On the eve before I fly out to Louisville, one can't help but reminisce of UCF's 2013 visit to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. For those of us who have been there for UCF's journey, especially over these past 10-20 years, the win was a significant milestone for the program. At the time, I believed it to be UCF's biggest win in program history (surpassing the 2010 Liberty Bowl vs. Georgia). Even today, I could perhaps argue it's still top three, trailing only the 2017 Peach Bowl and 2013 Fiesta Bowl.
2013 was UCF's first season in the American, which also happened to be the final year the Big East/AAC was considered a "BCS conference." As such, the conference champion had a guaranteed tie-in to a BCS bowl.
Louisville, coached by Charlie Strong and led by star QB Teddy Bridgewater, was considered to be the runaway favorite in the conference and some believed they could be a dark horse National Champion contender, though their strength of schedule was never going to be great. They were the preseason No. 9 team in the country and came into the UCF game with a No. 8 ranking and perfect 6-0 record.
UCF was feeling pretty good themselves with a 4-1 record. The wins included beat downs of Akron and FIU, an impressive win at Penn State (another significant milestone), a three-point home loss to a very good South Carolina team (ranked No. 12 at the time) and a stunning come-from-behind victory at Memphis two weeks earlier (Will Stanback drilled the Memphis KR who fumbled, then a scoop and score by Drico Johnson, then the final Memphis drive was thwarted by a Terrance Plummer end zone interception).
UCF-Louisville was a huge game. Nobody probably gave UCF much of a chance, but a win would obviously give UCF the inside track to a conference championship.
The game was also perhaps the highest-profile TV game in UCF's young history, being a national ESPN game in an exclusive time slot on Friday night. Previously as a member of C-USA, most games were relegated to CBS Sports Network.
Though the AAC was still going to be on the outside looking in (P6?), the atmosphere surrounding this game felt like UCF had hit the big time.
It was a tight game through the first half with Louisville taking a 14-7 lead into the locker room. The Cardinals then drove down the field to score in their first second half possession to go up to 21-7, then a fumbled snap by UCF punter Caleb Houston was returned for another Louisville touchdown to put them up 28-7 midway through the third quarter. It looked bleak. Really bleak.
UCF then proceeded to score a trio of touchdowns in the waning minutes of the third quarter to tie the game (Storm Johnson rushing TD, receiving TD and Stanback rushing TD), then took the lead in the fourth quarter on a Shawn Moffitt FG. Aided of course by some big-time defensive stops.
With three minutes left in the game, Louisville reclaimed the lead with a touchdown, setting up the memorable game-winning drive that had Blake Bortles complete a two-yard reception to Jeff Godfrey (all the chills with that fan reaction video below).
It was a ton of fun to be there. The UCF crowd in the corner went crazy. Several former players were there, including Latavius Murray. It was UCF's first-ever win against a top 10 opponent.
Here's the postgame interviews:
The next day, UCF head coach George O'Leary explained how his phone was getting blown up with congratulatory text messages.
"Oh, about 100 (coaches texted me)," O'Leary said. "They're all just happy because they know the work that's been put into this program. I laughed because I never had my phone on. I get on the bus and my son was sitting next to me. I said, 'Look at this! It's like eight pages of it.' I said, 'Do you answer these, Marty? How do you do it?' He was like, 'Nah, they're just congratulating you.' They know I appreciate that."
The win finally got UCF respect from the pollsters as they were No. 21 in the AP the following week. It was only the second season in school history UCF was ranked - the first time was during the 2010 season. Inexplicably, Louisville, at No. 18 in the AP, was still ranked higher than UCF despite the Knights' head-to-head victory.
Another point of contention among UCF fans (and GOL) is Charlie Strong's insistence that Louisville was still the "better team." He said so in his postgame press conference, then doubled down in his weekly press conference a few days later.
"It's hard to move on," Strong said at his weekly press conference. "Not to take anything away from Central Florida, I know they were a good football team, it's one that we gave away, when you look at it.
"Me, personally, I thought we were the better team and we let one get away from us."
Later, he repeated the statement in response to a question whether he still believes Louisville is the "best team in the nation."
"We have to give Central Florida credit, but I still say the best football team lost that game," Strong said.
Later, George O'Leary was asked if he had a response to Charlie Strong's comments that Louisville was still the "better" or "best" team.
"Charlie said that? Really," O'Leary said. "They're a very talented team. Obviously when you say the best team didn't win, you've got to look in the mirror as far as players and coaches. I'll leave it like that. I think it was a great win. All I look at is wins and losses. I don't get involved in, 'He said, you said, we said.' I think any time you lose a game I always look in the mirror and what I could have done more to help the win or change the game. I don't get involved in, 'We were better than them.' We won that night. They have a really talented team. They really do. Move on. I don't get concerned about people talking after a game."
Just one special moment in a 2013 season that had a lot of them. Like I mentioned earlier, going into Happy Valley and beating Penn State. Sure, they were down and out a bit after the Joe Paterno scandal but it was still monumental.
Hosting an SEC team (South Carolina) inside the Bounce House. That wild win at Memphis. Another heart-stopping game at home against Houston, needing to make a defensive stop at end. Then the comeback win at Temple with J.J. Worton's catch and the game-winning field goal. The Rutgers on a Thursday night with Will Stanback "trucking" some poor guy. The epic resumption of the War on I-4, UCF wearing those god-awful helmets and being in a nail-biter all the way until the end until Jordan Ozerities saved the day. The "Ice Bowl" game at SMU to clinch the AAC title. And of course the win against Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl. So many amazing moments.
UCF finished the 2013 season 12-1 (the only loss of course being South Carolina). The 2017 season was obviously special too, but I'm not sure it quite matches the heart-pounding drama of the 2013 games.
