Nov. 27, 2005
IRVING, Texas - With UTEP losing at SMU on Saturday, the matchup for the inaugural Conference USA Football Championship Game has been set. The West Division champion Tulsa Golden Hurricane will meet the East Division champion UCF Golden Knights on Saturday, December 3 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. ESPN will televise the championship game live beginning at Noon EST.
The game represents a matchup of the nation's most improved team in UCF against a Tulsa squad that improved by three and a half games from its 2004 finish. Both schools enter the C-USA Championship on hot streaks. UCF has won eight of its last nine, while Tulsa has won five of six.
"We are delighted with this matchup, said Commissioner Britton Banowsky. "Both teams are playing at a high level and if the game is anything like our regular season has been, it should be exciting to the very end "
George O'Leary took over UCF last season, but while rebuilding the Golden Knights, finished 0-11. UCF's nation-long losing streak stretched to 17 games on September 17. Since that time, the Golden Knights have reeled off eight victories and won the East Division with a 7-1 record. UCF is just the seventh team in NCAA history to go from winless one season to bowl-eligible the next and it has posted the second-largest single-season improvement in NCAA annals, trailing only the 1999 Hawai'i team that improved 8.5 games.
Tulsa will be going to a bowl game for the second time in head coach Steve Kragthorpe's three seasons at the helm of the Golden Hurricane. After losing to bowl-bound Minnesota and Oklahoma teams to open the season, Tulsa has won seven of nine, losing league games to Houston and UTEP by a total of 10 points.
The Golden Hurricane feature senior Garrett Mills, who leads the nation's tight ends in receptions (75), receiving yards (1,075) and touchdowns (8). Tulsa also has one of the most dangerous kick returners in NCAA history in Ashlan Davis. Earlier this season, Davis tied a 31-year old NCAA record held by USC' Anthony Davis when he returned his sixth career kickoff for a touchdown.
Saturday's game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Tickets for the championship game are available through TicketMaster by calling 407-839-3900 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices are $30 for lower level sideline seats and end zone tickets are $18. Groups of 20 or more can purchase tickets in the end zone at a reduced rate of $10. UCF students can purchase tickets on campus for a reduced rate of $8.