TAMPA, Fla. — UCF’s long wait for another shot at Florida is over, as the football programs face off for the third time ever in Tampa.
The Knights and Gators meet in the Gasparilla Bowl, the first matchup between neighboring programs that haven’t met each other on the football field since Florida won 42-0 during its 2006 national championship season. Prior to that, the teams met in 1999 with the Gators taking a 58-27 win.
Thursday night will be a preview of sorts for a two-for-one regular season series that begins at the Swamp in 2024.
The teams are also scheduled to play at UCF’s on-campus stadium in Orlando in 2030 and back in Gainesville again in 2033.
Florida won the two previous meetings between the teams 100-27.
Kickoff for the 13th edition of the Gasparilla Bowl was 7 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium. TV viewers can tune in on ESPN. It's the first Gasparilla Bowl to be played since the 2020 game was canceled amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Odds from Caesars Sportsbook have the Gators favored by seven points, according to CBS Sports.
UF is making its first appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl and 47th bowl appearance overall. For UCF, it’s the fifth appearance, having played in the bowl previously known as the St. Petersburg Bowl and Beef O’ Brady’s Bowl.
If the Knights are able to claim victory, it would be a big boost for the team’s growing program. Much younger than the Gators, the Knights only started playing in bowl games after the 2005 season. That game ended in an overtime loss to Nevada with a narrow score of 49-48 at the Hawai'i Bowl.
The win for the Knights could be in reach, especially with the Gators tumultuous season after the dismissal of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, offensive line coach John Hevesy, and head coach Dan Mullen.
“We’re going to put the best guys out there and we’re going to play to win,” UF Interim Coach Greg Knox wrote in a statement. “It would mean a great deal for this team to finish strong. We always talk about finishing strong.”
However, while the Knights’ are growing their program, they are currently at a point of transition when it comes to coaching. Earlier this year, Gus Malzahn was named the ninth head football coach of UCF. During his eight years as the head coach for Auburn, Malzahn led the Tigers to two SEC West Division titles, six New Year’s Day bowl selections, and a Southeastern Conference Championship.
The Gators will be a goliath to beat. The team has won six consecutive games against other Florida-based opponents, starting with a win over Florida State in 2018. In 2019, they took wins over Miami and Florida State. This year showed even more promise, beating Florida Atlantic, USF, and FSU.
For UCF, this is only their fifth time facing a Southeastern Conference member in a bowl game. They previously beat Auburn at the Peach Bowl in 2017 and Georgia at the Liberty Bowl in 2010. They lost to Mississippi State at the Liberty Bowl in 2007 and LSU at the Fiesta Bowl in 2018.
Players to watch for
UCF freshman quarterback Mikey Keene will start after Dillon Gabriel was injured early in the season. He has quickly been noticed though, throwing for five touchdowns in a game against Temple, a first for a Knight freshman.
Senior running back Dameon Pierce scored 12 touchdowns for the Gators this season. However, with backup quarterback Anthony Richardson out for the year after knee surgery, he may have a little extra work on the field. Richardson threw for 529 yards and picked up 401 yards rushing.
No matter the results of the game, you can guarantee fans on both sides will bring exciting energy to earn bragging rights of the best team in the state.
Headed to the game in-person?
If you are attending the Gasparilla Bowl, the parking lots open at 3 p.m. with the gates following at 5:30 p.m. For those wondering, yes tailgating will be allowed.
PARKING: Click here for parking lot locations and information about buying premium spots.
TICKETS: As of Thursday morning, some tickets were still available. Click here to purchase tickets via Ticketmaster.
GEAR: Fans can check out apparel on the official website here.