Jan. 18, 2007
by Ryan Powell
On September 29, 1979, the Florida Citrus Bowl, known back then to the Orlando community as the Tangerine Bowl, opened its doors for a hometown, start-up football program guided by Don Jonas. The Golden Knights have called the crown jewel of the Orlando Centroplex home ever since.
Jonas was the first of seven men that led the Golden Knights onto the field at the Citrus Bowl. Current head coach George O'Leary will be the last. The relationship which began some 27 years ago and has witnessed more than 100 Golden Knight victories will come to an end when the Black and Gold run through the Citrus Bowl tunnel one last time on Nov. 25 against UAB.
The Knights will start entertaining hometown fans in a new venue for the start of the 2007 season as the on-campus Bright House Stadium will be ready to host the football team next fall. The new beginning will only intensify the memories and history that thousands of UCF players, coaches and administrators experienced and made at the 65,438 stadium in the heart of the city.
The Citrus Bowl has seen the Golden Knights' football program rise through the division ranks of the NCAA, starting as a Division III member in 1979, to making the move to Division II in time for the 1982 season, then on to Division I-AA status in 1990 before finally emerging at the top level as a Division I-A member in 1997.
The Golden Knights were victorious in their inaugural game at the stadium, defeating Fort Benning 7-6 in front of 14,138 fans. Quarterback Mike Cullison's touchdown pass to Bobby Joe Plain on a fourth-and-goal was the first Golden Knight score in the venue and proved to be the difference in the game. UCF fans would go on to set a Division III record as an average of 11,420 fans attended the Knights' four home games that season.
Throughout the past 27 years, the Citrus Bowl has been the platform for some great UCF moments. Here is a brief look back at some of those memorable moments in a special UCF at the Florida Citrus Bowl segment of - By the Numbers.
7 - record number of touchdown passes by a Golden Knight at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Darin Slack achieved the feat in a 52-14 trouncing of West Georgia in 1987.
8 - number of 300-yard passing games Daunte Culpepper had during his illustrious career with UCF at the Citrus Bowl. Also the jersey number worn by the first-round NFL draft pick, who had a total of 15 300-yard passing games during his career as a Knight.
11 - most consecutive home wins by the Golden Knights. The streak started on Nov. 2, 1996 with a 42-15 victory over Illinois State on homecoming.
21 - largest margin overcome by the Golden Knights in a victory at the Florida Citrus Bowl. UCF fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter, but rallied for a 28-24 win over Illinois State in 1984.
23 - tackles recorded by Bill Giovanetti in the 1979 season-finale against Morehouse. The total still stands as the all-time record for single-game tackles by a Knight at the Citrus Bowl.
40 - number of All-Americans who have played at the Citrus Bowl for UCF.
55 - longest field goal by a Knight at the Citrus Bowl. Ed O'Brien drilled the booming kick to help UCF pull out a 39-37 victory over Bethune-Cookman in 1985.
64 - the greatest margin of victory for the Golden Knights at the Citrus Bowl. UCF thumped Grand Valley State 67-3 on Halloween in 1987.
75 - the longest interception return for a touchdown by a Knight at the Citrus Bowl. Kurt Ashley scored a pivotal touchdown in what turned out to be a 28-24 victory over Illinois State in 1984.
100 - the Golden Knights 100th victory at the Citrus Bowl was a 28-17 win over Akron on Homecoming 2003.
203 - the number of yards UCF tailback Marquette Smith rushed for in a 38-7 homecoming victory over Bethune-Cookman in 1995. Smith is the only UCF back to rush for more than 200 yards in a game at the Citrus Bowl.
497 - the record number of passing yards by a Golden Knight in the Citrus Bowl. Ryan Schneider set the mark in a 33-29 victory over Florida Atlantic.
51,978 - record home attendance that saw UCF host the inaugural Conference USA Championship game in 2005. The Knights went a perfect 4-0 in the 2005 regular season at home as the team went on to play in its first-ever bowl game.