UCF was founded in 1963 as Florida Tech

[AppleCornCy]

From Wikipedia:

Founded in 1963 by the Florida Legislature, UCF opened in 1968 as Florida Technological University, with the mission of providing personnel to support the growing U.S. space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida's Space Coast. As the school's academic scope expanded beyond engineering and technology, Florida Tech was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978. UCF's space roots continue, as it leads the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium.

They should have kept the name Florida Tech if you ask me.

 

[WhoISthis]

It is becoming less of a commuter school. And just huge overall. It is becoming tough to not have some relatively close connection to UCF if in Florida. It won't take much for them to get equal local attention as FSU if they are in contention or in the playoffs. Nationally the perception may be slower to change.

USF is actually an impressive growth profile academically. Unfortunately they have had a run of poor hires and missed an opportunity a few decades ago to purchase U of Tampa and move their campus downtown (where they are moving their med school)

I believe Iowa St once played U of Tampa, and Iowa used their facilities for bowl prep.

 

[AppleCornCy]

It is becoming less of a commuter school. And just huge overall. It is becoming tough to not have some relatively close connection to UCF if in Florida. It won't take much for them to get equal local attention as FSU if they are in contention or in the playoffs. Nationally the perception may be slower to change.

USF is actually an impressive growth profile academically. Unfortunately they have had a run of poor hires and missed an opportunity a few decades ago to purchase U of Tampa and move their campus downtown (where they are moving their med school)

I believe Iowa St once played U of Tampa, and Iowa used their facilities for bowl prep.

ISU hired Earl Bruce from U of Tampa. If they hadn’t had budget issues I wonder if they could have developed into another Miami. They beat Miami a couple times in the early 70s before going under.

 

[cyclones500]

They beat Miami a couple times in the early 70s before going under.

True.

1970: Tampa def. Miami, 31-14
1972: Tampa def. Miami, 7-0

1974: Miami def. Tampa, 28-26

 

[BearcatsUc]

It is becoming less of a commuter school. And just huge overall. It is becoming tough to not have some relatively close connection to UCF if in Florida. It won't take much for them to get equal local attention as FSU if they are in contention or in the playoffs. Nationally the perception may be slower to change.

USF is actually an impressive growth profile academically. Unfortunately they have had a run of poor hires and missed an opportunity a few decades ago to purchase U of Tampa and move their campus downtown (where they are moving their med school)

I believe Iowa St once played U of Tampa, and Iowa used their facilities for bowl prep.

I’ve noticed that these boards tend to describe UCF as a commuter school. The numbers suggest otherwise.

The number of applicants to UCF is over 44,000, which I’m pretty sure dwarfs any other school in the B12. The location alone certainly makes it an attractive destination for those outside of Orlando, though UCF’s own site says that only 9% are from out of state.

It should also be noted that UCF’s acceptance rate is 44% and 25th/75th percentile ACT score is 25/30, with an average of 28.7. which places UCF above any other school in the B12, except maybe TCU and Baylor.

I have no connection to UCF, other than that I’ve been fascinated with their rapid rise.

How Competitive Is University of Central Florida's Admissions Process?

Applying to University of Central Florida? Here are the UCF admissions statistics you should know, including acceptance rate and average GPA/SAT/ACT.

www.thoughtco.com

UCF Facts 2023-2024 | University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL

All about UCF: Campus Information, Carnegie Classification, degrees offered, cost of attendance, top degrees, student profile & more.

www.ucf.edu

 

[AlaCyclone]

True.

1970: Tampa def. Miami, 31-14
1972: Tampa def. Miami, 7-0

1974: Miami def. Tampa, 28-26

Dropping Knowledge!

 

[4cy16]

Former ICCC and NFL star, John Matuszak, played at the University of Tampa.

John Matuszak - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[WhoISthis]

I’ve noticed that these boards tend to describe UCF as a commuter school. The numbers suggest otherwise.

The number of applicants to UCF is over 44,000, which I’m pretty sure dwarfs any other school in the B12. The location alone certainly makes it an attractive destination for those outside of Orlando, though UCF’s own site says that only 9% are from out of state.

It should also be noted that UCF’s acceptance rate is 44% and 25th/75th percentile ACT score is 25/30, with an average of 28.7. which places UCF above any other school in the B12, except maybe TCU and Baylor.

I have no connection to UCF, other than that I’ve been fascinated with their rapid rise.

