Conference USA Football Championship
Encyclopedia
The Conference USA Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of Conference USA
. From 1996–2004, the champion of Conference USA was determined by regular season record. In 2005, following the division of the conference into East and West Divisions and an expansion to twelve members, the conference began holding a championship game between the two division winners. The team with the better regular season record serves as the host team. From 2005 through 2010, C-USA was the only FBS conference not to have its championship game at a neutral site. Starting in 2011, the newly expanded Pac-12 will also hold its championship game at the home of the team with the best record.
The first C-USA Championship Game was played on December 3, 2005 between Tulsa
and UCF, with Tulsa winning 44–27. It was held at the Citrus Bowl
in Orlando
, which was then UCF's home field.
Each year, the game has been televised live on ESPN College Football
. In the 2006 season, the game was moved from Saturday afternoon to Friday night.
The winner of the C-USA Championship traditionally receives a berth to play in the Liberty Bowl
. However, the Liberty Bowl is not contractually obligated to choose the game's winner. If a C-USA team finished undefeated and ranked in the top 12 of the BCS
, it could receive an at-large bid to a BCS bowl. The loser of the C-USA championship game receives a bid in one of C-USA's six other bowl berths. Historically the C-USA runner up played in the GMAC Bowl (now the GoDaddy.com Bowl) against a team from the Mid-American Conference
, but Conference USA's ties with that bowl ended in 2009 and the conference was replaced by the Sun Belt Conference
(Ladd Peebles Stadium
, where the game is held, will be used by future Sun Belt football school South Alabama
).
East Division
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. From 1996–2004, the champion of Conference USA was determined by regular season record. In 2005, following the division of the conference into East and West Divisions and an expansion to twelve members, the conference began holding a championship game between the two division winners. The team with the better regular season record serves as the host team. From 2005 through 2010, C-USA was the only FBS conference not to have its championship game at a neutral site. Starting in 2011, the newly expanded Pac-12 will also hold its championship game at the home of the team with the best record.
The first C-USA Championship Game was played on December 3, 2005 between Tulsa
Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
The University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh....
and UCF, with Tulsa winning 44–27. It was held at the Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, which was then UCF's home field.
Each year, the game has been televised live on ESPN College Football
ESPN College Football
ESPN College Football is the branding used for broadcasts of NCAA Division I FBS college football across ESPN properties, including ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Classic, ESPNU, and ESPN Radio...
. In the 2006 season, the game was moved from Saturday afternoon to Friday night.
The winner of the C-USA Championship traditionally receives a berth to play in the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
. However, the Liberty Bowl is not contractually obligated to choose the game's winner. If a C-USA team finished undefeated and ranked in the top 12 of the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
, it could receive an at-large bid to a BCS bowl. The loser of the C-USA championship game receives a bid in one of C-USA's six other bowl berths. Historically the C-USA runner up played in the GMAC Bowl (now the GoDaddy.com Bowl) against a team from the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
, but Conference USA's ties with that bowl ended in 2009 and the conference was replaced by the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
(Ladd Peebles Stadium
Ladd Peebles Stadium
Ladd Peebles Stadium is a stadium in Mobile, Alabama. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field for the Senior Bowl, the GoDaddy.com Bowl, the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic, and the University of South Alabama Jaguars...
, where the game is held, will be used by future Sun Belt football school South Alabama
South Alabama Jaguars football
The South Alabama Jaguars football program, established in 2009, will be a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I FBS and the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.-History:...
).
Divisions
West Division- Houston CougarsHouston Cougars footballThe Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
- Rice OwlsRice Owls footballThe Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
- SMU MustangsSMU Mustangs footballThe SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
- Tulane Green WaveTulane Green Wave footballThe Tulane Green Wave football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents Tulane University in New Orleans. The team is a member of Conference USA and is led by interim head coach Mark Hutson, who took over on October 18, 2011, when fifth-year head coach Bob Toledo resigned...
- Tulsa Golden HurricaneTulsa Golden Hurricane footballThe University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh....
