2003 UCF Golden Knights football team

The 2003 UCF Golden Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. After signing a three-year contract extension to begin the season, head coach Mike Kruczek was fired following a 3–7 start. Kruczek was replaced on an interim basis by Assistant coach and former player Alan Gooch who finished out the dismal 3–9 season.

2003 UCF Golden Knights football
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	East Division
Record	3–9 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach	Mike Kruczek (6th season; first 10 games) Alan Gooch (interim, last 2 games)
Offensive coordinator	Robert McFarland (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator	Bill D'Ottavio (2nd season)
Home stadium	Florida Citrus Bowl
Seasons ← 2002 2004 →

2003 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
No. 10 Miami (OH) x$		8	–	0					13	–	1
Marshall		6	–	2					8	–	4
Akron		5	–	3					7	–	5
Kent State		4	–	4					5	–	7
UCF		2	–	6					3	–	9
Ohio		1	–	7					2	–	10
Buffalo		1	–	7					1	–	11
West Division
No. 23 Bowling Green x		7	–	1					11	–	3
Northern Illinois		6	–	2					10	–	2
Toledo		6	–	2					8	–	4
Western Michigan		4	–	4					5	–	7
Ball State		3	–	5					4	–	8
Eastern Michigan		2	–	6					3	–	9
Central Michigan		1	–	7					3	–	9
Championship: Miami 49, Bowling Green 27
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

With three games remaining, senior starting quarterback Ryan Schnieder was suspended from the team, effectively ending his college career.^[1]

2003 marked the Golden Knights second season in the Mid-American Conference, in the East Division.

Schedule

The Citrus Bowl, the Knights home field

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	3:00pm	at No. 9 Virginia Tech*	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	ESPN	L 28–49	65,115
September 13	6:00pm	Florida Atlantic*	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL		W 33–29	26,901
September 20	12:00pm	at Syracuse*	Carrier Dome Syracuse, NY	ESPN	L 14–38	35,103
September 27	2:00pm	at Kent State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH		L 16–36	6,728
October 4	6:00pm	Buffalo	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL		W 19–10	22,540
October 11	2:00pm	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH		L 0–28	21,109
October 18	6:00pm	at Akron	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH		L 24–38	8,113
October 25	4:00pm	Central Michigan	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL		W 31–13	20,523
November 1	1:00pm	at West Virginia*	Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV		L 18–36	42,712
November 8	12:00pm	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI		L 13–29	5,150
November 19	7:30pm	Marshall	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL	ESPN2	L 7–21	18,141
November 28	1:00pm	No. 15 Miami (OH)	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL		L 21–56	12,902
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time