Here's a TON of photos I took during that Louisville game. If you were in the UCF section, you're probably in here somewhere:
See y'all there on Friday.
2013 was UCF's first season in the American, which also happened to be the final year the Big East/AAC was considered a "BCS conference." As such, the conference champion had a guaranteed tie-in to a BCS bowl.
Louisville, coached by Charlie Strong and led by star QB Teddy Bridgewater, was considered to be the runaway favorite in the conference and some believed they could be a dark horse National Champion contender, though their strength of schedule was never going to be great. They were the preseason No. 9 team in the country and came into the UCF game with a No. 8 ranking and perfect 6-0 record.
UCF was feeling pretty good themselves with a 4-1 record. The wins included beat downs of Akron and FIU, an impressive win at Penn State (another significant milestone), a three-point home loss to a very good South Carolina team (ranked No. 12 at the time) and a stunning come-from-behind victory at Memphis two weeks earlier (Will Stanback drilled the Memphis KR who fumbled, then a scoop and score by Drico Johnson, then the final Memphis drive was thwarted by a Terrance Plummer end zone interception).
UCF-Louisville was a huge game. Nobody probably gave UCF much of a chance, but a win would obviously give UCF the inside track to a conference championship.
The game was also perhaps the highest-profile TV game in UCF's young history, being a national ESPN game in an exclusive time slot on Friday night. Previously as a member of C-USA, most games were relegated to CBS Sports Network.
Though the AAC was still going to be on the outside looking in (P6?), the atmosphere surrounding this game felt like UCF had hit the big time.
It was a tight game through the first half with Louisville taking a 14-7 lead into the locker room. The Cardinals then drove down the field to score in their first second half possession to go up to 21-7, then a fumbled snap by UCF punter Caleb Houston was returned for another Louisville touchdown to put them up 28-7 midway through the third quarter. It looked bleak. Really bleak.
UCF then proceeded to score a trio of touchdowns in the waning minutes of the third quarter to tie the game (Storm Johnson rushing TD, receiving TD and Stanback rushing TD), then took the lead in the fourth quarter on a Shawn Moffitt FG. Aided of course by some big-time defensive stops.
With three minutes left in the game, Louisville reclaimed the lead with a touchdown, setting up the memorable game-winning drive that had Blake Bortles complete a two-yard reception to Jeff Godfrey (all the chills with that fan reaction video below).
It was a ton of fun to be there. The UCF crowd in the corner went crazy. Several former players were there, including Latavius Murray. It was UCF's first-ever win against a top 10 opponent.
Here's the postgame interviews:
The next day, UCF head coach George O'Leary explained how his phone was getting blown up with congratulatory text messages.
"Oh, about 100 (coaches texted me)," O'Leary said. "They're all just happy because they know the work that's been put into this program. I laughed because I never had my phone on. I get on the bus and my son was sitting next to me. I said, 'Look at this! It's like eight pages of it.' I said, 'Do you answer these, Marty? How do you do it?' He was like, 'Nah, they're just congratulating you.' They know I appreciate that."
The win finally got UCF respect from the pollsters as they were No. 21 in the AP the following week. It was only the second season in school history UCF was ranked - the first time was during the 2010 season. Inexplicably, Louisville, at No. 18 in the AP, was still ranked higher than UCF despite the Knights' head-to-head victory.
Another point of contention among UCF fans (and GOL) is Charlie Strong's insistence that Louisville was still the "better team." He said so in his postgame press conference, then doubled down in his weekly press conference a few days later.
"It's hard to move on," Strong said at his weekly press conference. "Not to take anything away from Central Florida, I know they were a good football team, it's one that we gave away, when you look at it.
"Me, personally, I thought we were the better team and we let one get away from us."
Later, he repeated the statement in response to a question whether he still believes Louisville is the "best team in the nation."
"We have to give Central Florida credit, but I still say the best football team lost that game," Strong said.
Later, George O'Leary was asked if he had a response to Charlie Strong's comments that Louisville was still the "better" or "best" team.
"Charlie said that? Really," O'Leary said. "They're a very talented team. Obviously when you say the best team didn't win, you've got to look in the mirror as far as players and coaches. I'll leave it like that. I think it was a great win. All I look at is wins and losses. I don't get involved in, 'He said, you said, we said.' I think any time you lose a game I always look in the mirror and what I could have done more to help the win or change the game. I don't get involved in, 'We were better than them.' We won that night. They have a really talented team. They really do. Move on. I don't get concerned about people talking after a game."
Just one special moment in a 2013 season that had a lot of them. Like I mentioned earlier, going into Happy Valley and beating Penn State. Sure, they were down and out a bit after the Joe Paterno scandal but it was still monumental.
Hosting an SEC team (South Carolina) inside the Bounce House. That wild win at Memphis. Another heart-stopping game at home against Houston, needing to make a defensive stop at end. Then the comeback win at Temple with J.J. Worton's catch and the game-winning field goal. The Rutgers on a Thursday night with Will Stanback "trucking" some poor guy. The epic resumption of the War on I-4, UCF wearing those god-awful helmets and being in a nail-biter all the way until the end until Jordan Ozerities saved the day. The "Ice Bowl" game at SMU to clinch the AAC title. And of course the win against Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl. So many amazing moments.
UCF finished the 2013 season 12-1 (the only loss of course being South Carolina). The 2017 season was obviously special too, but I'm not sure it quite matches the heart-pounding drama of the 2013 games.
Here's a TON of photos I took during that Louisville game. If you were in the UCF section, you're probably in here somewhere:
See y'all there on Friday.