- UTEP MinersUTEP Miners footballThe UTEP Miners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Texas at El Paso . With a history dating back to 1914, UTEP currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of Conference USA . UTEP currently plays their home games at the Sun Bowl...
East Division
- East Carolina PiratesEast Carolina Pirates footballThe East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
- Marshall Thundering HerdMarshall Thundering Herd footballThe Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
- Memphis TigersMemphis Tigers footballThe Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Tigers compete in Conference USA...
- Southern Miss Golden EaglesSouthern Miss Golden Eagles footballThe Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are members of Conference USA and player their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi...
- UAB BlazersUAB Blazers footballThe University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers college football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , as a member of the East Division of Conference USA . UAB plays its home games at Legion Field, which is located off-campus in Birmingham, Alabama...
- UCF Knights
Past winners
Conference USA champions (1996–2004)
- APAP PollThe Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
final rankings shown, following bowl gamesSeason Champion(s) Conf.
recordOverall
recordBowl result 1996 1996 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Florida Gators crowned National Champions, but not as unanimously as the Bowl Alliance would have hoped....
4-1 7-5 lost 4-1 8-3 1997 1997 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
#22 6-0 9-3 won 1998 1998 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL...
#7 Tulane 1998 Tulane Green Wave football teamThe 1998 Tulane Green Wave football team represented Tulane University in the 1998 college football season. The Green Wave finished with a record of 12 wins and no losses, one of only two NCAA Division 1-A teams to complete the season undefeated, the other being the BCS champion Tennessee...
6-0 12-0 won 1999 1999 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State named national champions, defeating Virginia Tech in the BCS Sugar Bowl.Florida State became the first team in history to start out preseason #1 and remain there through the entire season. Their 12-0 season gave them 109 victories in the...
#14 6-0 9-3 won 2000 2000 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Oklahoma Sooners claiming their first national championship and their first conference championship since the departure of head coach Barry Switzer....
6-1 9-3 lost 2001 2001 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
#17 6-1 11-2 won 2002 2002 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
#23 6-2 11-2 won 6-2 7-7 lost New Orleans Bowl 2002 New Orleans BowlThe 2002 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl featured the and the . It was North Texas' second consecutive New Orleans Bowl appearance.Quarterback Gino Guidugli got Cincinnati on the board first with a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tye Keith, to give Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. Nick Bazaldua connected on...2003 2003 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
8-0 9-4 lost Liberty Bowl 2003 Liberty BowlThe 2003 AXA Liberty Bowl, played on December 31, 2003, was the 45th edition of the Liberty Bowl. The game was played between the Utah Utes, and the , in front of 55,989 fans....2004 2004 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
#6 Louisville 2004 Louisville Cardinals football teamThe 2004 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2004 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his second year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
8-0 11-1 won Liberty Bowl 2004 Liberty BowlThe 2004 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, played on December 31, 2004, was the 46th edition of the Liberty Bowl. The game was played between Boise State, and Louisville, in front of 58,355 fans....
