Now official: Florida, UCF announce three-game football series

Florida officially announced Tuesday that it has added a three-game series with UCF to its schedules for the 2024, 2030 and 2033 football seasons. 

The Gators will face the Knights in Gainesville in 2024 and 2033, and UF will make the short trek to Orlando in 2030. The pairing was previously reported my multiple media outlets. 

The two in-state foes have only met twice as Florida has won both contests. The teams first played in 1999, when the Gators raced to a 58-27 victory. In the second game of the 2006 National Championship season, Florida blanked UCF, 42-0. Both games were played in Gainesville.

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Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin got the deal he requested but only after former UCF AD Danny White left Orlando to take the same position at Tennessee. White wanted a two-game, home-and-home series. Since UCF is not a Power Five school, Stricklin only would sign on for a two-for-one scenario or a neutral-site matchup.

Over the next decade, the future non-conference opponents feature Notre Dame, Texas, Utah, Cal, Colorado, Arizona State, and NC State, on top of in-state foes Miami, USF, and the annual matchup against Florida State.

Florida Gators' future Power Five Non-Conference opponents

2021: Florida State

2022: Utah, at Florida State

2023: at Utah

2024: Miami, UCF

2025: at Miami

2026: Cal, at NC State

2027: at Cal

2028: Colorado, at Arizona State

2029: at Colorado

2030: Texas, at UCF

2031: at Texas, Arizona State, at Notre Dame

2032: Notre Dame, NC State

2033: UCF