football Archives | �鶹ӳ��ý News

Behind �鶹ӳ��ý Space Game 2025’s Theme: Hypersonic HADES Wind Tunnel

Jenna Marina Lee — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 17:52:01 +0000

Born from the challenge of the Space Race, �鶹ӳ��ý was created to transform imagination into innovation and prepare people to launch humanity beyond its limits. Today, we are still are a place where our people’s curiosity drives discovery, bold questions shape the future and exploration advances life on Earth.

Founded to reach the moon, we’re already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America’s Space University celebrates �鶹ӳ��ý Space Week Nov. 3-7.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space

�鶹ӳ��ý aerospace engineering graduate research assistant Justin Sprunger ’22 ’25�ѳ� says he can trace his earliest memory to gazing at the space shuttle when he was 4. Before the age of 10, he was testing the limits of homemade bottle rockets, relentlessly experimenting with ways to increase speed.

In a lot of ways, his job today as a propulsion engineer and hypersonics facility director at the Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion (also known as the HyperSpace Center) is rooted in that same curiosity and innovation his younger self embraced so whole-heartedly.

So when the lab’s large-scale hypersonic wind tunnel HADES becomes operational later this month, he is eager to push the limits once again in pursuit of revolutionizing travel as we know it.

Aerospace Professor David Mitchell (left), graduate research assistant Justin Sprunger ’22 (center) and postdoctoral scholar Sheikh Salauddin (right), who are members of the �鶹ӳ��ý HyperSpace Center, stand next to the HADES wind tunnel’s plenum, a large metal chamber that helps control airflow during testing.

HADES — which stands for high enthalpy altitude-stimulating dynamic experimental system — will prove crucial to the HyperSpace Center’s hypersonic and space propulsion research for scientists and strategic partners across the globe. �鶹ӳ��ý is the first university in the nation to have hypersonic technology at this scale.

Elements of the uniform include light trails that visualize the rapid momentum of future hypersonic travel.

The wind tunnel will be able to replicate the pressure and temperature of atmospheric conditions needed to figure out the keys to unlocking speeds that could one day allow a commercial airliner to fly from New York to London in less than 15 minutes.

“I’ve been staring at this thing on my computer screen with the 3D model for over a year. To watch the evolution of something that started as an idea to now in front of you in person is… I don’t think there’s a better reward, honestly,” Sprunger says. “As a fundamental researcher looking into all these problems that we face, you always come up with these hypotheses. ‘Oh, if we could just do this experiment,’ or ‘If we could hold this one thing constant, then I’d be able to see everything.’ And with this facility coming online, those once-impossible ideas will now start to become a possibility.”

The helmet decal features carbon composites that �鶹ӳ��ý researchers are studying for their high-temperature environments. Materials in this category are used as heat protection for spacecraft reentry.

Not Just ‘Hype’ Anymore

NASA, and its predecessor the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, has been involved in the study of hypersonic flight since the 1950s, though technology of the time limited much progress in the field. In the early 2000s, things started to change when NASA aircraft set two airbreathing speed Guinness World Records at Mach 7 (5,370 mph) and at Mach 10 (7,672 mph), respectively, as part of its Hyper-X Program.

Now, Sprunger says, technology has advanced to the point that it’s viable to be investing significant resources in this area of research.

Which brings us to the HyperSpace Center, which launched in October 2024 as a first-of-its-kind partnership with the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research that provides a centralized, physical space to advance hypersonic technology.

The work conducted in this unassuming one-story, gray rectangular building on the perimeter of Central Florida’s Research Park will build on Trustee Chair Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Kareem Ahmed’s progress so far, including development of the first hypersonic detonation rocket engine in 2020.

The Mission IX patch’s delta shape reflects the aerodynamic form of future hypersonic vehicles capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 17. The upward orientation signifies �鶹ӳ��ý’s ascent in research, technology and athletics. Eight Polaris stars represent the previous Space Games. The ninth, larger star is at the center of hypersonic breakthroughs at �鶹ӳ��ý.

So how does HADES fit into this?

HADES stands for high enthalpy altitude-stimulating dynamic experimental system.

High enthalpy translates to very hot, or a lot of energy.

Altitude-simulating attributes to the atmosphere’s range of pressures and temperatures. With this facility, Sprunger and the team will be able to adjust elements to simulate the low-pressure altitude environment that’s important for outer body aerodynamic tests.

Dynamic refers to the range of tests it can conduct, which is novel compared to wind tunnels at other institutions. The Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion in Tallahassee has a that has the ability for long run times and can reach up to Mach 5, but its downside is its cold. University of Illinois’ ACT-II tunnel is an arc-heated tunnel that has capabilities for high Mach numbers and flight relevant enthalpies, but it is limited to run times of around 1 second.

The Mission IX center patch represents HADES (High-Enthalpy Altitude-Stimulating Dynamic Experimental System), the large-scale hypersonic wind tunnel for resting related to the Mach 10 Oblique Detonation program. The design mimics the wind tunnel’s fueling apparatus and includes Citronaut, �鶹ӳ��ý’s first mascot, at the center.

Simply put, HADES can do it all, which will attract researchers because it allows for long run times while also customizing and accounting for the pressure and temperature they need in the atmosphere to strengthen the data of their experiments.

“We’re going to be able to hit all the high Mach numbers; we’re going to be able to do it for long durations; and we’re going to be able to match the enthalpy of a flight,” Sprunger says. “So we’re taking the high temperature, the high pressure, the long duration, and we’re making a facility that’s going to be able to do that over and over and over again.”

The helmet stripe replicates Mach diamond/shock diamonds that occur in high-speed combustion when atmospheric pressure is high enough. The back bumper includes the Mach 10 Oblique Detonation program’s motto, Citius Est Futurum (The Future is Faster).

Mission IX

When Ahmed conceptualized HADES three years ago and aerospace and alum Jonathan Reyes ’15 ’17MS ’19PhD led the design-into-action, he — nor anyone else on the HyperSpace team — fathomed it would one day be tied to a �鶹ӳ��ý football game.

When the Knights kick off the ninth installment of our annual space game Nov. 7, the players’ uniforms will prominently feature a diagram of HADES’ fueling apparatus. It’s the piece that funnels in the air and fuel to the targeted location of the tunnel.

When members of the Athletics brand team contacted the lab to explore the possibility of centering the Mission IX game’s theme on HyperSpace, graduate research assistant Nate Dreyer ’26MS crafted original concepts and key information as source material for the uniform design team to draw inspiration from.

“A lot of members of my team are huge sports guys, so we had so much fun being involved and part of this year’s game,” Sprunger says. “It really is about celebrating the university and demonstrating the capabilities we have here.”

Tackling a Bigger Purpose

Robert Stephens — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 15:43:05 +0000

Playing catch-up with �鶹ӳ��ý Hall of Famer Shaquem Griffin ’16 will require mental reflexes. At least a dozen subjects wrestle for his — and our — attention during a conversation: family, business, technology, football, business again, training, faith, being a good father. The list goes on. Everything on it, in some squiggly way, connects to Griffin’s childhood memories in the family garage. He’ll take us there, but first he needs to do the catching up part.

“It’s hard to explain everything in a sizzle reel,” he says before doing his best to provide a rapid-fire montage of life since retiring from the National Football League in 2022. He works as a community coordinator with NFL Legends, is actively involved in six companies, manages several real-estate holdings, travels to speak at corporate events and schools, serves on the Big 12 Alumni Council, writes books, is co-founder (with his twin brother, Shaquill Griffin ’22) of Consumer Launch Pad to help entrepreneurs streamline innovative ideas into manufacturing processes, cares for his three children at home in Anna Maria Island, Florida, and is working on a movie script about his life.

“I’m also training for three track and field events at the Paralympics — the long jump, 100 meters and 200 meters,” he says. “I plan to be in Los Angeles in 2028.”

If you know anything at all about Shaquem Griffin, then you know enough to take him at his word when he sets his mind to anything. And that seems like a perfect bridge into the expected subject of sports, specifically Griffin’s determination to play linebacker at the highest level despite having his left hand amputated when he was 4 years old.

But Griffin’s mind is set on something bigger, newer and just as personal as the sport that brought his story into the public eye. It’s his collaboration with smartARM, a tech company dedicated to developing prosthetics using a rare combination of artificial intelligence (AI), cameras, 3D printing, cosmetic appeal and, at the heart of it all, genuine compassion.

“Over the years, I’ve been approached by countless prosthetic companies,” Griffin says. “But they only wanted to use me for my name and likeness. The moment I met the people from smartARM, I knew there’s something different about them — not only what they’re doing with technology, but why they’re doing it.”

Griffin says this today from the perspective of a smartARM user. A few minutes ago, he was cleaning his son’s bottles with the help of a smartARM. Yesterday, he picked through produce at his favorite market with it. Every time he lifted an apple, the prosthetic collected real-time data and fed it into a constantly improving algorithm. When he picks up an apple tomorrow, the arm will be smarter than it was yesterday.

“I didn’t know how helpful it would be until I started using it,” Griffin says.

