2001 UCF Golden Knights football team

The 2001 UCF Golden Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. Their head coach was Mike Kruczek, who was in his fourth season with the team. The season marked the Golden Knights last season as an independent. In 2002, UCF joined the Mid-American Conference in the East Division, the first conference for the Golden Knights since ascending to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in 1996.

2001 UCF Golden Knights football
ConferenceIndependent
Record6–5
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRobert McFarland (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorGene Chizik (4th season)
Home stadiumFlorida Citrus Bowl
Seasons
← 2000
2002 →
2001 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
South Florida       8 3  
Troy State       7 4  
UCF       6 5  
Notre Dame       5 6  
Utah State       4 7  
Connecticut       2 9  
Navy       0 10  
Rankings from AP Poll

On opening day, UCF traveled to No. 19 Clemson. The Tigers outlasted UCF, and won by the score of 21–13. UCF quarterback Ryan Schneider threw for 297 yards, but an ineffective rushing game was the difference in the game. UCF scored a touchdown with 8:09 left in regulation, but a missed extra point and a punt on their next possession allowed Clemson to run out the clock and preserve the win.[1] On October 13, UCF blew out Liberty 63–0, the largest shutout victory in school history.[2] The Golden Knights scored on their first six possessions, jumping out to a 42–0 halftime lead. In UCF's final game as an Independent school, the Golden Knights earned a 31–0 win over Louisiana–Lafayette in their second shutout of the year, and fourth blowout win since October. Finishing with a winning record of 6–5, UCF did not receive a bowl invitation.

Schedule

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The Citrus Bowl, the Knights home field.
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 11:00 pmat No. 19 ClemsonL 13–2181,482
September 812:00 pmat SyracuseSUNL 10–2135,938
September 223:30 pmat TulaneSUNW 36–2917,497
September 2912:00 pmat No. 8 Virginia TechSUNL 14–4653,662
October 66:00 pmUABCSSW 24–730,820[3]
October 136:00 pmLiberty
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
W 63–017,103
October 204:00 pmLouisiana–Monroe 
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
W 38–623,001
October 275:05 pmat Utah StateL 27–3016,135
November 36:00 pmAkron
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
W 57–1715,779
November 102:00 pmat ArkansasL 20–2761,527
November 241:00 pmLouisiana–Lafayette
  • Florida Citrus Bowl
  • Orlando, FL
W 31–012,264

References

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  1. ^ Central Florida vs. Clemson
  2. ^ Liberty vs. Central Florida
  3. ^ "Defense rules in UCF win". The Orlando Sentinel. October 7, 2001. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.