Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 13

The UCF Knights began the 21st Century as a young FBS team with no conference to call home. Now, a quarter of the way through it, they sit as a member of one of college football's Power 4 conferences. To mark the occasion, we are counting down the Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century.

UCF Knights running back Isaiah Bowser (5) tries to educe Florida Gators safety Trey Dean III (0). The UCF Knights defeats the Florida Gators, 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl Thursday, December 23, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner]2021 Oca 122324 Ufvsucfgasbowl | Doug Engle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Note: We define the 21st Century as Jan. 1, 2001, to the time of this series' publication.

No. 13: The Gusparilla Bowl (Florida, 2021)

Ever since its establishment, the UCF Knights football team has played in the shadow of the Florida Gators.

The two times both programs faced off in 1999 and 2006 resulted in sweeping Gator wins, but UCF was a different program in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl. The signature win of the Gus Malzahn era, it is the first time in program history that the Knights beat the Gators on the gridiron, 29-17.

It was mainly a battle in the trenches, with UCF running back Isaiah Bowser's 35 carries being the most in a single game in program history since 2009. The Northwestern transfer took advantage, getting 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Gators' three rushers, running back Malik Davis, quarterback Emory Jones and future NFL back Dameon Pierce, combined for 210 yards and 30 carries for two touchdowns.

Both Sunshine State teams stayed within a touchdown or less of each other as the clock ticked down on the third quarter, a credit to a UCF defense that ended the night with five three-and-outs and a turnover on downs.

It took until just over a minute left in the third for the Knights to open up a multi-score lead, with true freshman quarterback Mikey Keene completing a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe. The Austin, Texas native held up two fingers as he crossed the goal line in tribute to his late former teammate Otis Anderson. He also recorded 110 rushing yards on four carries to pair with his 85 receiving yards on seven catches.

Thanks to a combination of a missed field goal and the UCF defense, the Gators never scored again, with kicker Daniel Obarski's 33-yarder at 2:41 remaining being just the icing on the historic cake for UCF.

In the shadow no more.

Catch up on the rest of the list below:

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 25

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of The 21st Century: No. 24

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 23

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 22

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 21

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of The 21st Century: No. 20

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 19

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of The 21st Century: No. 18

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 17

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 16

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 15

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 14