UCF’s Best Moments from the War on I-4
The UCF Knights defeated the USF Bulls 46-39 to secure a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game at Tulane (Dec. 3). With the victory, the Knights built an 8-6 lead in the all-time series between the two rival schools, a record that will stand for quite a while, as UCF is leaving USF behind and joining the Big 12 Conference.
The rivalry, dubbed the “War on I-4,” will come to a halt, but the memories it left behind will never be forgotten. It was a rivalry that brought out the best in both sides, regardless of the quality of each team. Let’s take a look at some of the most memorable moments UCF delivered in the short-lived rivalry.
2013: UCF’s First Ever Win over USF
2013 was a memorable year for UCF for many reasons, most notably the Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor to secure the first BCS and New Year’s Six Bowl win in program history. However, there was another first that will not soon be forgotten.
UCF defeated the Bulls for the first time in program history, by a score of 23-20, after losing the first four head-to-head matchups. This came after a five-year hiatus in the rivalry due to USF leaving Conference USA for the Big East.
It was largely a defensive contest, as neither team had over 300 yards of offense, and there were seven total turnovers. The Knights took the lead on a 52-yard bomb from quarterback Blake Bortles to wide receiver Breshad Perriman with just over four minutes remaining. The Bulls’ ensuing drive saw them drive all the way into UCF territory before defensive back Jordan Ozerites sealed the deal with an interception that will forever go down in UCF lore.
2021: UCF Gains Series Lead
The 2021 version of the War on I-4 was memorable for a plethora of reasons. The Knights took their first ever series lead over the Bulls, 7-6, but it did not come easy. It was an incredibly low-scoring game compared to what was expected, especially in the second half, which saw just nine total points scored and ten total punts between the two teams.
It all came down to USF’s final drive, and it looked like QB Timmy McClain was going to take the Bulls down the field for a score to win the game. The Bulls got all the way down to UCF’s three-yard line with just a few seconds remaining. With the game on the line, defensive end Tre’mon Morris-Brash came up with a huge sack that became the final death knell for USF. The Knights held on by an eyelash to grab the all-time series lead and ultimately set up a matchup with the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl.
2017: Mike Hughes Saves the Day
This was the first season where the War on I-4 had major implications for both teams—the winner of the 2017 matchup was headed to the AAC championship game. What resulted was possibly the best game in all of college football that season. Nearly 1,200 yards of total offense, including over six hundred yards from USF’s quarterback Quinton Flowers, made this one an incredible watch.
Each team was within one possession of each other for the entire game outside of a four-minute stretch in the second quarter. The game went back-and-forth in the second half, including three touchdowns within the span of 53 seconds. UCF scored on a 23-yard screen pass from quarterback McKenzie Milton to running back Otis Anderson with 2:21 remaining.
Flowers responded with a 83-yard bomb to wide receiver Darnell Salomon, and UCF immediately responded to that touchdown with a kick return for a score by cornerback Mike Hughes.
It was one of the most memorable plays in school history. USF tight end Mitchell Wilcox fumbled during the final seconds and sealed USF’s fate and etched UCF into the AAC Championship.
2022: The Last Hurrah
With UCF heading to the Big 12, USF had its last chance to get a shot at UCF and tie the series lead. They also had a chance to keep UCF out of the AAC Championship. After jumping out to a 28-0 lead, it seemed UCF was well on its way to blowing the Bulls out. That turned out to be anything but the truth. The Bulls came roaring back with the help of three fumbles by the Knights in the second half.
The Knights forfeited the lead in the fourth quarter with seven minutes remaining, and then fumbled on the following possession at midfield. They were able to stop USF from advancing the ball, and drove the ball downfield with two incredible catches.
The first a 41-yard bomb from quarterback Mikey Keene that led to a diving grab by wide receiver Javon Baker, and then a 14-yard one-handed toe-tap touchdown catch by tight end Alec Holler to regain the lead with just 20 seconds remaining. The Knights were then able to defend a 30-yard hail mary and close out the rivalry whilst locking themselves into the AAC championship game.
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