The technology, however, is just part of the reason he wanted to join the smartARM team.

“Their values match mine,” he says. During his initial conversation with smartARM’s founders in 2022, he heard a story about a friend of theirs who never had a commercial-grade prosthetic because of the high cost. Griffin heard words that had been missing from his brief discussions with other prosthetic makers: affordability and accessibility.

“I could relate to those issues,” he says. “I’m at a point now where I can say my challenges were part of God’s purpose for me — to overcome obstacles and be in a position to do more good for others. smartARM fits that purpose.”

Now, let’s go back to the Griffins’ garage in St. Petersburg, Florida. Before Shaquem and Shaquill helped put �鶹ӳ��ý on the national football map, before Shaquem was named defensive player of the year in the American Athletic Conference, before he set the record for the fastest 40-yard-dash time by a linebacker at the NFL combine, before he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and before he’d ever heard of smartARM, there was just a set of tools and a workbench in the garage. Griffin’s father also brought vision into the garage. In his mind, he saw a prosthetic his son could use for training. But instead of taking out a $40,000 loan to buy it, he’d build it.

“Who can afford that kind of money?” Griffin says. “I’ve always thought it’s wrong that people who really need prosthetics often don’t have access to them.”

Through middle school and high school, Griffin would use “dad’s contraption” as he calls it to lift weights. Shaquill was his dedicated spotter. Whenever the contraption broke, dad would buy a replacement part and fix it, or he’d build a new one. When Griffin arrived at �鶹ӳ��ý to prepare for his freshman season, the Knights training staff surprised him with a commercial-grade prosthetic.

He returned the favor by surprising them, too.

“They’d never seen someone doing pullups and pushups the way I did them. They didn’t expect me to increase my bench press to 385 pounds with the prosthetic either. Looking back, I was changing the way people think about disabilities.”

Griffin was growing off the field, too, earning a , which prepared him to share his powerful story with large audiences. He studied business books so he could be a discerning investor, and he immersed himself in technology to learn how it works and how it can be improved. Whenever a prosthetic company came along to pitch Griffin about a partnership, he knew exactly what to ask.

“What kind of advanced tech do you use? How do you plan to scale it?” And most important: “What will it cost the person who needs it?”

“Being a D-1 football player gave me access to resources that others don’t typically have,” he says. “Those resources shouldn’t be exclusive. With smartARM I have an opportunity to bring them to a space that’s been lacking forever.”

Griffin now has something more tangible to share with families who frequently contact him simply for an encouraging word.

“Parents of disabled children have approached me since I was a teenager, asking if their child would ever make friends, if they’d be able to play sports, if they’d find someone to marry,” he says. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say because I was going through it myself. I’d hear comments like, ‘Oh, he’s pretty good for being handicapped.’ I thought all of that would change when I made it to the NFL, but it didn’t. Eventually, I realized I was trying to erase something that could actually make me a blessing to others.”

Proving others wrong once motivated Griffin. Today, perspective drives him. He knows how the workbench in the garage morphed into his platform. He’s spreading awareness, assembling like-minded investors, and participating in technology advancements. With his help, the cost of a smartARM is almost one-fourth the cost of most bionic prosthetics — and he’s hopeful that insurance plans will soon cover the costs.

“This is just the start,” Griffin says. “My goal is for more people to commit resources to help others the way smartARM is doing. Let’s provide access so we can see the capabilities of those who have been marginalized. You’ll be surprised what they can do. That’s my message and it’s now my purpose.”

Scott Frost Returns to Lead �鶹ӳ��ý Knights Football Program

Adam Widman — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 15:46:16 +0000

After an unforgettable two-year run that saw the �鶹ӳ��ý football program rise to national prominence, Scott Frost is coming back home. Known for sparking the “Charge On” spirit and guiding �鶹ӳ��ý to its first perfect season, Frost has been named the next head football coach at �鶹ӳ��ý by Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir. Frost and �鶹ӳ��ý agreed on a five-year contract through the 2029 season.

“Today marks an exciting reunion for �鶹ӳ��ý Football as we welcome back Scott Frost, a coach who ignites the spirit and passion of Knight Nation,” Mohajir says. “Scott’s love for his players along with his leadership, enthusiasm and vision were pivotal in making the decision to bring him back to �鶹ӳ��ý. Throughout this national search, his passion for �鶹ӳ��ý was clear. I believe no one wanted to lead our program more than Scott.”

Frost originally served as �鶹ӳ��ý’s head coach from 2016 to 2017, culminating in a historic 13-0 season, an American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship and a national championship that captured the nation’s attention. In his final game, Frost guided �鶹ӳ��ý to a victory over No. 7 Auburn in the 2018 Peach Bowl, securing the program’s first undefeated season in school history.

Frost posted the greatest two-year turnaround in college football history at �鶹ӳ��ý, inheriting a 0-12 team in 2015 and taking the Knights to a perfect season in his second and final year, when he was named the national coach of the year.

“I’m deeply honored to return to �鶹ӳ��ý, a school that has always held a special place in my heart,” Frost says. “The foundation we built here has only grown stronger, and I am thrilled to continue shaping this program’s legacy. As we prepare for year three in the Big 12 Conference, I look forward to working alongside our dedicated student-athletes, talented staff and passionate fans to reach new heights together.”

Frost went a combined 19-7 in two seasons at �鶹ӳ��ý, helping turn an 0-12 team into a 13-0 squad in just two years. In Frost’s first season, he took the Knights to a bowl game and finished with a 6-7 record. The turnaround was historic, as Frost became the only first-year coach in FBS history to make a bowl game with a team that was winless the previous season. �鶹ӳ��ý led the nation with a six-win improvement in 2016 and exceeded that mark in 2017 as the nation’s only undefeated team. The Knights put together the first undefeated regular season in �鶹ӳ��ý and AAC history in 2017, posted the longest winning streak in school history at the time of his departure (13 games), achieved the highest in-season ranking in program history (10th), highest final ranking (sixth) and set an AAC record with 16 all-conference selections.

�鶹ӳ��ý was led by its high-powered offense and improved defense under Frost. The Knights led the nation in scoring at 48.2 points per game and were the only FBS team to score at least 30 points in every game in 2017. Defensively, �鶹ӳ��ý improved its scoring defense by 65 spots in Frost’s two seasons.

In addition to being the unanimous choice as the 2017 AAC Coach of the Year, Frost was honored as the national coach of the year by the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, the Touchdown Club of Columbus, the Lombardi Award and FCA in addition to winning the Home Depot, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Eddie Robinson coach-of-the-year awards.

Frost began his coaching career at Northern Iowa in 2007 as a linebackers coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2008. That season, his defense excelled, tying for third in the FCS with 40 takeaways and ranking ninth in scoring defense, allowing just 17.7 points per game. The 12-3 Panthers also led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in both rushing defense (107.1 yards per game) and scoring defense.

In 2009, Frost joined the Oregon coaching staff as the wide receivers coach under head coach Chip Kelly and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. Frost helped Oregon post a 79-14 record in his seven seasons, during which time the Ducks won four conference titles and twice played for the national championship.

Oregon never ranked lower than eighth nationally in scoring offense during Frost’s seven seasons on staff, and the Ducks led the nation in scoring in 2010. Frost was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2013, and Oregon ranked in the top five nationally in both scoring and total offense each of his three seasons calling plays. The Ducks scored 681 points in 2014, the second-highest total in NCAA history. Oregon made it to the College Football Playoff Championship Game that year, when Frost was one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, presented annually to the nation’s top assistant. Frost’s quarterback, Marcus Mariota, won the Heisman Trophy and was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

After Kelly left for the Philadelphia Eagles, Oregon promoted Mark Helfrich to head coach and named Frost offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2013. In this role, Frost guided Marcus Mariota to a Heisman Trophy win and a berth in the national championship game. During Frost’s tenure as offensive coordinator, Oregon recorded a 33–8 record and consistently ranked among the nation’s top teams in scoring and total offense. His standout performance in 2014 earned him a finalist spot for the prestigious Broyles Award, recognizing the nation’s top assistant coach.

Following his two years at �鶹ӳ��ý, Scott Frost served as the head football coach at the University of Nebraska for four-plus seasons from 2018 to 2022, coaching the first three games of the 2022 season. Frost posted a 16-31 record with the Cornhuskers. His tenure was defined by close losses, as 23 of his 31 losses were by single digits, including each of his final 13. Nebraska lost 22 one-score games during Frost’s career, including 12 games by five or fewer points.

This season, Frost has been serving as a coaching consultant for Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams.

