The Real Case for War

The internet has been buzzing with fans discussing recent comments by USF Athletic Director Rob Higgin’s desire to bring back the War on I 4 as a yearly rivalry game played between the USF Bulls and the UCF Knights.

UCF twitter seems to be taking the “We are too good to play USF now. We are in the Big 12 and the game doesn’t benefit us” card. Vintage go-to lines they fought against just a few years ago when they too were in the American Conference. UCF Athletic Director Terry Mohajir’s recent offer of a one off game played in the Bounce House is more twitter fodder than serious offer. It’s very obvious that it won’t be accepted. It shouldn’t be.

USF fans in most cases want to see the rivalry return, some could care less for games against the Knights. USF is playing in the American Conference which offers a pretty lack luster schedule and annual rivalry games are rare between power 4 teams and group of 6 teams. But they do happen.

So why I am writing about this? There have been a few articles put out lately on the topic, but I think there is something missing from the conversation right now that both fan bases need to really think about…

What are we all doing here?

And by that I mean have any of us taken a break from worrying about the other’s conference TV revenue payout to just remember why we like college football at all? The powers that be have manipulated and distorted the sport so much it’s hard to remember what we’re even after anymore. Between NIL, the portal, and the slow march towards a Power 2 framework - the sport just isn’t the same.

Sure we want to win… We know that much. But what are we actually competing for?

Conference championships? [USF still is — *insert tears*]

Last year’s Big 12 champion, Texas Tech, spent an estimated 28 million dollars on its 2025 roster. And that roster went to the playoff and got vaporized by Oregon 0-23. Oregon also spends in the 23+ million range. Needless to say… UCF does not have that kind of NIL juice. In the pre-NIL era, there’s no doubt the Knights would be able to operate near the top of the Big 12. Maybe you don’t want to read that but I am not here to tell sugar coated lies. They were absolutely MOVING in that era just before NIL changed the sport forever.

USF on the other hand has an NIL advantage in a G6 conference - and still manages to blow it. But theoretically we could win the American if we ever finally put things together. A big time win over someone like Navy or Tulane would be our crown jewel? And don’t get me wrong - USF needs to win a championship - the fans deserve that much. But in this watered down American with FAU and UAB… the trophy will mean more than the actual game. That win will be a relief from the years of suffering, but it won’t live in your head like the win at FSU in 2009, at Miami in 2010, or in the Swamp in 2025 [quick reminder UCF has never collected any of these]. All that and we will still have to compete with the new PAC12 champion for the playoff spot. A playoff that the mighty Big 12 is just 1-8 in.

So back to why we are all here… Whats left of being a fan of these programs? Where are the memories found when your best post season prospect is facing a 30 million dollar roster that will dismantle you in the playoff?

Is it not games like this?

Players like this?

Moments like this?

Highlights like this?

Catches like this?

And have we forgotten about this?

Out of no where we came up with one of the best trophies in all of college football.

I am tired of reading the low IQ takes online about “We are in the Big 12 and we don’t have the space in our schedule. We’re past playing USF.” I file them in with my own fan base’s claims of “We don’t need to play UCF, they aren’t even good in the Big 12.” We had a national championship at the end of each season and we pissed it away on petty grievances. Griping over revenue and conference affiliation. Superiority neither of us really have. Worried about getting to a playoff neither are going to be successful in anyway. Not with how the game is structured right now anyway.

And I get it - UCF OGs remember the days when USF turned their noses up at them. Look where it got us? I understand the bitterness. I understand why they want to flex on USF and “move on” just as we thought we would. But some things you can’t move on from. Some things are just in your soul. Things like hate.

And I hate UCF Football. I do. But I need that hate. I love the hate. Because I love college football. And I am smart enough to know why I love it.

And if UCF wants to play pretend rivalry with a different Big 12 team every year - coming up with dumb nicknames for random conference games with teams 800+ miles away - there’s not much to be done about it. You want to cheerlead your athletic director for scheduling out of conference games that don’t matter to anyone? Go for it I guess.

But if we all ever want to be serious about why we are all here at all… And have games that REALLY MATTER TO FANS again… We would demand our athletic directors get this game on the schedule. Every year.

Because nobody cares about your game against Maine or even Pitt. Nobody cares about our game with Louisville or whoever else.

It’s time to remember why this whole thing is fun at all. Winning that one game that really matters. The one that festers online all offseason. The one where players become heroes. That one that lives in the lore of the program. The one that feels like…. war.

I miss that one.

-BD