The 2015 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference (The American), defending conference co-champions, and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida. The Knights were led by head coach George O'Leary, who was in his 12th and final season with the team. After starting the season 0–6, O'Leary resigned as UCF's interim athletic director, a position he had held since June when Todd Stansbury left for the same position at Oregon State. Following UCF's 59–10 defeat by Houston on homecoming, dropping the Knights to an 0–8 record, O'Leary resigned as head football coach. Quarterbacks coach Danny Barrett served as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
The 2015 season was UCF's third in the American Athletic Conference, and the first year the conference split into two divisions. This was the Knights' first season since 2011 in which they would fail to be eligible for postseason play. This campaign marks UCF's third winless season in program history (along with the 1982 and 2004 seasons).
Coming just two years after the banner BCS-bowl-winning 2013 season that saw them finish in the top 10 nationally, and a year after winning the conference for the second straight year, the 2015 season was not just a failure, but a shocking one. In the aftermath, UCF finally moved on from the O'Leary era and hired renowned offensive coordinator Scott Frost from the Oregon Ducks to be their head coach. After a 6–7 2016 bounce-back campaign, the Knights would go undefeated in 2017 and win the Peach Bowl, completing a turnaround from 0–12 to 13–0 in just two years.
Personnel
Coaching staff
Roster
Recruiting class
Schedule
The 2015 schedule was officially released by The American on February 19, 2015. The 2015 schedule is the first for the conference under a new permanent system developed to address expanded membership and the creation of divisions. UCF will face eight conference opponents: Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, Houston, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa. The Knights will also play four non-conference games: Florida International (C-USA), Furman (FCS), South Carolina (SEC), and Stanford (Pac-12).
Source:
Game summaries
FIU
This was the fourth meeting between UCF and the FIU Golden Panthers, with the series tied 2–2. The Knights won the previous meeting, a 38–0 shutout at FIU in 2013. FIU got onboard first with a field goal. UCF then responded with two touchdowns by Jordan Akins to take a 14–3 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Knights were plagued with defensive struggles which allowed FIU to take the lead 15–14. UCF then set up within field goal distance with thirty-seconds left; however, a Matthew Wright field goal was blocked and FIU ran out the clock.
The loss was UCF's first to a Florida opponent since September 17, 2011, UCF's first meeting with FIU, as well as UCF's first home opener loss since 2007 to Texas. The loss also marks UCF's first home loss since September 28, 2013 to South Carolina, as well as UCF's first Thursday night loss since November 3, 2011 against Tulsa.
Stanford
This was the first meeting between UCF and the Stanford Cardinal. The trip represented the longest travel for any FBS team during the 2015 season, at 2,427 miles. The loss also results in UCF's second consecutive season starting with an 0–2 record.
Furman
This was the second meeting between UCF and the Furman Paladins, with the Paladins winning a 1984 game, 42–6. This was QB Bo Schneider's first career start, going 7-for-11 for 63 yards. UCF initially took a 12–0 lead, which included the first sacks of the season for defense, one of those resulting in a safety. After getting a turnover on downs, Furman scored a touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the half. At the third quarter, Tyler Harris started as QB. A few minutes into the 3rd quarter, Furman scored a 61-yard touchdown which gave them the lead 13–12. Towards the end of the quarter, UCF kicked a field goal to retake the lead 15–13. Furman responded with a 55-yard field goal to retake the lead 16–15. With forty-nine seconds remaining, QB Tyler Harris threw an interception which sealed the victory for the Paladins. The game marked the Knights first loss to an FCS team since ascending to Division I-A (FBS) in 1996 (20–1), as well as their first 0–3 start since 2004.