Why UCF Football Is Struggling in the Big 12 — And How the Knights Can Fix It

What is the difference between UCF and its Big 12 conference brethren? Money, pure and simple. UCF needs more of it. When the team was in the American, they could recruit speed from the state of Florida and outclass its opponents. Now they need speed and brawn, the kind that takes paying players more than UCF currently can. Being a younger school, UCF simply does not have the rich donor base many of the schools in the conference do. They have a large student population, and a fairly large number of graduates, but the alumni base is young. The school needs something catered towards that youth movement. My suggestion is a massive NIL fundraising campaign designed for those under 30. Over the last 4 years, UCF has handed out more than 60 thousand degrees. There are also almost 70 thousand students at the school currently. $30 from a majority of the young graduates and students would mean more than $2 million extra dollars a year for the Athletic Department to pour into getting better football players on the team. UCF has to find a way to use what it has to its advantage instead of worrying about its current woes.

While I’m writing this week about the struggles of UCF football, it’s just as bad everywhere else in the state. Florida tried hard again but got beat by the man they hope coaches them in the future. Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss over the Gators 34-24. Miami clings to playoff hopes after whipping NC State but looks like a longshot to make it to the ACC title game. FSU won, so they’re almost back to .500, but the worst stinger was USF ending any hopes of a Florida team being in the College Football Playoffs. The Bulls lose at Navy 41-38 after a spirited comeback. I expect Power 4 schools to come after Bulls Head Coach Alex Golesh even though the Bulls have faltered down the stretch.