FROST CAREER COACHING ACCOLADES:

Consensus National Coach of the Year (2017)
AFCA Coach of the Year (2017)
Bear Bryant Coach of the Year (2017)
Home Depot Coach of the Year (2017)
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (2017)
FCA Coach of the Year (2017)
AP Coach of the Year (2017)
American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2017, Unanimous Selection)
Broyles Award Finalist (2014)
Led �鶹ӳ��ý to a 13-0 record in 2017, when the Knights were the nation’s only undefeated team
Led �鶹ӳ��ý to the first perfect regular season in school and American Athletic Conference history in 2017
Head coach of the greatest two-year turnaround in college football history (0-12 to 13-0)

Your Guide to Big Noon Kickoff on Campus

Juzanne Martin — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:52:29 +0000

By now, you’ve probably heard that FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is coming to Memory Mall on campus as the Knights prepare for a major showdown against Colorado this Saturday at 3:30 p.m., which will also be broadcasted on FOX. This highly anticipated early-season matchup is a pivotal moment, with both teams eager to make their mark in the Big 12.

Check out the timeline of exciting on-campus events leading up to Saturday’s game — each a great opportunity to welcome the FOX crew, show them the energy and enthusiasm of Knight Nation��Ի� showcase our Black & Gold pride.

Plus, get all the logistical information on game day parking, road closures, tickets and more.

Schedule of Events

Saturday, Sept. 28

8 a.m. — Parking Opens

All game day parking lots are open. Fans are encouraged to arrive in time to enjoy the festivities, including live music, interactive games and special guest appearances.

8:30 a.m. — Fan Pit Opens

The Big Noon Kickoff fan pit opens, and the pre-show begins. Bring the energy and deck out in your best Black & Gold to show television audiences around the country a glimpse of what to expect when they tune into FOX on Saturday morning. The show’s staging area will be located next to the Veterans Commemorative Site on the Student Union side of Memory Mall.

Big Noon Kickoff will be awarding $500 for the best sign as well as free tickets to the Colorado game.

10 a.m. — It’s Showtime for Big Noon Kickoff

FOX’s iconic college football pregame show, airing from 10 a.m. to noon, will make its debut at �鶹ӳ��ý — marking the first time in program history that this star-studded show broadcasts from Orlando.

Big Noon Kickoff will be hosted by Rob Stone with analysts Mark Ingram II, Matt Leinart, Urban Meyer and Brady Quinn, reporters Bruce Feldman and Tom Rinaldi and wagering expert Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica. Legendary DJ and record producer DJ Khaled will also make a special appearance.

3:30 p.m. — Kickoff: �鶹ӳ��ý vs. Colorado at FBC Mortgage Stadium

�鶹ӳ��ý Football takes on first-time opponent Colorado at 3:30 p.m. — aiming for their first 4-0 season start since 2018. The game, which is sold out for fans, will air on FOX.

Students who claimed digital tickets (pink) for the Colorado game will be ensured entry — but they MUST be in the student line on the northwest side of the stadium at least 30 minutes before kickoff.

Gates six through nine open for students 90 minutes before kickoff — at 2 p.m.

Student digital tickets for Colorado have all been claimed. However, students can still claim standby passes (blue) for the game. If the student section has not reached capacity, students with a standby pass will be admitted into the stadium starting 30 minutes prior to kickoff.

Pit and Sign Rules

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By entering the pit, fans are agreeing to allow FOX to use captured media such as video or images without compensation in their broadcast and marketing of their show.

No food or drinks are allowed in the pit. Please plan to dispose of them before entering.

No bags are allowed in the pit. This includes but is not exclusive to backpacks, book bags or purses.

No markers, pens, pencils or dry erase boards.

Signs in the pit may not be attached to poles, sticks or other extensions.

Signs are subject to approval by FOX and �鶹ӳ��ý personnel. Those attempting to enter the pit may be denied entry should their sign be deemed inappropriate. The individual must discard the sign at their own risk.

All persons entering the pit are assuming risk and are subject to search or removal by security personnel.

Signs

Fans may bring their own signs.

No derogatory, vulgar or political messages are allowed. Signs may be removed at the discretion of FOX or �鶹ӳ��ý personnel.

No sponsored signs or any references to .com’s or other websites.

While signs with poles, sticks or other extensions are permitted behind the pit, those extensions will NOT be allowed in FBC Mortgage Stadium.

Parking, Road Closures and Shuttles

Parking

On Saturday, free parking is available in Garages A, B and I, and parking lots B5, B6, B9 and H4 starting at 8 a.m. when game day activities begin.

Gold Zone Parking Passes

On Saturday, Athletics Gold Zone parking passes are required for garages C, D and F, parking lots C1-C3, D1-D2 and E1-E8, and the baseball lot. Vehicles in those areas without the required game day permits are subject to towing at 5 a.m. Overnight parking also is not allowed in Garage H.

Accessibility Parking

For the Big Noon Kickoff broadcast, individuals with disabilities can use accessible parking spaces by displaying a valid ADA hang tag or license plate. Parking for guests with disabilities is available on the first level of Garage C with a proper Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles permit on a first-come, first-served basis. The individual who was issued the permit must be with the vehicle.

Student Shuttles

�鶹ӳ��ý will operate game-day buses for all normally serviced apartment complexes with the exception of Northview, Tivoli and Northgate due to their close proximity to the stadium. Service to those communities begins at 8 a.m. and concludes two hours after the game ends.

The Rosen College and �鶹ӳ��ý Downtown shuttles will depart their respective campuses at 8 a.m. with an additional run at 11:30 a.m. They will depart the main campus at 7:30 p.m. A valid �鶹ӳ��ý ID is required to access all student shuttles.

Game Day Road Closures

Gemini Boulevard North will close from West Plaza Drive to North Orion Boulevard at 7 a.m.

Starting at 5 p.m., all lanes of North Orion Boulevard will be dedicated to traffic exiting campus, meaning no traffic can enter campus via North Orion Boulevard.

Knights Victory Way closes at 5 a.m. until about 90 minutes after the game.

East Plaza Drive will be closed between Knights Victory Way and Gemini Boulevard starting at 2 a.m. on game day.

Clear Bag Policy

If you’re attending the game, don’t forget, a clear-bag policy is in effect to provide a safer environment and more expedited entry for fans. This policy limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into all sporting events at FBC Mortgage Stadium. There is no place at the stadium for fans to check bags. While fans are encouraged to not bring any bags, those that do can . For more information, visit the �鶹ӳ��ý Game Day Guide.

What to Wear

Fans going to the game are encouraged to “black out” FBC Mortgage Stadium. You can find apparel through shopucfknights.com.

�鶹ӳ��ý to Host FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff Pregame Show Saturday

Adam Widman — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 12:46:03 +0000

Big Noon Kickoff is coming to Orlando.

FOX recently announced that its popular pregame show will be broadcasting live from �鶹ӳ��ý’s campus at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, before the Knights (3-0, 1-0 Big 12) take on the Colorado Buffaloes (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. It marks the first time in program history that the star-studded show will be broadcasting from Orlando.

The two-hour pregame show will be hosted by Rob Stone and analysts Mark Ingram II, Matt Leinart, Urban Meyer and Brady Quinn along with reporters Bruce Feldman and Tom Rinaldi and wagering expert, Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica.

“We’re thrilled to welcome FOX Big Noon Kickoff to �鶹ӳ��ý,” says �鶹ӳ��ý Vice President and Athletic Director Terry Mohajir. “What a fantastic opportunity to showcase our program, our incredible fans, and the electric atmosphere on campus and in FBC Mortgage Stadium as I know Knight Nation will deliver the best fan participation they’ve had. I’d like to thank FOX, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and the staff at the conference office for this tremendous opportunity. We’re looking forward to an exciting day and a great game.”

Big Noon Kickoff, known for its lively pregame show and expert analysis, will set the stage for an action-packed day of college football. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the festivities, including live music, interactive games, and special guest appearances.

The matchup marks a significant early-season clash, with both teams looking to make a statement in the Big 12. �鶹ӳ��ý, coming off a 3-0 start to the season, aims to harness the momentum of a home crowd and the national spotlight. This highly anticipated matchup promises to deliver an electrifying atmosphere, showcasing �鶹ӳ��ý’s vibrant football culture and fanbase.

For more information on the event, including ticketing and tailgating details, visit �鶹ӳ��ýKnights.com or follow on social media.

�鶹ӳ��ý Football Announces 2024 Schedule

Justin Wilson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:14:51 +0000

Headlined by seven home games and seven first-time opponents, �鶹ӳ��ý announced its 2024 football schedule in conjunction with the Big 12 Conference schedule release Tuesday morning. The schedule features nine league games with five home and four away, two home non-conference matchups and one non-conference road game.

�鶹ӳ��ý kicks off the season with a pair of non-conference home games, as New Hampshire heads to Orlando for the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 29, followed by a visit from Sam Houston on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The Knights will then face an early road test, as they open Big 12 Conference play at TCU on Sept. 14. The Horned Frogs advanced to the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

After the first of two bye weeks during the season (Sept. 21), the Knights welcome Colorado in their Big 12 home opener on Sept. 28. The month of October begins with a two-hour trip north to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville for a matchup with the Florida Gators on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Cincinnati heads to FBC Mortgage Stadium on Oct. 12 on Military Appreciation Day, as the Knights and Bearcats will meet for the 10th consecutive season.

