2013 UCF Knights football team
| 2013 UCF Knights football | |
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American Athletic champion
Fiesta Bowl champion |
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Fiesta Bowl vs. Baylor, W 52–42
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| Conference | American Athletic Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 12 |
| AP | No. 10 |
| 2013 record | 12–1 (8–0 The American) |
| Head coach | George O'Leary (10th year) |
| Offensive coordinator | Charlie Taaffe (5th year) |
| Offensive scheme | Pro Style, Option |
| Defensive coordinator | Jim Fleming (departed December 20) (2nd year) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Home stadium | Bright House Networks Stadium (Capacity: 45,323) |
| 2013 American Athletic Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #10 UCF $ | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connecticut | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Florida | 2 | – | 6 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memphis | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temple | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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. The university was able to persuade the NCAA to postpone the postseason ban until the 2013 season, while they filed an appeal. 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.
The season was 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." The Knights secured the program's fifth ten-win season (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. Thirrteen starters from the 2013 season would later play in the NFL, including two first-round Draft picks.
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