1984 UCF Knights football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–6
Head coach
Home stadiumFlorida Citrus Bowl
Seasons
← 1983
1985 →
1984 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. T–3 Central State (OH) ^   –   9 – 2 – 0
No. 8 Towson State ^   –   9 – 4 – 0
Southern Connecticut State   –   7 – 3 – 0
Central Connecticut   –   6 – 4 – 0
Northern Michigan   –   6 – 4 – 0
New Haven   –   5 – 5 – 0
Liberty   –   5 – 6 – 0
Saint Mary's   –   5 – 6 – 0
American International   –   4 – 6 – 0
Springfield   –   3 – 7 – 0
Kentucky State   –   2 – 9 – 0
UCF   –   2 – 9 – 0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

The 1984 UCF Knights football season was the sixth season for the team. It was Lou Saban's second and final season as the head coach of the Knights. After a disappointing 1–6 start to the season, Saban stepped away from the program, and was replaced by assistant coach Jerry "Red" Anderson. The Knights finished the year with a 2–9 overall record,[1] facing a schedule entirely made up of Division I-AA opponents. The program had actually petitioned the NCAA to move the football program up to I-AA for 1984, but the move was delayed, in part due to costs and incurred debt. The move would not happen until 1990.

The Knights competed as an NCAA Division II Independent. The team played their home games at the Citrus Bowl in downtown Orlando.

In their October 20 game against Illinois State, the Knights fell behind 21–0 in the first quarter. UCF rallied for a 28–24 victory, their largest comeback win in school history. As of 2021, it is still tied for the program's best comeback win.[2]

Schedule

The Florida Citrus Bowl, the Knights' home field
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 1Bethune–Cookman
L 22–437,421
September 8at Northeast Louisiana
L 21–4919,329[3]
September 15Georgia Southern
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
L 28–427,124
September 22at Western Kentucky
W 35–348,500
September 29at Southwest Texas State
L 13–3910,337[4]
October 6Akron
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
L 21–266,814
October 13at Eastern Kentucky
L 14–3718,300
October 20Illinois State
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
W 28–2411,648
October 27Austin Peay State
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
L 21–2412,225
November 3at Indiana State
L 0–388,367
November 10at Furman
L 6–4210,162[5]

[6]

References

  1. ^ "The Knights Move Up to D-II: Part 3 of 8 – The History of UCF Football". University of Central Florida Athletics Association. June 29, 2007. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  2. ^ "Knights 28, Redbirds 24". The Orlando Sentinel. October 21, 1984. p. 39. Retrieved September 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ^ "Northeast rockets past Floridians". The Shreveport Times. September 9, 1984. p. 2D. Retrieved January 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Knights overwhelmed by Southwest Texas' option game, 39–13". The Orlando Sentinel. September 30, 1984. Retrieved March 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Furman dominates outmanned UCF, 42–6". The Orlando Sentinel. November 11, 1984. Retrieved September 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Final 1984 Division II Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 12, 2023.


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