The Knights hit the road again on Oct. 19, making the program’s first trip to Ames, Iowa, for a showdown with Iowa State, before returning home on Oct. 26 to face BYU. November begins with consecutive matchups with new Big 12 members from the Grand Canyon State, as �鶹ӳ��ý hosts Arizona on Nov. 2 and travels to Tempe on Nov. 9 to take on Arizona State.

Following the Knights’ longest road trip of the season, �鶹ӳ��ý has its second bye week on Nov. 16 before gearing up for the final stretch of the regular season. The Black and Gold face West Virginia on the road on Nov. 23, before concluding the regular season with a clash against Utah on Black Friday, Nov. 29.

�鶹ӳ��ý will have its inaugural meetings against New Hampshire, Sam Houston, TCU, Colorado, Iowa State, Arizona and Utah on the gridiron. Five of the Knights’ seven home games are against teams that will visit FBC Mortgage Stadium for the first time and two of �鶹ӳ��ý’s four out-of-state road trips are followed by a bye week and the other two have a home game afterwards.

Kickoff times for the first three weeks of the season will be announced this summer. The Big 12 will publish the remainder of the game times on a regular basis throughout the fall, on either a 12- or six-day turnaround from week to week.

Season ticket relocation and upgrades are currently underway, and anyone interested in joining the season ticket waitlist can do so by clicking here.

�鶹ӳ��ý will hold its annual spring game on Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m. at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

Here’s the complete 2024 �鶹ӳ��ý football schedule:

Aug. 29 (Thur.) vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE

Sept. 7 vs. SAM HOUSTON
Family Weekend

Sept. 14 at TCU*

Sept. 21 Bye Week

Sept. 28 vs. COLORADO*

Oct. 5 at Florida

Oct. 12 vs. CINCINNATI*
Military Appreciation Day

Oct. 19 at Iowa State*

Oct. 26 vs. BYU*
Homecoming

Nov. 2 vs. ARIZONA*
Space Game

Nov. 9 at Arizona State*

Nov. 16 Bye Week

Nov. 23 at West Virginia*

Nov. 29 (Fri.) vs. UTAH*
Senior Knight

Dec. 7 Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

*Big 12 Conference games

Home games in bold CAPS

Kickoff times and tv designations TBD

�鶹ӳ��ý Accepts Invitation to Face Georgia Tech in Gasparilla Bowl

�鶹ӳ��ý Athletics — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:33:36 +0000

For the third time in history, the �鶹ӳ��ý football team is headed to the Gasparilla Bowl where the Knights won postseason assignments in both 2019 and 2021.

Big 12 Conference representative �鶹ӳ��ý (6-6) will meet Atlantic Coast Conference member Georgia Tech (6-6) at 6:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in 65,000-seat Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The game will be televised by ESPN.

Ticket information including pricing, seat locations, and the seat selection process will be sent tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 4) with priority given to Shareholders Society donors and 2023 football season ticket members.

It’s a program-record eighth consecutive postseason bowl appearance for the Knights, the 11th in 12 seasons and the 15th in 19 years. �鶹ӳ��ý also previously played in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1987 and in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 1990 and 1993.

It’s the third time in five years �鶹ӳ��ý has played in the Gasparilla Bowl — and the second time in three years that has happened under current �鶹ӳ��ý coach Gus Malzahn. The Knights defeated Florida 29-17 in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl and won 48-25 against Marshall in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl.

The Knights previously have played twice each in the Fiesta Bowl (following 2014 and 2018 seasons), Liberty Bowl (2007 and 2010), St. Petersburg Bowl (2009 and 2014) and Gasparilla Bowl (2019 and 2021) and once each in the Hawaii Bowl (2005), Beef O’Brady’s Bowl (2012), Cure Bowl (2016), Peach Bowl (2017), Boca Raton Bowl (2020) and Military Bowl (2022).

Malzahn has seen his teams qualify for postseason bowl games in all 12 years he has been a head coach, including seven appearances in New Year’s Day games: 2013 in BCS National Championship Game vs. Florida State, 2014 in Outback Bowl vs. Wisconsin, 2015 in Birmingham Bowl win vs. Memphis, 2016 in Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma, 2017 in Peach Bowl vs. �鶹ӳ��ý, 2018 in Music City Bowl win vs. Purdue, 2019 Outback Bowl vs. Minnesota, 2021 Gasparilla Bowl vs. Florida, 2022 Military vs. Duke and 2023 Gasparilla Bowl vs. Georgia Tech. Malzahn’s 2012 Arkansas State team qualified for a bowl game—but he already had accepted the head coaching job at Auburn and did not coach the bowl game. He also did not coach the Auburn bowl game after the 2020 season after leading the Tigers to the Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern.

�鶹ӳ��ý and Georgia Tech will play for the sixth time and the second consecutive season with �鶹ӳ��ý winning 27-10 last year in Orlando.

Thursday Football: Student Admission, Classes, Parking and More

Chad Binette — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 16:51:33 +0000

We encourage you to help us pack FBC Mortgage Stadium and cheer on our Knights!
Classes Will Conclude at 2 p.m.

Classes on the main campus, in the Central Florida Research Park, at �鶹ӳ��ý Downtown, at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and on �鶹ӳ��ý Connect campuses will conclude at 2 p.m. Offices and libraries at those locations also will close for normal operations at 2 p.m.

For classes in progress at 2 p.m., faculty may choose to conduct the portions of those sessions that come before 2 p.m. Faculty with those classes should communicate their plans to students.

Many �鶹ӳ��ý Dining Services locations will remain open – check for operating hours.

Game day activities on most of the campus will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Tickets

A limited number of tickets is available and can be purchased at .

Claiming Free Student Admission

Admission to home games is free for �鶹ӳ��ý students. Mobile passes must be claimed through the official �鶹ӳ��ý Gameday app prior to game day. Download the or the .

Visit for instructions on how to register and claim your ticket. You must register using your �鶹ӳ��ý.edu email.

If you are unable to access the �鶹ӳ��ý Gameday app, passes can also be accessed from your mobile phone browser at .

Students should plan to arrive at the stadium well before kickoff to secure a seat. Gates 6-9 open for students at 5 p.m.  Make sure to save your pass to your phone before you get to the gate. Knightmare Society Members can enter through Gate 14.

Admission is first-come, first-served for students who claim passes. Claiming a free student mobile pass does not guarantee entry. For entry into the stadium, you must have your student ID and your phone to scan the pass. Screenshots will not be accepted.

Parking and Towing

Regular main campus parking policies will be in effect until 2 p.m.

Where can students, faculty and staff park after classes have concluded?
Garages A, B and I and lots B5, B6, B9 and H4.

Where are vehicles subject to towing?
Beginning at 3 p.m. in garages C, D, F and H and lots B4, C1-C3, D1-D2, E1-E8 and the baseball lot. Vehicles with an Athletics Gold Zone parking pass designated for their lot or garage may remain there after 3 p.m. The rear portion of lot B7 will be reserved starting at 9 a.m. for recreational vehicles.

The entrance to Garage H will close at noon and reopen at 3:30 p.m. for game day parking.  Vehicles parked in Garage H in the morning must be moved out by 3 p.m.

Student Shuttles

Regular weekday student shuttle routes will switch over to game-day shuttle operations at 2 p.m., and the game-day shuttles will continue to run until two hours after the game ends.

�鶹ӳ��ý will operate game-day buses for all normally serviced apartment complexes with the exception of Northview, Tivoli and Northgate due to their close proximity to the stadium. Services to those communities ends at 2 p.m.

Rosen College shuttle: Departs Rosen at 3 p.m., departs main campus at 11 p.m.

�鶹ӳ��ý Downtown shuttle: Departs �鶹ӳ��ý Downtown at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., departs main campus at 11 p.m. There will be a 3:45 p.m. departure from the main campus.

Game Day Road Closures

Gemini Boulevard North
Between West Plaza Drive and North Orion Boulevard closed to all traffic starting at 3 p.m. until about one hour after the game ends.

North Orion Boulevard
Starting at 8:30 p.m., all lanes will be dedicated to traffic exiting campus, meaning no traffic can enter campus via North Orion Boulevard.

East Plaza Drive

Closed all day from Knights Victory Way to Gemini Boulevard

Go Knights, Charge On!

Building �鶹ӳ��ý Athletics’ Brand: Tweets and Timelines

Jenna Marina Lee — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:33:20 +0000

As �鶹ӳ��ý approaches its inaugural season as the youngest member of a Power 5 conference, the athletics department is taking a look back to commemorate this special moment in history. The following feature is a part of �鶹ӳ��ý’s 12 for XII series — 12 stories that define �鶹ӳ��ý and the meteoric rise of the Knights in their journey to the Big 12 Conference.

May 24, 2023. Big 12 Business Summit. Arlington, Texas.

Eric DeSalvo ’09, �鶹ӳ��ý associate athletics director of #content, settles into his seat among the crowd of marketing and sales leadership staff from around the Big 12 Conference as the league’s commissioner, Brett Yormark, takes the stand for his opening remarks.

