UCF Football Schedule Announced

Trio of ESPN Broadcasts Highlight 2008 UCF Football Schedule

ORLANDO, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - Following their first Conference USA Championship season, the UCF Knights were selected for three national television appearances on ESPN in 2008, as C-USA officials released next year's conference football schedule and ESPN telecasts for its 12 league members on Tuesday.

C-USA's network partner, CBS College Sports Television, now begins its process in selecting its league television schedule. UCF's Homecoming and Family Weekend dates will not be available until after the completion of the team's full broadcast schedule in the spring. Game times for all UCF football contests will also be determined at a later date.

ESPN will first televise UCF's home game against cross-state rival USF on Friday, Sept. 5 at Bright House Networks Stadium. Towards the middle of the schedule, ESPN then tapped UCF to play in back-to-back Sunday night C-USA showdowns at Tulsa on Oct. 26 and home against East Carolina on Nov. 2.

"Obviously, we are pleased with the national television exposure we have for the upcoming season," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. "This is a very competitive schedule and one we are looking forward to playing."

The Knights will open the 2008 campaign at home vs. South Carolina State on Aug. 30. UCF concluded the 2007 season by winning six straight at Bright House Networks Stadium, including the 2007 C-USA Championship Game. The meeting with the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Bulldogs will be the first in program history.

Following their Friday night clash with the Bulls, UCF will have its first of two bye weeks during the campaign. The team will then travel to Boston College to face the Golden Eagles for the first time in school history on Saturday, Sept. 20. BC will be the first of two ACC opponents on the schedule for the Knights.

UCF will then open its C-USA slate the following Saturday, Sept. 27 at UTEP. It will be the first time the Knights travel to El Paso. The Knights clinched the C-USA East title by winning the first match-up between the two schools in Orlando last year.

SMU and new head coach June Jones will visit the Sunshine State for the C-USA home opener on Oct. 4 before the team travels to Miami (Fla.) to face the Hurricanes for the first time in program history on Oct. 11. The contest will be played at Dolphin Stadium, which will be serving as the first-year home for the UM football program in 2008.

With non-conference play wrapped up for the season, the Knights receive their second bye on Oct. 18 before settling in for a stretch of six-consecutive league contests. The first will be one of the two Sunday night contests on the docket as UCF travels to Tulsa for a rematch of the 2007 C-USA title game on Oct. 26. The Knights are 2-1 all-time against the Golden Hurricane and will be playing in Tulsa for the first time.

UCF returns home for its next Sunday night tilt of the season with East-division foe East Carolina on Nov. 2. The Pirates dealt the Knights their only loss in league play a year ago. The Knights will face another East-division rival the next Saturday as Southern Miss visits Orlando for a Nov. 8 showdown.

Following the contest with the Golden Eagles, the Knights return to the road for back-to-back league games. UCF plays at Marshall on Nov. 15 and at Memphis on Nov. 22 before returning home to face UAB on Thanksgiving weekend. The match-up with the Blazers is set for Nov. 29 and marks the third-consecutive year the Knights close out their regular season at home on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets for the 2008 campaign are now on-sale. Call [phone] to order your tickets today, or go online to order at UCFAthletics.com. As a reminder to current season ticket holders, renewals are due into the UCFAA Ticket Office by Tuesday, April 1. Single-game tickets will go on-sale August 1. Information on purchasing tickets to any of UCF's road games in 2008 will also be updated on the team's official website at UCFAthletics.com.

The Knights will open spring practice on March 19 and hold its first spring game in Bright House Networks Stadium on April 12 at 3 p.m. as part of the 2008 UCF Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend. Tickets to the spring game are $5 and can be purchased in advance at the stadium box office. New season ticket holders will also have their own select-a-seat event at the stadium at 12 p.m. on April 12, prior to the gates opening at 1 p.m. for the spring game.

For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.

2008 UCF FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 - South Carolina State
Sept. 5 (Fri.) - USF (ESPN)
Sept. 20 - at Boston College
Sept. 27 - at UTEP
Oct. 4 - SMU
Oct. 11 - at Miami (Fla.)
Oct. 26 (Sun.) - at Tulsa (ESPN)
Nov. 2 (Sun.) - East Carolina (ESPN)
Nov. 8 - Southern Miss
Nov. 15 - at Marshall
Nov. 22 - at Memphis
Nov. 29 - UAB


Conference USA games in bold