UCF to officially become member of Big 12 this weekend

UCF will officially become a member of the Big 12 Conference on Saturday.

UCF joins BYU, Cincinnati and Houston as the conference’s newest members.

Knights fans are buzzing with excitement.

"I’m so excited. It’s a big move for UCF. Now that we’re finally in the Big 12," UCF student Braden Sherota said.

This move to a power-five is opening lots of doors for the Knights.

On Friday the Big 12 conference announced an extension of its media rights with ESPN and FOX, which means more exposure and more money for UCF.

"It’s huge. It’s a big impact. There’s going to be a lot more fans. A lot more energy," UCF student, Branson Eyer said.

The Knights were extremely successful as members of the American Athletic Conference – most notably the football team, who won several bowl games, including the Peach Bowl in 2018.

The AAC’s commissioner released a statement on Friday saying:

As we witness renewal as well as change in welcoming six new schools on July 1, I want to take a moment to thank and congratulate our three departing schools, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF, for all the contributions they have made to our conference, and to wish them much success in their new conference. Their achievements will always be a lasting legacy for The American, and we will be rooting for them in their new home (except when we compete against them!), just as we know they will be rooting for the continued success of our conference, for which they helped build a strong foundation. We part in friendship and wish them well.

For UCF’s 16 varsity sports, a new era begins on Saturday.