A UCF Student’s Perspective of The War on I-4

The War on I-4 is more than just a game for a UCF student.

Stephen Leonard | Nov 24, 2021

ORLANDO - For most people in the United States of America there are certain traditions baked around Thanksgiving that happen each year. Whether that be going home for the holidays or volunteering at a meal center for the less fortunate, traditions are very important this time of year.

For students at the UCF and the USF, the tradition is a little different, we pile into a stadium filled with tens of thousands of people, while watching our schools take part in the most hate-filled rivalry game for both schools. Sorry “Civil ConFlict” lovers.

When I was still choosing schools at the end of my senior year of high school, I had narrowed it down to a list of three schools with both UCF and USF listed alongside Florida Gulf Coast which was local. That particular Black Friday had both UCF and USF vying for an American Athletic Conference championship.

The game went down to the absolute wire with UCF winning after a 95 yard kickoff return by current Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Mike Hughes that made the Bounce House absolutely electric. UCF went on to finish the season undefeated and claim a share of the National Championship after beating Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Mike Hughes helped keep UCF's undefeated season alive with this kickoff return.

9️⃣5️⃣ days until college football is back. #CountdowntoKickoff pic.twitter.com/XGMTd72mcp
— FloFootball (@FloFootball) May 27, 2018

Now, four years and a school transfer later I am witnessing my first “Hate Week'' as a student. Which is very exciting, as despite it being Thanksgiving week the campus atmosphere is still alive and well with people determined to crush UCF’s “little brother.” I haven’t walked around UCF’s campus with it more alive on a day that wasn’t an actual game day since Spring Homecoming Week in February this year.

With the game under a week it will be an opportunity I’ve wanted to take part in for most of my life, but it will also be a sad note. As this is likely the final “War on I4” game at the Bounce House, with UCF scheduled to move to the Big XII in 2023.