UCF Knights

The UCF Knights represent the University of Central Florida, competing in the Big 12 Conference from FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando—a city synonymous with entertainment and growth. UCF embodies the spirit of the 'new blood' in college football, having risen from Division III to FBS prominence in just a few decades. The Knights play with swagger and speed, reflecting the youthful energy of both the program and its massive student body, one of the nation's largest. UCF's 'Space Game' and other themed events showcase the program's creative approach to gameday. The Knights' move to the Big 12 in 2023 completed an astonishing ascent through the college football hierarchy.

UCF football began in 1979 as a Division III program, making the Knights one of the youngest FBS programs but also one of the fastest-rising. The 2017 season produced the most controversial moment in recent CFB history: an undefeated UCF team claimed a national championship after defeating Auburn in the Peach Bowl, despite being excluded from the College Football Playoff—a claim the university proudly displays to this day. Blake Bortles, Daunte Culpepper, and other NFL quarterbacks honed their skills in Orlando. The Knights' rivalry with USF, the 'War on I-4,' became one of the American Athletic Conference's premier matchups. UCF's trajectory proves that tradition can be built quickly when ambition meets opportunity.