Arkansas State will travel south to Orlando to face Central Florida in the 2016 AutoNation Cure Bowl on December 17th. UCF limped into the post season losing its last two games and finishing with the minimum requirement of six wins. The Red Wolves lost its first four games of the season, but then rallied to win 7 of 8 to earn a share of the Sun Belt title.
Six straight years of Bowling for the Red Wolves
The invitation to Orlando marks the sixth straight year of postseason play for the Red Wolves, starting with the 2011 GoDaddy Bowl. Arkansas State’s bowl performance is “checkered,” with many teams entering play in the midst of head coaching searches. However, the 2012 GoDaddy Bowl provided the program’s first AP Top 25 win when the Red Wolves defeated #25 Kent State.
| Year | Bowl | Location | Opponent | Result |
| 2011 | GoDaddy Bowl | Mobile, AL | Northern Illinois | L, 38-20 |
| 2012 | GoDaddy Bowl | Mobile, AL | #25 Kent State | W, 17-13 |
| 2013 | GoDaddy Bowl | Mobile, AL | Ball State | W, 23-20 |
| 2014 | GoDaddy Bowl | Mobile, AL | Toledo | L, 63-44 |
| 2015 | New Orleans Bowl | New Orleans, LA | Louisiana Tech | L, 47.28 |
| 2016 | Cure Bowl | Orlando, FL | UCF | ? |
The Knights are in mid-rising
2016 was a redemption year for UCF, who endured a horrendous 0-12 season in 2015 after submitting a 9-3 season in 2013 (plus a loss to NC State in the St. Petersburg Bowl). In 2013, the Knights enjoyed their best season in program history, going 11-1 and defeating #8 Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl. The Knights are no stranger to Bowl action, having accepted postseason invites 6 times in the last 10 years.
The Knights have history with Arkansas State…Indians
UCF and A-State have met exactly once, in 1991, when Gene McDowell’s Knights defeated Al Kincaid’s Indians 31-20 Jonesboro. Bonus fact: both teams have defeated Ball State in a bowl game (the Knights trumped the Cardinals in the St. Petersburg Bowl in 2012).
Some AutoNation Cure Bowl essential facts
Date: December 17th
Time: 5:30 CST
Where: Camping World Stadium. Orlando, Florida
You Can Watch This Game On: The CBS Sports Network
Last Year’s Game: San Jose State defeated Georgia State 27-16
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