“He starts it off and he goes, ‘These are the four things that are my pillars: innovation, creativity, disruption and taking risks,’” DeSalvo recalls. “And I immediately think, is he talking about himself or �鶹ӳ��ý?”

Being “bold” and “innovative” and “disruptive” might just sound like hot buzz words for brands to adopt in 2023. But in �鶹ӳ��ý’s case, it’s authentic. The Knights actually are all of these adjectives because they’ve had to be.

Without the resources of longer-established universities — University of Florida was founded in 1853, �鶹ӳ��ý in 1963…

Without a longstanding history of fandom and donor support — University of Texas’ alumni association was organized in 1885. �鶹ӳ��ý’s in 1975…

Without decades of nationally televised games and promotional broadcasts — Ohio State has hosted ESPN’s College GameDay a record 22 times, �鶹ӳ��ý once…

�鶹ӳ��ý has had to strategically rely on its youth to find ways to break through the noise in a state that boasts three other Power 5 institutions.

Enter: The benefit of big and the power of social media.

Building a Brand

A graphic highlighting �鶹ӳ��ý’s brand pillars.

Established in 1963, �鶹ӳ��ý’s meteoric rise to the Big 12 Conference makes it the youngest Power 5 institution in the country.

“It’s a modern athletic department. I think it’s the future of higher education. It’s the future of college sports,” says Zack Lassiter, vice president of athletics for Abilene Christian University who served as �鶹ӳ��ý’s senior associate athletic director of external operations from 2012-15.

But it wasn’t always necessarily this way.

DeSalvo knows �鶹ӳ��ý’s brand arguably better than anyone. The son of �鶹ӳ��ý graduate Joe DeSalvo ’75, he grew up going to �鶹ӳ��ý games in the mid-1990s at the Citrus Bowl and went on to graduate from �鶹ӳ��ý himself. He has worked for the athletic department since 2011 — first in communications before he transitioned to what is now known as the #content department in 2013.

He says in his youth, he would have described �鶹ӳ��ý as having “a lot of potential” and “on the brink.”

“For a long time, �鶹ӳ��ý was “UC-If” — If we only didn’t get a phantom holding call against Georgia. If we didn’t miss the extra point here. And there were so many of those games across all sports that you were like, you’re right there — if only,” he says. “But you saw the potential. You were definitely on the cusp.”

On3 National College Football host Andy Staples, who moved to Central Florida as a middle schooler and graduated from Lake Mary High School, echoes the same sentiments.

“You didn’t think of �鶹ӳ��ý in the same way you would have thought of Miami or Florida State or Florida,” Staples says. “You’d go to the campus and you didn’t see a lot of �鶹ӳ��ý gear. It didn’t feel like a destination-type campus. We went there a lot for science fairs or somebody would be having their graduation at the arena — it didn’t feel as much like a place that people say, ‘I grow up wanting to go to �鶹ӳ��ý,’ or ‘I’ve been a �鶹ӳ��ý fan my whole life.’ You just never would expect anybody to say that back in the ’90s. Watching it change over the decades has been pretty amazing.”

“ ‘I’ve been a �鶹ӳ��ý fan my whole life.’ You just never would expect anybody to say that back in the ’90s. Watching it change over the decades has been pretty amazing.” — Andy Staples, On3 National College Football host

When former Athletic Director Todd Stansbury recruited Lassiter to join �鶹ӳ��ý’s athletic department in 2012, the west coast native didn’t have much familiarity with �鶹ӳ��ý.

Lassiter made it a point to ask a lot of questions and listen to campus counterparts, young alumni and students to gain a better understanding of how the university had gotten to where it was so quickly.

“We were young, but we were big, and so in that sense you could tell that, that was something that we could probably do better than anyone else,” Lassiter says.

Indeed, �鶹ӳ��ý’s enrollment in 2012 just tipped 60,000. Today it’s more than 68,000. The university confers more than 18,000 degrees annually, and its alumni base clocks in at more than 368,000 — nearly half of which still live in Central Florida.

Perhaps the most important stat is that the average alumni age is 42 years old. So, by the time that Lassiter joined the fold, social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter, founded in 2006) and Instagram (founded in 2010) were starting to really take off in the sports world and �鶹ӳ��ý’s biggest fan base was very active on social media.

It was the perfect combination.

“Perception is reality. And if you feel like you’re getting hit up by a bunch of �鶹ӳ��ý fans on Twitter, their reality is you are because the numbers are there between our enrollment and alumni,” DeSalvo says. “Our fanbase can celebrate the big moments with big numbers. They can pile on to somebody who shows some disrespect. They can win a Twitter poll like no other. By always showing up, they’ve backed up what is on paper.”

So, the department decided to lean into social to stand out. �鶹ӳ��ý Athletics hired a full-time social media manager, Keal Blache ’11, who served a short stint. When he vacated the position in 2013, Lassiter approached DeSalvo about the opening because of DeSalvo’s penchant for being creative with the social accounts in his role at the time as the communications contact for the volleyball and baseball teams.

“I’ll never forget — I think I’m at (former �鶹ӳ��ý basketball player and athletics staff member) Mike O’Donnell’s wedding. And Todd Stansbury’s there and he goes, ‘Hey you’re moving over to the social role, right?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘Alright. Push the envelope.’ OK. Todd is telling me to push the envelope. I’ll do my best.

“I can thank Blake Bortles and Storm Johnson and J.J. Worton ’14 ��Ի� Terrance Plummer ’21 and that crew for helping me push the envelope because there’s no greater year one than going to the .”

In the last decade, �鶹ӳ��ý has had three athletic directors — all of whom DeSalvo says have continued to buy-into the “push the envelope” mentality — four football head coaches and four university presidential leadership transitions. But the same voice on social media, which has benefitted �鶹ӳ��ý immensely.

“If there is somebody better at what Eric has done and what he has built, I haven’t met him. And there were a lot of other talented people that were a part of that. But I think what made him so great is he believed it,” Lassiter says. “He could do it in a way that could connect, and a lot of our folks loved that it was a �鶹ӳ��ý person doing this. That’s the authenticity of what social can be at its best — how do you become yourself in a way that galvanizes and gets people excited? He ran with it in ways that I hope 50 years from now if there’s a story about who were those individuals that played a part of that, I think Eric deserves a ton of credit for what he did. I think he had a lot of really talented people around him, and he was given kind of the keys to the kingdom so to speak, and we took off.”

Those talented people are who DeSalvo credits for the team’s ability to not only stay relevant but maintain �鶹ӳ��ý’s status as one of the best brands to follow.

“The staff is key. I can’t have all the ideas. The ideas can come from anyone — from the AD (athletics director) to the interns, and many have over the years,” DeSalvo says. “We also have a work environment to where it’s loose, but they are well aware of who our brand is. I always say, ‘There’s no bad ideas.’ I also get to say, ‘We don’t say no around here a whole bunch.’ If it’s trending and there’s a way we can insert �鶹ӳ��ý’s brand into this conversation and it makes sense, let’s do it.”

The Tweets That Made Us

Dang…Bama got in over us.

— �鶹ӳ��ý Football (@�鶹ӳ��ý_Football)

Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic Senior Writer: Not everyone realized this as early as �鶹ӳ��ý, where social media is about fun. It’s about engaging and having fun, maybe going viral. But it’s about doing things that are different and not just having no personality. They always had personality, and I think that was immediately embraced by the fan base that was very online and very ready to engage on any topic.

Eric DeSalvo: The tweet was on a whim. I’m with (former Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Communications) Dan Forcella and I drafted it before the playoff selection show had gotten to it. We were wanting it to be Bama. And it happens, and I hit send. It really put us out there. It’s my favorite tweet I’ve gotten to send.

We have cracked the Top-10

— �鶹ӳ��ý Football (@�鶹ӳ��ý_Football)

Eric DeSalvo: That was designed by (former graphic designer) Channing Curtis. We kept seeing the Elmo version, and I asked him, “Hey can you just put Knightro in his place?” The first time we ever got to use it — he made it that day — we cracked the top 10 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Andy Staples: I use Knightro gifs pretty frequently. I think Knightro with flames behind him is a very effective way of getting your point across. Those folks are very online. They’re very savvy. They know how to get our attention in the media, and they know how to keep the discussion going. They will defend �鶹ӳ��ý tooth and nail. They will not let you get away with slandering �鶹ӳ��ý in any way, shape or form. Which I appreciate. And there are other fan bases that are like that. But [�鶹ӳ��ý] seems to be a little more in on the joke than some of the others. The more established fanbases, you get people who are just mad at you. �鶹ӳ��ý Twitter, they know what they’re doing. And they know they know what they’re doing.

Eric DeSalvo: I wasn’t at that game — I was at my mother-in-law’s. But the game was on ESPN3. You could actually rewind, thankfully. He catches that ball. I’m losing my mind.

That was the No. 1 Vine for us for a long time. That one was getting so much national play.

That’s up there because it was so iconic.

