The UCF Knights football program has officially announced the addition of the previously-reported three-game series with the Florida Gators to its future football schedules, as well as a home-and-home with the Maryland Terrapins.

The five total games fill in key holes in the schedule for 2024, and begin the process of filling slots in 2025 and beyond.

Two-for-one with Florida

As reported previously, the three-game set with Florida marks a clear reversal from the scheduling policies of former AD Danny White. Terry Mohajir is selling the deal as a home-and-home for 2030 and 2033, with Florida adding a one-off in 2024 to help the Knights out.

The dates are as follows:

• Oct. 5, 2024 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
• Sept. 14, 2030 at the Bounce House
• Sept. 3, 2033 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

Mohajir was blunt in his assessment of the Knights’ scheduling situation in a release:

“As I’ve said since arriving, we were in desperate need for games on our upcoming schedule. For the 2024 season specifically, we had three options. Play just 11 games instead of 12, play two FCS opponents, or play at Florida. We obviously made the best choice for our program and recruiting.”

Given those options, it was the correct call for Mohajir. It also signifies to the rest of college football that UCF is open for business in scheduling once again.

Series History

UCF has been blown out both times they have played Florida, in 1999 (58-27) and 2006 (42-0). Both games were in Gainesville. The 2030 game will mark the first time Florida has ever made the trip to UCF’s campus.

Home-and-home with Maryland

This will be the Knights’ second home-and-home with the Maryland Terrapins. The dates to pencil in:

• August 30, 2025 at Maryland
• September 9, 2028 at UCF

Series History

UCF and Maryland first met in 2016 at the Bounce House, in what was McKenzie Milton’s first career start as a UCF Knight. Despite five fumbles, Milton kept UCF in the game as the Knights forced double overtime before a controversial fumble call and subsequent touchdown gave the Terps a victory:

The following season, UCF traveled up to College Park for the first time. The game ended a 24-day layoff for the Knights after their season opener against FIU, thanks to Hurricane Irma. UCF showed exactly zero signs of rust en route to their second victory of their eventual 13-0 national championship season:

UCF’s next openings on the schedule are in 2023.