Conference USA Championship Game (since 2005)
| Season | Date | West | Score | East | Site | Attendance | Game notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football... |
December 3, 2005 | 44-27 | UCF | Citrus Bowl Citrus Bowl The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people.... (Orlando Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... ) |
51,978 | Notes 2005 Conference USA Football Championship Game The 2005 Conference USA Football Championship Game was played on December 3, 2005 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida to determine the 2005 football champion of Conference USA . The game featured the UCF Golden Knights, the East Division champions, and the , the West Division champions... |
|
| 2006 | December 1, 2006 | Houston 2006 Houston Cougars football team The 2006 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH represented the University of Houston in the college football 2006-2007 season. It was the 61st year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by fourth year head football coach, Art Briles... |
34-20 | Robertson Stadium Robertson Stadium John O'Quinn Field at Corbin J. Robertson Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, located on the campus of the University of Houston. It is the home of the Houston Cougars football and women's soccer teams... (Houston) |
31,818 | Notes 2006 Conference USA Football Championship Game The 2006 Conference USA Football Championship Game was played on December 1, 2006 at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas to determine the 2006 football champion of the Conference USA . The game featured the , the East Division champions, and the Houston Cougars, the West Division champions... |
|
| 2007 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top... |
December 1, 2007 | 25-44 | UCF 2007 UCF Knights football team The 2007 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach is George O'Leary... |
Bright House Networks Stadium Bright House Networks Stadium Bright House Networks Stadium is the football stadium for the University of Central Florida’s football team, nicknamed the Knights. Located in Knights Plaza on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, the stadium was the first on-campus stadium in NCAA Division I... (Orlando Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... ) |
44,128 | Notes 2007 Conference USA Football Championship Game The 2007 Conference USA Football Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 between the UCF Knights, the champion of C-USA's East Division, and the West Division champion, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida... |
|
| 2008 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2... |
December 6, 2008 | Tulsa 2008 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team The 2008 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represented the University of Tulsa in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Todd Graham, in his second year at Tulsa. They played home games at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma and competed in the... |
24-27 | East Carolina 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2008-09. and plays their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium... |
Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium (Tulsa Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's... ) |
22,740 | Notes |
| 2009 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the... |
December 5, 2009 | #21 Houston 2009 Houston Cougars football team The 2009 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the college football 2009–2010 season. It was the 64th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by second year head football coach, Kevin Sumlin... |
32-38 | East Carolina 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2009-10 and played their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The team was coached by Skip Holtz, who was in his fifth and final year with the program... |
Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium (Greenville, NC Greenville, North Carolina Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina... ) |
33,048 | Notes 2009 Conference USA Football Championship Game The 2009 Conference USA Football Championship Game was played on December 5, 2009 between the East Carolina Pirates, the champion of Conference USA's East Division, and the West Division champion Houston Cougars at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina... |
| 2010 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for... |
December 4, 2010 | SMU 2010 SMU Mustangs football team The 2010 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs, led by third-year head coach June Jones, were members of Conference USA in the West Division and played their home games at Gerald J... |
7-17 | #21 UCF | Bright House Networks Stadium Bright House Networks Stadium Bright House Networks Stadium is the football stadium for the University of Central Florida’s football team, nicknamed the Knights. Located in Knights Plaza on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, the stadium was the first on-campus stadium in NCAA Division I... (Orlando Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... ) |
41,045 | Notes 2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game The 2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game presented by HotelPlanner.com was played on December 4, 2010 at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, FL. The game was played between the UCF Knights, winner of Conference USA's East Division, and the SMU Mustangs, the winner the West... |
| 2011 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level, began on Thursday, September 1, 2011... |
December 3, 2011 | #6 Houston 2011 Houston Cougars football team The 2011 Houston Cougars football team represents the University of Houston in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It is the 66th year of season play for Houston... |
#24 Southern Miss 2011 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team The 2011 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represents the University of Southern Mississippi in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Eagles will be led by fourth year head coach Larry Fedora and will play their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium... |
Robertson Stadium Robertson Stadium John O'Quinn Field at Corbin J. Robertson Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, located on the campus of the University of Houston. It is the home of the Houston Cougars football and women's soccer teams... (Houston) |
Notes 2011 Conference USA Football Championship Game The 2011 Conference USA Football Championship Game will be played on December 3, 2011 between Southern Miss and Houston—the winners of Conference USA's East and West Divisions, respectively.... |
Game notes
- The 2005 game was advertised as Conference USA Championship Presented by Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. Following the victory, Tulsa received 3 votes in the AP PollAP PollThe Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, but did not reach the top 25. Following a victory in the , Tulsa received 34 votes in the AP Poll, but still did not reach the top 25, ranking 27th overall. - The 2006 game was advertised as Conference USA Championship Presented by AéropostaleAéropostale (clothing)Aéropostale, Inc. is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14-to-17-year-old young women and men through its Aéropostale stores and 7-to-12-year-old kids through its P.S. from Aéropostale stores...
