Knights to face Arkansas State in Cure Bowl

The Knights knew they were going bowling since early November, but now they know how far they'll travel: about 10 miles. Sunday UCF football officials learned they'll play Arkansas State in The AutoNation Cure Bowl on Dec. 17 in the recently re-christened Camping World Stadium, formerly the Citrus Bowl, in Orlando.

"I think it's wonderful that we get to play right here in the great city of Orlando," UCF football head coach Scott Frost said. "I think it's going to give us an opportunity to have a lot of fans."

The Cure Bowl debuted last season, with a namesake courtesy of Susan G. Komen For the Cure, which raises money to battle cancer. The game is one of the lesser-known bowls, coming on the first day of the 44-game bowl game season, which tends to proceed chronologically in ascending order by prestige of the bowl game.

For the Knights, who missed a bowl game last season by six wins in their 0-12 season, it's a big leap forward. Under new head coach Scott Frost, they finished 6-6, notching their bowl eligibility-clinching win against Cincinnati at home on Nov. 12.

They'll face off against an unfamiliar opponent in Arkansas State. The Red Wolves started the season 0-4, losing to such unknowns as the Central Kansas Bears and Utah State Aggies before going on a 7-1 tear for the rest of the season to share a Sun Belt Conference championship with Appalachian State.

The teams didn't play any common opponents this season, with the Red Wolves facing such obscure teams as the South Alabama Jaguars and the University of Louisiana Monroe Warhawks. Arkansas State's boldest scheduled game this season ended with a 51-14 rout by the Auburn Tigers on Sept. 10.

The Red Wolves share a few similarities with the Knights. Both had trouble with the run game on offense this season, and both have defenses that keep them in tough games.

The Knights are predicted to win the game by a 5-point margin. The last time they were in a bowl game, at the 2014 Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, the Knights were predicted to beat the NC State Wolfpack by a field goal. They lost 34-27. But that’s not a trend. The year before, when the Knights played Baylor in the BCS-level Fiesta Bowl, they were predicted to lose by 17 points. They won 52-42.

The Cure Bowl kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 17, broadcast on CBS Sports Network and 96.9 The Game.