How Competitive Is University of Central Florida's Admissions Process?

Applying to University of Central Florida? Here are the UCF admissions statistics you should know, including acceptance rate and average GPA/SAT/ACT.

www.thoughtco.com

UCF Facts 2023-2024 | University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL

All about UCF: Campus Information, Carnegie Classification, degrees offered, cost of attendance, top degrees, student profile & more.

www.ucf.edu

Compared to what most think of as state colleges, it was a commuter school. But it’s rapidly distancing from that. (Plus the on-campus large dorms vs off-campus housing dynamics have changed everywhere). It will never have the feel of these older universities- between being built in the flat side of Orlando and having much of the infrastructure built in the unfortunate architectural era of the 60’s and 70’s and 80’s, it has suburban strip mall vibes compared to the idyllic campuses we know

10 years ago you’d see a ton of UF/FSU gear, and other SEC teams, on campus at UCF and USF. I’m more familiar with USF, but there is way more school pride now. As you would expect given the youth of the institution, it’ll rapidly change as the second generation of these massive graduating classes starts to matriculate.

I believe UCF has pre preeminent status in the state, whereas USF is equal to UF and FSU. USF average ACT is like 31 or something. They’re not jucos. Just new

 

[cyclones500]

From Wikipedia:

Founded in 1963 by the Florida Legislature, UCF opened in 1968 as Florida Technological University, with the mission of providing personnel to support the growing U.S. space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida's Space Coast. As the school's academic scope expanded beyond engineering and technology, Florida Tech was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978. UCF's space roots continue, as it leads the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium.

They should have kept the name Florida Tech if you ask me.

Florida Tech definitely sounds more "college-like," vs. directional-schoolish.

I realize that doesn't change anything relevant, more a perception thing ... USC is "directional" (Southern California) and UCLA is a hyphen-school (University of California-Los Angeles.

 

[WhoISthis]

Florida Tech definitely sounds more "college-like," vs. directional-schoolish.

I realize that doesn't change anything relevant, more a perception thing ... USC is "directional" (Southern California) and UCLA is a hyphen-school (University of California-Los Angeles.

To each his own. I think it’s purely a mental calibration thing. No one hesitates like you said with the California schools.

If UCF continues to have high level of success, kids born now won’t think anything of it.

There is a Florida Polytechnic between Tampa and Orlando, which used to be part of USF. And a FIT in Melbourne, which is private.

 

[Scruff]

I wanna rename them the University of Florida - Orlando and change the mascot to an astronaut with an orange for his head. They would then been the UFO Citranauts.

 

[WhoISthis]

I wanna rename them the University of Florida - Orlando and change the mascot to an astronaut with an orange for his head. They would then been the UFO Citranauts.

It would fit, one of the catalysts of founding UCF was the need to have a near university to support Cape Canaveral activities. It’s actually faster to get to a beach from UCF (35-40 miles) than USF in tampa.

 

[harimad]

They can no longer be Florida Tech, as Florida Institute of Technology now has that name.

 

[Jeh]

Florida Tech definitely sounds more "college-like," vs. directional-schoolish.

I realize that doesn't change anything relevant, more a perception thing ... USC is "directional" (Southern California) and UCLA is a hyphen-school (University of California-Los Angeles.

Correct. Directions are used simply because the two primary names for state schools (XX and XX State) are taken. The only reason they have a negative connotation is because in small states, the third university and beyond are usually not as prominent.

 

[Jeh]

They can no longer be Florida Tech, as Florida Institute of Technology now has that name.

Not to mention the reason they changed it in the first place is because they expanded their academics beyond the technology focus.

 

[CascadeClone]

I wanna rename them the University of Florida - Orlando and change the mascot to an astronaut with an orange for his head. They would then been the UFO Citranauts.

UFO is brilliant. Love it.

 

[jcyclonee]

Former ICCC and NFL star, John Matuszak, played at the University of Tampa.

John Matuszak - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Legend has it that John Matuszak is famous at ICCC for beating up an elevator.

 

[jcyclonee]

I wanna rename them the University of Florida - Orlando and change the mascot to an astronaut with an orange for his head. They would then been the UFO Citranauts.

I like it. However, to reflect their history of being a feeder school for the technology and physics of space travel, I propose that they change the name to Florida University of Cybernetics and Kinetics.

 

[deadeyededric]

Florida State was an all women's school until the early 1900s.

 

[everyyard]

USC is a directional school. FWIW.