. Following the victory, Houston received 21 votes in the AP PollAP PollThe Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, but did not reach the top 25, ranking 29th. Houston did not receive any votes in the final poll. - The 2007 game was advertised as the Bright House NetworksBright House NetworksBright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
Conference USA Championship. UCF's Kevin Smith rushed for 284 yards, bringing his season total to 2,448, which stands as the second-most single season rushing yards in NCAA history. Following the victory, UCF received 35 votes in the AP Poll, but did not reach the top 25, ranking 27th. - Through 2008, no team entered or left the game ranked in any major poll.
- The 2009 game was the first game in which one of the contenders was ranked in the top 25 when #18 Houston2009 Houston Cougars football teamThe 2009 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the college football 2009–2010 season. It was the 64th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by second year head football coach, Kevin Sumlin...
played East Carolina2009 East Carolina Pirates football teamThe 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2009-10 and played their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The team was coached by Skip Holtz, who was in his fifth and final year with the program...
on December 5, 2009. East Carolina also had received 3 votes in the AP Poll. East Carolina won the competition and was the first to have won two championship games in the conference and was also the first to win two consecutive championship games in the conference. - The 2010 game was advertised as the Conference USA Championship presented by HotelPlanner.com. Going into the game, UCF was ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll. UCF received 12 votes in the AP PollAP PollThe Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, ranking 31st, 74 votes in the Harris PollHarris Interactive College Football PollThe Harris Interactive College Football Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football teams. The rankings are compiled by Harris Interactive, a market research company that specializes in Internet research....
, ranking 27th, and two votes in the Legends PollLegends PollThe Legends Poll is a college football poll that rates the Top 25 teams weekly during the college football season. Its aim is to identify the two best teams in its opinion by the end of the season to compete in the BCS national championship game. The group is currently made up of 17 retired...
, ranking 31st. SMU had no votes in any poll entering the title game. Following the victory, UCF received 143 votes in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, ranking 24th, 63 votes in the AP PollAP PollThe Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, ranking 26th, and finished the season ranked 25th in the final 2010 BCS Standings. UCF became the first team to finish the season nationally ranked following the championship game. UCF also became the first C-USA team to finish the season ranked in the final BCS Standings after playing in the conference title game.
Results by team
| Appearances | School | W | L | Pct | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Tulsa | 1 | 2 | .333 | |
| 3 | UCF | 2 | 1 | .667 | |
| 2 | East Carolina | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 2 | Houston | 1 | 1 | .500 | |
| 1 | Southern Miss | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 1 | SMU | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 0 | Marshall | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| 0 | Memphis | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| 0 | Rice | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| 0 | Tulane | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| 0 | UAB | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| 0 | UTEP | 0 | 0 | N/A |
MVPs
| Season | MVP | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football... |
Garrett Mills Garrett Mills Michael Garrett Mills is an American football tight end with the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft... |
Tulsa Tulsa Golden Hurricane football The University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh.... |
TE |
| 2006 | Vincent Marshall Vincent Marshall Vincent Marshall is a professional Canadian football wide receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football for the Houston Cougars.Marshall has also played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary... |
Houston Houston Cougars football The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by... |
WR |
| 2007 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top... |
Kevin Smith Kevin Smith (running back) Kevin Smith is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Central Florida.-Early years:Smith attended Southridge High School... |
UCF 2007 UCF Knights football team The 2007 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach is George O'Leary... |
RB |
| 2008 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2... |
Travis Simmons | ECU 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2008-09. and plays their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium... |
CB |
| 2009 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the... |
Dwayne Harris Dwayne Harris Dwayne Lenard Harris is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at East Carolina. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as the eleventh pick of the sixth round.-High School:... |
ECU 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2009-10 and played their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The team was coached by Skip Holtz, who was in his fifth and final year with the program... |
WR |
| 2010 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for... |
Latavius Murray | UCF 2010 UCF Knights football team The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a... |
RB |