We cringe about writing this for many reasons, but one of them is as soon as UCF Fan reads this list they'll accuse us of being obsessed with them. Allow us to present Exhibit A: which is that we've done everything we can to ignore them during our four years of our existence. We wished this day wouldn't have ever come. But now they're in our league, literally and figuratively. That doesn't mean we like it... or them for that matter.

As a school and a blog, we've had great interactions with fans of many college teams over the years. We've found Louisville fans to be intensely loyal, UConn fans to be bright and funny, and we always loved seeing Marquette people at conference tournaments and before and after games (they really know how to party). I still root for Auburn all other things being equal because of the incredibly classy way we were treated by their fans after we won at Jordan-Hare in '07. And I think as a rule, USF has for the most part played a good host when others have visited us too.

And then there's Oviedo.

This isn't a fun "rivalry" full of witty banter and good spirit. It's downright mean and awful, and I hate that we have to play these games. I think most USF fans would agree with me, or at least the ones that have been there. The trashed parking lot at Ray Jay in '05 (I worked for USF Athletics then and had to get our Rocky mascot some cover due to him being punched and heckled so badly in the parking lot by UCF fans before this game), or their fans keying the car of a friend of mine with a USF license plate at a baseball game, or the things I've been called while walking to and from basketball, soccer, and volleyball games on their campus (and yes, I was just keeping to myself).. I've seen it get ugly.

One thing I hope this edition provides since the other team is the favorite this time: let's hope everyone is at least civil to each other. Celebrate, party, cheer your face off, enjoy it... but don't be a jerk.

Consider this list the Reader's Digest version of what it could be. Believe me, finding the correct sources took a lot longer than thinking of what to write.

UCF is going to beat USF on Friday night in all likelihood. The Knights will win a conference championship (which their fans deservedly point out USF has never done) and lock up a spot in a BCS game.



Am I bitter? Absolutely, but not at UCF, their team, or even their fans. I'm angry at USF for allowing this to happen. That 27 point spread is an acknowledgement of how far behind the Bulls have allowed their former idiot distant cousin to come. It's a notarized letter showing how we've slipped administratively, and that it will take years to make up the ground we've given to the school none of us ever respected. Look at everything above... you can't stay ahead of THAT??





I worked at USF Athletics for 5.5 years ('02-'07), and can verify we laughed at UCF and the decisions they made forever. If UCF did it, it was most likely wrong and for sure short-sighted. Just look at the way each school handed the conference realignment shuffle in 2003: USF was flawless, subtle, and well-planned. UCF was so over-the-top and preposterous no one wanted to do business with them. It was a perfect example of better management winning out over a sideshow.





And now the shoe is on the other foot. This tweet sums it up perfectly.

The irony of UCF/USF FB: UCF is good b/c those in charge weren't held responsible. USF is bad b/c those in charge weren't held responsible — The Doctor (@GregariousMatt) November 27, 2013

So feel free to despise UCF as they're a team very worthy of scorn. But instead of hating them for their recent success... USF needs to think long and hard about what needs to happen to surpass them again.

So on Friday, even when cringing while watching them in full plume, do what USF fans have done for decades and just remember: It's UCF. They'll find a way to screw it up eventually.