What is the Space Game? What to know about annual UCF football tradition

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It ranks high among UCF fans’ favorite weeks on the calendar.

On Friday, the Knights will turn into the Citronauts and compete in the ninth annual Space Game, a football tradition that honors the school’s ties to the space industry. UCF completes the celebration with new alternate uniforms each season.

This year’s contest takes on an additional layer of meaning because it’s against Houston, a program from another city with plenty of cosmic connections. Bragging rights, anyone?

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. at the Acrisure Bounce House. The game will air on FS1.

Here’s what you should know before then.

What is the UCF Space Game?

Since 2017, UCF commemorates its roots as a school founded with the goal of providing personnel for the United States space program at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

UCF designs special uniforms inspired by various aspects of space exploration. For 2025, its theme is “hyperspace,” a nod to its October 2024 partnership with the U.S. Air Force to launch the Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion — otherwise known as the HyperSpace Center.

The HyperSpace Center aims to advance the technology that fuels hypersonic travel — at speeds up to 13,000 miles per hour — to help enhance national defense and open up new frontiers in space exploration. It is located in the Central Florida Research Park, adjacent to the main campus in Orlando.

What is a Citronaut?

According to Pegasus, the university’s magazine, the Citronaut graced the cover of Florida Technological University’s 1968-69 student handbook. It had the head of an astronaut, including a space helmet, and the body of an orange.

Norman Van Meter, the brother-in-law of then-UCF President Charles Millican, illustrated the mascot in an attempt to combine Central Florida’s major themes of the period: the growing space program and the citrus industry. Both remain integral to the region to this day.

The Citronaut, however, was met with initial disapproval from FTU students. Within one year, they petitioned student government to establish an official mascot, eventually choosing “the Knights of Pegasus” in 1970.

UCF rebranded as the Golden Knights in 1993, and the moniker was shortened to Knights in 2007.

Nowadays, the Citronaut enjoys a large cult following and is a wildly popular secondary brand for the university’s athletic teams.

Is UCF undefeated in Space Games?

Yes, UCF is a perfect 8-0 in Space Games.

Scott Frost, now in the midst of the first year of his second stint as head coach, guided the ‘Nauts to victory in the inaugural Space Game — a 63-21 thrashing of East Carolina in 2017.

While UCF has endured a turbulent transition into the Big 12 Conference, the Space Game magic has not yet dissipated. The ‘Nauts clobbered No. 15 Oklahoma State 45-3 two years ago and held Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II to 25 rushing yards. Last year, Dylan Rizk threw three touchdowns in his first career start and RJ Harvey moved into second place on the school’s all-time rushing list as UCF blasted Arizona 56-12.

UCF football Space Game scores by year

  • Oct. 14, 2017 — UCF 63, East Carolina 21
  • Nov. 1, 2018 — UCF 52, Temple 40
  • Nov. 2, 2019 — UCF 44, Houston 29
  • Oct. 24, 2020 — UCF 51, Tulane 34
  • Oct. 22, 2021 — UCF 24, Memphis 7
  • Oct. 13, 2022 — UCF 70, Temple 13
  • Nov. 11, 2023 — UCF 45, Oklahoma State 3
  • Nov. 2, 2024 — UCF 56, Arizona 12

What is UCF’s average margin of victory in Space Games?

Incredibly, the average margin of victory seems to increase with each passing year. UCF has defeated its Space Game foes by 30.8 points per game across the eight matchups.

UCF Space Game uniforms 2025

For the ninth iteration of the tradition, the theme will be “hyperspace.” The Knights opted for a black base to their alternate threads, with light blue numbers and sleeves and “Space U” written down the left pant leg.

Does the UCF 50-yard line align with Cape Canaveral?

UCF opened its on-campus stadium in 2007 at a reported construction cost of $55 million. One of its defining features is the 50-yard line aligning in exact latitude with Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, approximately 48 miles due east.

Occasionally, fans are treated to rocket launches during UCF athletic events — such as the 2023 football season-opener against Kent State or March 2024 baseball game between the Knights and Oklahoma State.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF Knights football set for Space Game vs Houston. What’s that mean?

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