1984 UCF Knights football team

American college football season

1984 UCF Knights football

Conference| Independent
Record| 5–6
Head coach|

* Lou Saban (2nd season; first 7 games)
* Jerry Anderson (interim, final 4 games)

Home stadium| Florida Citrus Bowl

Seasons

<- 1983

1985 ->

1984 NCAA Division II independents football records

* v
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* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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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[edit]

The Florida Citrus Bowl, the Knights' home field Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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|
|
|
|

September 1| Bethune–Cookman|

* Florida Citrus Bowl
* Orlando, FL

| L 22–43| 7,421|
September 8| at Northeast Louisiana|

* Malone Stadium
* Monroe, LA

| L 21–49| 19,329| [3]
September 15| Georgia Southern|

* Florida Citrus Bowl
* Orlando, FL

| L 28–42| 7,124|
September 22| at Western Kentucky|

* L. T. Smith Stadium
* Bowling Green, KY

| W 35–34| 8,500|
September 29| at Southwest Texas State|

* Bobcat Stadium
* San Marcos, TX

| L 13–39| 10,337| [4]
October 6| Akron|

* Florida Citrus Bowl
* Orlando, FL

| L 21–26| 6,814|
October 13| at Eastern Kentucky|

* Roy Kidd Stadium
* Richmond, KY

| L 14–37| 18,300|
October 20| Illinois State|

* Florida Citrus Bowl
* Orlando, FL

| W 28–24| 11,648|
October 27| Austin Peay State|

* Florida Citrus Bowl
* Orlando, FL

| L 21–24| 12,225|
November 3| at Indiana State|

* Memorial Stadium
* Terre Haute, IN

| L 0–38| 8,367|
November 10| at Furman|

* Paladin Stadium
* Greenville, SC

| L 6–42| 10,162| [5]

[6]

## References[edit]

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.
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.

* v
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* e

UCF Knights football

Venues|

* Citrus Bowl (1979–2006)
* FBC Mortgage Stadium (2007–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Cincinnati
* South Florida

Culture & lore|

* Civil Conflict
* Knightro
* "Charge On"
* Marching Knights
* Kernkraft 400

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Alumni
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1979
* 1980
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National championship seasons in bold

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