.@�鶹ӳ��ýDannyWhite didn’t stutter…

— �鶹ӳ��ý Knights (@�鶹ӳ��ýKnights)

DeSalvo: I joke that my iPhone that shot Danny White saying “national champs, undefeated” should go to the (�鶹ӳ��ý Athletics) Hall of Fame.

Nobody knew Danny was going to say that. We had a plan in place where we would continue to challenge the CFP. That’s what we were doing and needed to do for our team. (Senior Executive Associate Athletics Director of Brand Advancement and Chief Branding Officer) Jimmy Skiles took precedent from when he saw the year Auburn wasn’t in the national championship game and were undefeated — they had national championship rings made for their team. It was on the front cover of Sports Illustrated. And he remembered it. If they could do that back then, why can’t we?

So, we crafted messaging for like “undefeated champions.” We didn’t straight up say national champions. (Former graphic designer) Chris Stoney made some motion graphics, “13-0. Only undefeated team, who’s next?”

We knew if we didn’t do anything by the time our game ended and the playoff game started that day, we would be kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of games. It would be a nice win and move on.

Senior Executive Associate Athletics Director of Brand Advancement and Chief Branding Officer Jimmy Skiles’ archived email outlining a strategy to promote “Undefeated Champions of College Football” — which quickly pivoted to National Champions former Director of Athletics Danny White emphatically stated the phrase following �鶹ӳ��ý’s Peach Bowl win over Auburn on Jan. 1, 2018.

People should know Danny looking into my phone wasn’t anything new. I kind of conditioned him to do that, especially at road wins. I would go live at Facebook right as the clock would hit zero to take fans behind the scenes. A lot of the time we’d be walking by Danny as we went to the locker room. So, it wasn’t anything new for him to see my phone get shoved in his face.

He just quickly says those magic words. Oh boy. Here we go.

tHeRe Is A pAtH fOr UcF

— �鶹ӳ��ý Football (@�鶹ӳ��ý_Football)

Andy Staples: Don’t run afoul of �鶹ӳ��ý Twitter. That’s all I got to say. This is a very passionate, very aggressive online fan base. Which listen that will fit right in (the Big 12). The good thing about �鶹ӳ��ý is that passion will match with Kansas State and Oklahoma State and Iowa State — they are extraordinarily passionate people. They really love their teams. These are groups that will really appreciate one another.

Charging On

As social media has served as one of the tools to help define �鶹ӳ��ý’s brand over the years, one constant has been the Knights’ ability to rise up, to band together, to believe in its potential — to Charge On.

As a rallying cry, Charge On was introduced during the Stansbury and Lassiter era.

“It wasn’t as though there was one calling card that really captured the energy or the belief of a �鶹ӳ��ý fan — like ‘Go Knights!’ was something to where, well how many other Knights are there in college athletics?” Lassiter says. “And I remember thinking that in social media hashtags were really important. What is that we can do?”

“Obviously a decade later it’s become something that I feel is the perfect, simple way to describe who �鶹ӳ��ý is.” — Zack Lassiter, �鶹ӳ��ý’s senior associate athletic director of external operations from 2012-15.

And then Charge On surfaced. Lassiter recalls the idea came from an alum, who suggested it because the phrase is part of the lyrics in �鶹ӳ��ý’s fight song.

“When the idea was proposed, it seemed to make too much sense,” Lassiter says. “This describes who we are. There’s a great history behind it. It’s incredibly nimble and flexible in how you can apply it certain ways.”

So, Lassiter conducted an experiment. He walked around �鶹ӳ��ý Athletics’ main administration buildings and starting using the term without explanation to elicit genuine reactions from the staffers.

“Nobody could figure out a way to say why that wouldn’t work,” he says. “Obviously a decade later it’s become something that I feel is the perfect, simple way to describe who �鶹ӳ��ý is.”

There is still so much of �鶹ӳ��ý’s story to be written. More traditions to carve out. More pushing the envelope unapologetically.

And what makes DeSalvo and the rest of the gatekeepers of the brand excited about the next chapter is the union with the renegades of the Big 12.

“We’re finally in a league that is exactly where we should be … its identity is completely us,” DeSalvo says. “Not only do we get to do this stuff here and try to do it as big as possible, now we have the backing of a Power 5 league that is going to help just throw gasoline on the fire and get it out there further.”

25-0 (Part 2): An Oral History of �鶹ӳ��ý Football’s Historic 2017 and 2018 Win Streak

Jenna Marina Lee — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:32:52 +0000

In 2017 and 2018, the �鶹ӳ��ý football team rose to the height of popularity and disrupted the college football world with its 25-0 run that spanned 745 days. The accomplishment ranks among the NCAA Division I FBS’ top 25 longest winning streaks of all time, cemented �鶹ӳ��ý as a national brand and exposed access barriers to the College Football Playoff.

The following story is the most detailed account reported of the program’s success, told exclusively by those who lived it. Read part one here.

Andrea Adelson, ESPN senior writer: I remember sitting down with Josh Heupel in the spring of 2018 because the questions that everybody wanted to know were, “How are you going to keep this momentum up?” “What was built here, how do you keep going?” “You’re going to be changing schemes. You’re going to have a new defensive coordinator. A new staff. What are you going to do?” “Does that put pressure on you?”

He said the most important thing he wanted to do that spring was learn from the players. Because the players had done it. And he had a lot of those players coming back.

Josh Heupel, 2018-2021 �鶹ӳ��ý football head coach: I think the success that the program had the year before I came in played a huge part in wanting to be a part of it. You had everything that you needed in a program to be successful. It felt like it was a unique place and time to be able to take over a program and have a chance to go win immediately.

It’s always important that your players feel that they have a say in the program to create buy-in from your players. The circumstances in the way that the staff and I were taking it over, it wasn’t a typical year one. Knowing that we were going to fast forward coming off that season, the expectations were to go compete for a championship and play in a big-time bowl game. You’ve got to do that really quickly.

For me, it was important that from the very jump they understood that a lot of the things they felt really strongly about that helped them be successful are things that we again can incorporate into our program as we continue to build it moving forward.

Some of those things were really small — uniforms and how they travel. Some of those things were big as far as the buildup and what a Thursday and Friday looked like before you get to kickoff on Saturday afternoon. The last 48 hours, we really wanted to make them feel comfortable and feel like they were still in the same type of routine as they were getting themselves ready to play.

Andrea Adelson: I thought that was really smart of him because he didn’t come in here trying to destroy a foundation that was already built because he’s the new head coach and (say), “Now we’re going to do things my way.”

McKenzie Milton ’19, 2016-18 starting quarterback: Coach Frost and coach Heup, they’re different guys. Different personalities. I think it was a challenge in our locker room initially to welcome him in with open arms.

Josh Heupel: Relationships and trust are built over time. When I took over, I said, “I’m going to have to trust you guys and just kind of give you some (trust) without some of those experiences if we’re going to go be what we need to be as a football team when we get to next fall. You’re going to have to do that as well.” Each phase of our off-season, they got more comfortable.

Marc Daniels, longtime �鶹ӳ��ý radio broadcaster: I believe we were penalized in the preseason rankings because we had a first-time coach in Josh Heupel. If Scott Frost came back in 2018, I believe we would have started in the top 10 and the same win streak happens, it would have been really hard to deny �鶹ӳ��ý a playoff spot in 2018. If you go back and look how the first few weeks of the season began, there’s a good chance �鶹ӳ��ý would have been in the top five before October. And I don’t know if they would have denied that. But they penalized �鶹ӳ��ý because Josh was a first-time coach. I think we started 21st in the preseason poll and didn’t get the same bounce to get up there.

Michael Colubiale ’17, 2013-18 tight end and special teams: Going into that year, we knew how good we were. I think everyone else knew how good we were, too. We were getting everyone’s best game. It was, “Oh, we got �鶹ӳ��ý this week, let’s put a big circle on it.” Coming in and doing what we did versus UConn in a new system with a new coach kind of gave us a little more confidence going into the next games. We didn’t know what we were going to get. We were game planning for one style of defense and we’d come out and get a different style every single time. We had to adjust on the run, change our plays at halftime. It was definitely a grind.

This is where I feel like Heupel did a really good job. Our emphasis was 1-0 every week. We knew we won 13 straight, but Heupel, he beat it in our brains. I think I’ve said it in 100 interviews: “Our focus is to go 1-0 this week.” Heupel really did a great job of making the guys buy into that motto. That’s what I feel like got us through that season a lot.

Josh Heupel: There was so much noise surrounding our program in a positive way, and there was certainly high expectations outside of it. I thought it was important to get our players to really focus on the path of how you become successful and understand that it doesn’t just follow you. It doesn’t just happen. You’ve got to go make it happen. In our off-season, really started focusing on our daily habits and how we approach every single day.

As we got into the fall, that really became a really important motto for our football team. I thought our players bought into it and actually worked in that manner every single day and every single week. That was a huge part of our success.

Marc Daniels: I don’t want to take anything away from 2017 but you go into 2018 and the pressure begins to mount when the win streak goes to 14 and to 15 and it moves down the line. Here’s Memphis again. And I remember everything about this. All of a sudden the clouds come in. All of a sudden it begins to rain.

