCF's 1980 full season record as 3–5–1, [11] However, the school [12] [13] and local media [14] claim a record of 4–4–1, interpreting the Eagles forfeit as a Knights win.
  3. ↑ Does not include a 43–6 victory in an exhibition game against the Moscow Bears of the Russia national American football team
  1. ↑ When in a division, it shows their position within the division. Otherwise the overall position in the division-less conference is listed.
  2. 1 2 Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since. [7]

References

General:

In-text:

  1. ↑ "UCF Football History". University of Central Florida Athletics. 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
  2. ↑ Vannini, Chris (July 12, 2023). "Inside UCF's rise from D-III to Big 12 and what's next: 'This could be the premier place'". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Division I–AA Football Comes to Orlando". University of Central Florida Athletic Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
  4. ↑ "UCF ranked No. 23 in coaches poll and No. 25 in AP, vaulting into Top 25 for first time in school history". Orlando Sentinel. November 7, 2010. Archived from the original on November 9, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  5. ↑ "UCF ranked No. 25 in latest USA Today coaches poll". Orlando Sentinel. November 28, 2010. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  6. ↑ "UCF Knights Football Record by Year".
  7. ↑ Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 7, 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Final 1979 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". NCAA.org. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  9. ↑ Carfield, Jim (September 14, 1980). "Carson-Newman pins 30–21 setback on UCF". Orlando Sentinel . p. 14. Retrieved December 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ Carfield, Jim (October 1, 1980). "Dozen black players boycott UCF drills". Orlando Sentinel . p. 365. Retrieved December 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  11. ↑ "Final 1980 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". NCAA.org. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  12. ↑ "UCF Record Book - 2024 UCF Football" (PDF). UCF Athletics. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  13. ↑ Wilson, Justin (November 26, 2024). "UCF Hosts Utah on Senior Knight Friday". UCFKnights.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  14. ↑ Carfield, Jim (December 23, 1980). "UCF to extend Jonas' pact for 1981 football season". Orlando Sentinel . p. 9. Retrieved December 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  15. ↑ After a 1–6 start to the season, Saban stepped away from the program and was replaced by assistant coach Jerry Anderson.
  16. ↑ Head Coach Mike Kruczek was fired following a 3–7 start. Kruczek was replaced by assistant coach and former player Alan Gooch who finished out the season.
  17. ↑ Following UCF's 59–10 defeat to Houston on homecoming, this dropped the Knights to an 0–8 record. As a result, O'Leary resigned as head coach. Quarterbacks coach Danny Barrett served as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
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