UCF reaches a deal to leave for the Big 12 conference. Here’s the cost and the exit date
UCF fans won’t have to wait much longer for the move to a Power 5 conference.
The school announced the Knights are competing in the American Athletic Conference for one more season, before they officially join the Big 12 conference on July 1, 2023.
The Big 12 is set to lose Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC in 2025, which set in motion the plan to snag UCF, Cincinnati and Houston from the AAC and independent BYU.
Those programs are joining the Big 12 next year, too.
Leaving the AAC means paying an exit fee. The Knights, as well as the other two AAC schools, are set to each pay $18 million to leave the AAC, according to ESPN.
The outlet reported the three schools were “paying a $10 million exit fee in four annual payments through 2024,” before agreeing to an additional $8 million spread over 12 payments from 2025-2036 in order to leave earlier.
Unless Oklahoma and Texas depart for the SEC earlier, the Big 12 will have 14 teams for two seasons beginning in 2023.
UCF athletic teams won conference championships in volleyball, rowing, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, women’s indoor track and field, women’s tennis, women’s golf, women’s outdoor track and field, men’s tennis and baseball, while competing in the AAC over the last nine years.
The football program raised its national profile by going undefeated in 2017 that culminated with a Peach Bowl victory over Auburn, 34-27. That led to the program claiming a national title as UCF was relegated to a New Year’s Six Bowl instead of a College Football Playoff berth. The NCAA later recognized UCF’s national title claim in their official record book.
The Knights went unbeaten the following season through the AAC championship game in then-head coach Josh Heupel’s first season. UCF lost 40-32 in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl to LSU to end the Knights’ winning streak at 25 games.