Josh Heupel: It was probably the wettest day I’ve ever experienced on a football field as a coach or as a player.

Marc Daniels: We’re getting run off the field. We can’t stop Darrell Henderson. He’s running for touchdowns. Missing tackles. The offense is just sitting there, and we’re not doing anything.

Michael Colubiale: 30-17 — Matt Wright ’18 just drained a field goal right before half. We’re going into the locker room. Dudes were not looking too optimistic. I remember running to the tunnel and just waiting for everyone and just trying to tell everyone we’re still in this fight, we’re still in this fight. We’re playing with a pretty much broken McKenzie Milton.

McKenzie Milton: I was battling a grade 4 separated shoulder. I didn’t practice the whole week coming off of SMU.

Eric DeSalvo ’09, assistant athletics director of #content: I’ll never forget his shoulder after the SMU game. He took his pads off and I’m like “Ohhh!” It was purple, yellow, blue.

Josh Heupel: I thought at halftime the ability of our leadership, Pat Jasinksi on the backside, Wyatt Miller ’18, McKenzie Milton, to be able to get up in front of (the team) and understand that there’s a lot of things that have been built, this was a pivotal moment for our program and the course of this season, our ability to compete for a championship — which obviously a conference championship was the No. 1 goal that we had — those guys as much as anything were able to reset the entire locker room, bring some real calm to it and refocus us as we went out. Understand it was one play at a time. We were good enough in all three phases to go out and execute and come back in this football game.

Taj McGowan breaks free for a 71-yard touchdown on fourth down in the famous “Let’s Go Bone” call.

McKenzie Milton: We were struggling to get momentum, pouring rain. We had a pass play. I scrambled up the middle, made a guy miss.

Marc Daniels: It’s 4^th-and-1 on your side of the field and you’re thinking, “OK what are we going to do at the 29?”

McKenzie Milton: I run to our sideline and I’m like looking at the (down and distance) and I’m like, “Coach, we’ve got to punt.”

Josh Heupel: The clock was starting to move in the wrong direction on us in the second half. Felt like there were a limited number of opportunities. We’re in a short yardage situation.

McKenzie Milton: He’s looking at it, and he’s like, “Alright, let’s go bone here.”

Josh Heupel: It was an aggressive call but one that I felt like we had to go execute at that point in the football game. I also had great trust in our guys and our entire football team. But in particular the guys up front. Our five bigs, our tight ends and our skill guys being able to execute in that situation. KZ looked at me and had a question in his eyes. But it was the right moment in that situation for sure.

McKenzie Milton: We hardly go under center. I’m like, “Just don’t mess up this snap. Don’t fumble the snap.” And when I did my part, handed it off, I’m like alright let’s see if this works out. At the time, I wasn’t sold on the call but luckily coach Heup, he had some big kahunas on that one. Trysten Hill made a great block, and Taj (McGowan ’19) was untouched to the end zone.

It was a huge momentum swing in the game and our season and, really, that was one of, if not the most defining play of that win streak.

Marc Daniels: You look back and you go, “How in the world did �鶹ӳ��ý pull that out?” And while we had more games, down 17 at Memphis in 2018 — that to me was the big (defining) moment.

McKenzie Milton: We gave everything in that game and we were able to be plus one. That’s a feeling I will never forget. The Peach Bowl was great, but it was also like a sense of relief, like “Okay we didn’t blow it.” But that one was all odds were against us and we found a way.

Eric DeSalvo: That was huge. But we still weren’t getting any respect for pulling out these wins. We’ve never been one to shy away from stirring things up. Our administration saw an opportunity to do that by strategically sending staff members to sites of College GameDay (Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Pullman, Washington,) with �鶹ӳ��ý flags and signs to force the conversation.

And it’s clear that it’s becoming harder and harder to deny �鶹ӳ��ý’s relevance as the win streak continues, even if the pundits are downplaying the significance of the streak. So by the time we get to week 12 with Cincinnati and it’s a top-25 ranked matchup, we knew it was going to be very hard for College GameDay not to pick us. And yet, I think there was still a bit of shock that they actually did.

Michael Colubiale: That story of the 25-0 run had to have GameDay there, right? Seeing us as the center of a College GameDay was awesome. If you would have told me that in 2015, I would have said, “Alright, get out of here.” The whole build-up, finding out that Sunday with the coming to your city video they put out.

Josh Heupel: I remember driving home Friday after work and everything is getting set up. The amount of traffic on Thursday and Friday through our campus, you could feel the buzz on campus, but you could feel it in the city too. Big moments, big games are what as a competitor you love to be in. You could feel from our players the excitement and energy, but also the focus and preparation all week long. It was an unbelievable environment.

Marc Daniels: The night before (the Cincinnati game), I’m on campus. I go to interview Josh for a pregame interview. As I am coming into the office, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, they’re leaving and it just kind of hits you like, they’re here doing this game.

Andrea Adelson: I just remember how many people were out. And all of the signs. And just the sheer joy. The sheer happiness of every single person who was there even though they probably were sleep deprived and had been lined up since the day before. It didn’t matter. GameDay was there.

I feel that it legitimized the program quite honestly. Because anytime you get that stamp of approval from GameDay when they’ve never been there before, it says you’ve made it. You’re big time. You’re important enough for us to come and travel to see you in person. And I’m not just saying that as somebody who works for ESPN — I know there are several ACC schools who haven’t had GameDay who would LOVE GameDay to be there on their campus because it just adds that credibility to your program and to what you have built.

A panorama of College GameDay’s visit to campus in 2018.

Linda Gooch ’85, �鶹ӳ��ý spirit coach and former cheerleader: (My husband) Alan (Gooch ’84 ’89MA) and I have known Lee Corso for a long time. I get this phone call from him early in the week. I answer the phone, and he just goes, “Linda! It’s going to be epic!” I’m like, “Coach?” And he says, “I’m going to put the whole (Knightro) costume on,” and I pull into a little cubby so I can really hear him. And he goes, “I’m going to put my people in touch with you but I’m putting the entire costume on. They’re building me a stage and everything. It’s going to be epic!”

We were able to pull it off. We had I think it was 90 seconds to be able to get him into that costume and that head on. And it was epic. It was epic. Even today, when they do the intro to College GameDay, there it is.

McKenzie Milton: I just remember watching on TV in the morning and everybody getting excited. Seeing all the signs, it was cool. That place was rocking.

I’ve got to admit, there were probably only two games where I was a little nervous. It was that one and the Peach Bowl. The first play from scrimmage I get a strip sack for a touchdown so it couldn’t have started much worse. But when they came out on offense their first series and they got two pre-snap penalties, that’s still the loudest stadium I’ve ever played in.

It was the culmination of, wow we’ve really done something special here and let’s keep it going. What else can we do? I don’t want to say that was the pinnacle of the streak. But that was my last full game I played as a Knight.

Andrea Adelson: I was at the USF game that year. In 2018 basically my job at the end of that season was to keep following �鶹ӳ��ý. They’re on a long winning streak. It looks like they’re about to play for another conference championship. They’re going to get into another New Year’s Six game. I was there expecting �鶹ӳ��ý to win by two or three touchdowns. I think that’s what a lot of people expected heading into that game.

McKenzie Milton: The first time I was considering the NFL was that week. My dad calls me and he’s like, “Hey, I’ve been talking to some people, we’ve got a lot to talk about after these next two games.” … But coach (Mario) Verduzco would always tell me, “You want to make God laugh, you tell him your plan.” Sure enough, simple play we always ran, running the football, I take a helmet to the knee, and I got the worst knee injury in sports.

Mary Vander Heiden, �鶹ӳ��ý’s director of sports medicine and head football athletic trainer: Just like any other game we’re watching, looking for injury mechanisms. As soon as he was hit, we knew it was bad. I immediately started running. I don’t know that I’ve ever run that fast in my life but got to him. Tried to protect him. I remember telling him, “Don’t look,” and he’s like, “Too late.”

Andrea Adelson: The whole press box was silent. Nobody said a word because we were all stunned and frightened, to be honest, because it looked that bad from where we were sitting. We are objective sports reporters. We don’t have allegiances, we don’t root for teams, but we are human, and these are college athletes. Nobody wants anything bad to happen to anybody on a football field ever. … And the only thing I could think was, “Please get up. Please get up and be OK.” And I’m sure that’s what everybody around me in that press box was thinking.

Scott Frost: We were on a road trip at my next job and played a game on the road. We had just boarded the plane to fly back home and the �鶹ӳ��ý game was on. So our entire coaching staff was watching it on the little TVs on the airplane and saw it happen. Made it a tough flight home for all of the coaching staff.

Mary Vander Heiden: My role in our emergency action plan is to focus on the patient. There was a lot of chaos, so I just stayed focused on McKenzie. And then they took him. And that’s always the hardest part too I think from my standpoint — as the head athletic trainer, I couldn’t go. Knowing just how bad it was going to be and then still having to stay to take care of the rest of the team and stay focused. I think that’s a part that people don’t realize is so hard for athletic trainers.

