2006 UCF Golden Knights football team

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

2006
UCF Golden Knights football
ConferenceConference USA
DivisionEast
Record4–8 (3–5 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTim Salem (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorLance Thompson (3rd season)
Home stadiumCamping World Stadium
Seasons
2006 Conference USA football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Southern Miss x   6 2     9 5  
East Carolina   5 3     7 6  
Marshall   4 4     5 7  
UCF   3 5     4 8  
UAB   2 6     3 9  
Memphis   1 7     2 10  
West Division
Houston x$   7 1     10 4  
Rice   6 2     7 6  
Tulsa   5 3     8 5  
SMU   4 4     6 6  
UTEP   3 5     5 7  
Tulane   2 6     4 8  
Championship: Houston 34, Southern Miss 20
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from
AP Poll

The 2006 UCF Golden Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, in his third season with the team. They played in Conference USA, in the East Division.

After a surprise showing in 2005, where they went 7–1 in C-USA and 8–3 in the regular season overall, UCF suffered a bit of a letdown, going 4–8 in 2006 under the new 12-game regular season schedule, and 3–5 in-conference. Their sole non-conference win came against I-AA Villanova. Part of the problem was the transition from a pass-dominated offense led by graduated wide receiver Brandon Marshall to a run-dominated offense led by sophomore running back Kevin Smith.

2006 was the final season that UCF would play at the aging Camping World Stadium. Already under construction was a new 45,000-seat on-campus stadium, which would open in time for the 2007 season. It would also be the final year that UCF would play under the "Golden Knights" nickname. They would drop "Golden" before the 2007 season, becoming simply the UCF Knights,[1] and would soon unveil an updated logo.

One of the highlights of the season was a last-second, nationally televised victory at Marshall on October 4. UCF kicker Michael Torres kicked a go-ahead field goal with eight seconds left, but removed his helmet on the field of play, suffering an excessive celebration penalty. Despite the tense moment, the UCF special teams was able to hold off on the ensuing kickoff. The Golden Knights upset Marshall on the night they celebrated the release of the film We Are Marshall, with the film's star Matthew McConaughey in attendance.

Schedule

Citrus Bowl
, the Knights home field
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 26:00pm
Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
  • W 35–1629,398[2]
    September 96:00pmat No. 7 Florida*PPVL 0–4290,210
    September 162:30pm
    CSTV
    L 17–2446,708
    September 267:30pmSouthern Miss
    • Citrus Bowl
    • Orlando, FL
    ESPN2L 14–1923,540
    October 47:30pmat MarshallESPN2W 23–2227,572
    October 138:00pmPittsburgh*
    • Citrus Bowl
    • Orlando, FL
    ESPNL 7–5235,858
    October 214:00pmRice
    • Citrus Bowl
    • Orlando, FL
    L 29–4030,307
    October 283:30pmat
    Houston, TX
    CSTVL 31–5113,242
    November 44:00pmEast Carolinadagger
    • Citrus Bowl
    • Orlando, FL
    L 10–2331,414
    November 118:00pmat
    Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
  • Memphis, TN
  • CSTVW 26–2420,611
    November 182:00pmat
    Louisiana Superdome
  • New Orleans, LA
  • L 9–1015,341
    November 2512:00pmUAB
    • Citrus Bowl
    • Orlando, FL
    CSSW 31–2223,755
    • *Non-conference game
    • daggerHomecoming
    • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
    • All times are in Eastern time

    References

    1. ^ "UCF Athletics Reveals New Logo and Font". UCF Athletics Association. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
    2. Newspapers.com
      .