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UCF’s 1st football season in Big XII Conference to be ‘game changer’

UCF Knights UCF Knights (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal.

The University of Central Florida Knights’ move into the Big XII Conference is expected to be a “game changer” for Orlando, say local leaders.

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UCF leaders were on hand July 27 at Orlando City Hall as Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer prepared to raise a flag for the team. The university officially is in the Big XII as of July 1 and is the youngest school among the “Power 5″ conferences that include the Big XII.

Dyer, who has served in his role since 2004 before UCF had an on-campus stadium and a national profile as a major college athletics program, said the move likely will increase UCF’s profile further and draw sports tourism to the region.

Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journal’s website.

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