The one really big benefit of that day was that we were in an NFL stadium. If it would have happened anywhere else, I don’t know that we have the same result. You have three hours to save a limb once you’ve lost vascular. He was in surgery in less than an hour under the top vascular doctor in the state at Tampa General.

The Knights process the news of McKenzie Milton’s injury in the locker room after the game.

Marc Daniels: He’s taken off. There’s the emotion of him being carted off. You don’t know the severity of it. And you’re like, “What does it do to these guys?”

Darriel Mack comes in. At the time it wasn’t a big offensive game plan for him, and yet �鶹ӳ��ý responds. Greg McCrae has an incredible game. �鶹ӳ��ý’s defense plays well and they win the game comfortably, 38-10.

Mary Vander Heiden: The next hardest thing was probably postgame, having to tell coach Heupel because I was not updating him throughout the game. Immediate shock, grief came over his face. I said, “I will tell the team if you want me to, if you don’t have the words.”

Michael Colubiale: I just remember being in the locker room after the game and tears were flowing. People were circled up praying. … He kind of shaped those past two seasons. For him to not be there after the win or knowing he wasn’t going to be there was tough.

Mary Vander Heiden: I went back to Orlando on the team bus, and then turned right around in my car. I think I got back to Tampa at like 4 in the morning. I remember that was a rough car ride. I was by myself. Just praying. McKenzie comes from a very faith-based family, and at that point really that was all you could do. He was in the best hands, but it was still not guaranteed. It’s like less than 10% even walk again normally.

There was a lot of anxiety (at first) because he didn’t have movement in his foot. He had a drop foot, which is very common for that injury. I think that was the most scary (feeling) for McKenzie — not being able to move is just a different level of anxiety. But he had blood flow. Dopplers were really encouraging, strong heart beats. So that was really positive there.

The next best thing we saw was he wiggled his big toe. We were so excited. And I think even then, he was like, “What the? It’s a big toe?!” I’m like, you don’t understand what that means. We have a chance.

There’s not many that are built that could have made it through all the things that he had to do (to take the field again three years later).

Josh Heupel: It was really hard for everybody. Coaches and players. But certainly the players. Just in the entire week to be able to handle the emotion of one of the great players and certainly the leader of the program, the locker room, having a horrific injury. Somebody that was so pivotal in all the success that had transpired as a football program in recent history.

And then you look at a young player (Darriel Mack ’20) that has not started a football game that is going to get thrust into a conference championship setting.

Michael Colubiale: We needed to finish off what we started. Our last game playing here officially. Conference championship. The 10hana. There was a lot going on that week. It was unbelievable. Everyone in the stands knew we were playing for McKenzie Milton.

Signs, photos, body paint and Hawaiian leis all played a part in the 10hana vibe honoring the injured McKenzie Milton that took over the Bounce House for the 2018 �鶹ӳ��ý-Memphis AAC championship game.

McKenzie Milton: Guys came and actually saw me the night before. Coach allowed them to come out past curfew and see me. Gabe (Davis), Bam (Brandon Moore ’20), DJ (Darriel Mack ’20) and those guys. They said, “We’re going to handle business.”

My mom was at the game. My dad was with me at the apartment. Obviously I was heavily medicated, but I knew exactly what was going on in the game. It was frustrating because you just want to be there with your guys to encourage them. I couldn’t play but you just want to be there to support them — like “C’mon guys, we got this.” I was going a little stir crazy in the apartment not being able to be there with them.

At halftime, I was just telling my dad, “Turn this off. I can’t watch this anymore.” And then obviously halftime goes around and 10 minutes go by and I was like, “Alright, turn it back on.” They came out in the second half lights out. Defense shut them out, Trystan was unstoppable and DJ willed the team to victory and took over.

Marc Daniels: I’ve seen some magical performances over my years of broadcasting games and I can’t explain how Darriel Mack found a way to that moment in that night to rise above it all and have this unbelievable performance. Made me flash back to think about Daunte Culpepper — this guy that was just physically better than everybody and willed his team.

Hard to imagine that you went from the heartache of watching McKenzie go down and here a week later celebrating another championship knowing he’s still fighting. What a rollercoaster of emotion but also incredibly proud because of how the community came together and team and students and what it meant.

McKenzie Milton: Those (FaceTime calls postgame) are some of the best memories. I was proud of those guys, the way they fought. That just shows the heart and soul of that team. We always played for each other. I always played for my teammates, the brother to my left and the brother to my right. They always did the same.

Titus Davis hoists the Knights’ second-straight AAC trophy.

Marc Daniels: It was tough to watch it (the win streak) end the way that it did. Because the (Fiesta Bowl) game starts and you get a pick 6 and (LSU quarterback) Joe Burrow may be still the hardest hit he ever took from Joey Connors ’17 ’19MA — and by the way he never lost a college football game after that. But you’re thinking, “Oh yeah, we’ll find a way.” And we didn’t. It ended in a hard-fought game. LSU was a better team that day. And in a way, it was OK.

Michael Colubiale: Looking back now, and seeing how much talent LSU actually had on that field and competing the way we did with DJ who hasn’t been our quarterback all year, was amazing. That game could have easily been a shutout by LSU. The talent, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Devin White, they go down the next year — it’s them or the Miami team as the best college football team ever. Just being in an 8-point ball game with them is something to be proud of ourselves.

I remember not wanting to take my pads off. Just reflecting on how special the season and that our run was.

I remember leaving the game and talking to coach O (Ed Orgeron) after the game. He was just saying that we had an amazing team, an amazing run, we were one of the toughest games they had been in all year. Really, some respect from a guy that has been around college football for a while. Obviously, a bummer we lost our last game but a lot to be proud of.

Marc Daniels: You would have liked to see it continue, but I think you look back at the two-year journey of the win streak and �鶹ӳ��ý had established its brand as that school that was more than just a fluke of 2017. That backed it up in 2018 and there are probably bigger things that lie ahead.

Josh Heupel: One of the things that I learned through my football journey but also as a coach having been through a bunch of seasons is, it’s not just the end destination that matters. That does matter and everybody is pushing towards that goal, but the journey is the greatest part of it. And just tried to convey (in the post-game locker room) I was so proud of what they had done in the past 12 months with our staff, what they had built.

It’s a legacy that’s going to last forever. That’s why you guys are doing this interview right now. It’s a really special group of guys that restaked a claim on the future of �鶹ӳ��ý football.

McKenzie Milton: I think trendsetters, trailblazers, whatever you want to call it, that’s what we were. That’s what �鶹ӳ��ý is going to continue to be.

Andrea Adelson: In my view, those two seasons really set the stage not only for playoff expansion but for �鶹ӳ��ý to join the Big 12. Without those two seasons, maybe �鶹ӳ��ý is attractive, but maybe not. I mean you can look down the road on I-4 at another school (South Florida) that’s in the state of Florida that hasn’t really had football success and is kind of left out right now of the power conferences and �鶹ӳ��ý isn’t. And a big reason why is because of the success they’ve had on the football field.

But in my view what they did in 2017 and 2018 — they showed and they proved that “We can play with anybody.” And I also believe that those two seasons allowed Cincinnati to make the playoff. Without �鶹ӳ��ý leading the way, I don’t think Cincinnati is ranked as high as they were in the playoff in the season that they made it.

Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic writer: The fact that it was so difficult and it took so many things to align for Cincinnati — after everything that had happened with �鶹ӳ��ý — to get an invite to the 4-team playoff, I think all of that fed into this whole conversation we’ve had about access. And what it means to start the college football season with a chance to be part of the marquee event, the postseason that everyone wants to be a part of. So, �鶹ӳ��ý really brought all of that to the forefront.

I think what my mind goes to as someone who covers the College Football Playoff piece and that off-field issue and the expansion issue, was how much they pushed that conversation forward and helped us get to the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Andy Staples, On3 national college football host: (�鶹ӳ��ý) kind of exposed the system for the closed system it was. And the system is changing now. There’s at least a small part of that due to what �鶹ӳ��ý did.

Andrea Adelson: I feel like �鶹ӳ��ý has done a lot to help change college football, to help change the perception of �鶹ӳ��ý but also to prove to people, forget about a label. A label doesn’t matter. What can you do?

I think we learned that anything is possible at �鶹ӳ��ý. It doesn’t matter what your conference is, where you’re recruiting your players from, all that matters is getting your teammates, your coaches, your players, the administration to believe. That’s why I feel like those two seasons should be held up as these models for inspiration because that was a team that was really easy to root for because they were a team. They were an absolute team.

Shaquem Griffin: That’s what �鶹ӳ��ý is all about — believing in yourself, believing in your people, believing in your team, and knowing that the whole nation of �鶹ӳ��ý loves you, how can you lose? Like, really, how can you lose with that?

Scott Frost: You can use this or not use this. I hope �鶹ӳ��ý keeps climbing. I think there will be some challenges ahead going into a new league, but if there’s one university that’s positioned to overcome those challenges and become a great, elite program, it’s �鶹ӳ��ý.

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