| 1998 UCF Golden Knights football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Independent |
| Record | 9–2 |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Paul Lounsberry (1st season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Gene Chizik (1st season) |
| Home stadium | Florida Citrus Bowl |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UCF | – | 9 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22 Notre Dame | – | 9 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana Tech | – | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northeast Louisiana | – | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAB | – | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas State | – | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navy | – | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwestern Louisiana | – | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rankings from AP Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1998 UCF Golden Knights football season was the twentieth season overall for the team, and third season as an NCAA Division I-A Independent. After the resignation of Gene McDowell, Mike Kruczek became the new head coach of the Golden Knights. Kruczek led UCF to a 9–2 record in 1998, the program's best season at the time. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper finished 6th in the Heisman Trophy voting and set a then-NCAA record for completion percentage (73.4%). UCF received a tentative verbal agreement to play in the Oahu Bowl. However, the arrangement fell through in the final week of the season.[1]
UCF started out with a bang, routing Louisiana Tech and Eastern Illinois. Daunte Culpepper accounted for seven touchdowns against Eastern Illinois, earning him the USA Today Player of the Week honors.[2] At 2–0, the Golden Knights faced Purdue on September 19. It was UCF's first nationally televised game on ESPN. The Golden Knights faltered, however, and lost 35-7.[3]
On November 7 at Auburn, the team experienced one of the most heartbreaking losses in school history.[4] UCF entered with a record of 7-1, working towards a possible at-large bowl bid. Leading 6–3 late in the game, Culpepper fumbled away a bad shotgun snap. Auburn recovered, and threw a 58-yard game-winning touchdown pass with one minute left.
Following the season, Daunte Culpepper was drafted with the 11th pick in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings. It marked the highest draft pick of a UCF player,[5] until Blake Bortles was drafted with the third pick in 2014.
- ^ "UCF Football Flashback - Going on Krucz Control: Part 7 of 8 - The History of UCF Football". University of Central Florida Athletics Association. August 8, 2007. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
- ^ 2006 UCF Media Guide
- ^ UCF Blows It_ Big-time
- ^ Greene, Jerry (November 8, 1998). "Big Time Eludes UCF On Auburn's Big Play". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
- ^ "Daunte's World... Orlando's Biggest Attraction: Part 6 of 8 - The History of UCF Football". University of Central Florida Athletics Association. July 26, 2007. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2012.