2013 UCF Knights football team

2013 UCF Knights football
The American champion
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 52–42 vs. Baylor
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 10
Record12–1 (8–0 The American)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorCharlie Taaffe (5th season)
Offensive schemePro Style, Option
Defensive coordinatorJim Fleming (departed December 20) (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumBright House Networks Stadium
Seasons
← 2012
2014 →
2013 American Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 UCF $   8 – 0     12 – 1  
No. 15 Louisville   7 – 1     12 – 1  
Cincinnati   6 – 2     9 – 4  
Houston   5 – 3     8 – 5  
SMU   4 – 4     5 – 7  
Rutgers   3 – 5     6 – 7  
UConn   3 – 5     3 – 9  
South Florida   2 – 6     2 – 10  
Memphis   1 – 7     3 – 9  
Temple   1 – 7     2 – 10  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2013 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were members of the American Athletic Conference (The American), 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 tenth season with the team.

The 2013 season marked UCF's first as a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Knights were previously members of C-USA from 2005 to 2012, the MAC from 2002 to 2004, and were an independent from 1996 to 2001. UCF was originally barred from postseason play for the 2012 season due to recruiting violations in both football and basketball under previous athletic director Keith Tribble.[1][2] The university was able to persuade the NCAA to postpone the postseason ban until the 2013 season, while they filed an appeal.[3] In April 2013, the university won their appeal, the postseason ban was dropped entirely, and the team became bowl-eligible for the 2013–14 season.[4]

The season was one of the most successful in program history, highlighted by six second-half, come-from-behind victories. Four games were won by scores inside the final five minutes, and another was won by a last-second goal line stand, earning the team the nickname the "Cardiac Knights."[5][6][7] UCF's only loss was a 3-point defeat to eventual #4 South Carolina, a game which the Knights led at halftime. The Knights secured the program's fifth ten-win season[8] (1990, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013). It was the fourth such in FBS, as well as the fourth under O'Leary, and the first twelve-win season in school history.[8][9] Thirteen starters from the 2013 season would later play in the NFL,[10] including two first-round Draft picks.[11][12]

Quarterback Blake Bortles led the program to its first victories over teams from the Big Ten[8] and Big 12 conferences,[8] by defeating Penn State and Baylor respectively. Bortles also led the Knights to their first win over a Top–10 team,[8] upsetting eighth-ranked Louisville on their homecoming 38–35. The Knights won The American's first football championship under its new name (it had previously been the Big East),[8] and the third conference championship in school history (2007, 2010, 2013). With the championship, UCF earned The American's automatic berth to a BCS bowl game, the first major bowl appearance in school history.[8] The Knights were victorious in the Fiesta Bowl, upsetting the sixth-ranked Baylor Bears 52–42 for the first BCS bowl victory in program history.[8] It was considered one of biggest upsets in BCS history.[13][14]

Coach (defensive coordinator) Jim Fleming departed the program in December 2013 to become the head coach at Rhode Island[15] and did not coach with the team in their Fiesta Bowl appearance. All games were broadcast live on the UCF-IMG radio network.[16] The Knights flagship station was WYGM "740 The Game" in Orlando.

  1. ^ "NCAA Adds 1-Year Postseason Bans to UCF Penalties". WESH. Orlando. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  2. ^ "UCF Asks NCAA for Expedited Appeal". ESPN. August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  3. ^ "O'Leary: UCF Eligible for Postseason". Fox Sports. October 23, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  4. ^ "UCF Wins NCAA Appeal of Bowl Ban, Eligible in 2013". USA Today. April 22, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  5. ^ Fontanazza, Chip (November 30, 2013). "Bullseye for Cardiac Knights". UCF Athletics. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  6. ^ Fallstrom, Jerry (December 7, 2013). "Interception by Mount Dora Grad Jordan Ozerities Seals UCF Victory Over USF". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  7. ^ Helwig, Brandon (December 8, 2013). "UCF to play Baylor in Fiesta Bowl". Rivals.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Ormiston, Brian (January 7, 2014). "Top 10!! UCF Earns Top-10 Ranking for First Time in School History". UCF Athletics. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  9. ^ Tenorio, Paul (November 30, 2013). "UCF's Good Fortune Lifts Knights to Win Over Rival USF, Keeps BCS Dream Alive". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  10. ^ Blake Bortles, Clayton Geathers, Jacoby Glenn, Rannell Hall, Storm Johnson, Chris Martin, Jordan McCray, Justin McCray, Breshad Perriman, Terrance Plummer, Josh Reese, Justin Tukes, and Torrian Wilson.
  11. ^ Rosenthal, Gregg (May 8, 2014). "Jacksonville Jaguars take Blake Bortles with No. 3 pick". National Football League. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  12. ^ "Round 1: Ravens Select WR Breshad Perriman With Top Pick". Baltimore Ravens. April 30, 2015. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  13. ^ Young, Bob (January 2, 2014). "UCF Kicks Down Door, Crashes Final BCS Party". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  14. ^ Jackson, Darrell (January 2, 2014). "UCF Pulls Biggest Upset in BCS with 52-42 Victory Over Baylor". Glendale Star. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  15. ^ Tenorio, Paul (December 20, 2013). "Defensive coordinator Jim Fleming hired as head coach at Rhode Island". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  16. ^ "UCF ISP Radio Network". UCF Athletics Association. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)