Florida AD quashes rumors about Gators refusing to play UCF at Knights’ stadium
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Florida and UCF’s last meeting on the gridiron was back in 2006 when Chris Leak threw for 352 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Gators won in a laugher, 42-0.
Things have changed for the Knights since then as they have evolved into one of the premier Group of 5 programs in the country. Naturally, UCF fans want another crack at the Gators, with many feeling that Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin is hesitant to take a step toward a regular series between the 2 teams.
On Sunday, Stricklin went on the record on Twitter, stating that he had offered to play the Knights twice at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in return for one in Orlando at Spectrum Stadium, the Knights’ home field. That runs counter to a belief among UCF fans that the Gators would be willing to play UCF but at a neutral site of Camping World Stadium, the former Citrus Bowl, instead of Spectrum Stadium.
Actually, UF did offer a true 2-for-1. I never said anything about the 1 having to be a neutral … not sure where that came from. Sometimes schools’ scheduling priorities just don’t match up. We’ve both moved on … no hard feelings. Good luck to UCF this year and beyond.
— Scott Stricklin (@ScottStricklin) September 27, 2020
In 2018, through a FOIA request, the Orlando Sentinel obtained emails between Stricklin and UCF athletic director Danny White, with White offering a home-and-home starting with the 2021 season, and Stricklin rejecting the offer but proposing a 2-for-1 beginning with the Gators’ 2022 home opener.
One of the sticking points for White was Stricklin’s refusal to schedule a home-and-home with “non-Autonomy 5 opponents,” a description that chafed the UCF AD.
But nothing has come of the discussions to this point, and for the foreseeable future, it looks at if the 2 programs are not planning on playing one another any time soon.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
