UCF Wins Inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic
Tempe, AZ - The inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic came down to two club powers from Florida, and it was the top-seeded University of Central Florida that took home the trophy. Kayla Ludwig's 44-yard keeper to the house in the waning minutes iced the game in the desert for the 19-7 win over the rivals and second-seeded Florida.
UCF's defense led the way in the championship and the entire tournament. The Knights didn't allow more than a touchdown in any game, while posting three shutouts. UCF held the hard-charging second-half Florida offense to seven points as well. The Gators started slow offensively in all three bracket games. After falling behind 14-0 to Georgia in the semifinals, the offense ripped off 27 straight to win 27-14.
It appeared Florida might do the same to UCF. Florida trailed 13-0 at halftime, but cut the deficit to 13-7 after Mieke Rowe found an open Ava Godfrey for the score. The Gators continued to make progress and had a chance to post a game-winning drive. However, it was the interception by Eliana Higbie-Long that set up Ludwig's sprint to the end zone to seal the win. Higbie-Long won the Defensive MVP Award, while Ludwig was named Offensive MVP for the game.
Florida and UCF have two of the best flag football club programs in the country, and it's not a surprise, as both hail from the birthplace of flag football. The sport was sanctioned at the varsity level for high school in 2003. The two teams frequently match up at the annual NIRSA tournament for club and intramural teams. Florida and UCF have accounted for every NIRSA title since 2013, with the Gators capturing 7 of the last 8, including the most recent one in January 2026.
Florida and UCF were two of the 8 teams competing in the inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley. Alabama State, Arizona State, Charlotte, Georgia, Grand Canyon, and USC also took part. Saturday, April 18, saw each team play 3 games to determine the seeding for the 8-team bracket. The UCF-Arizona State semifinal and the UCF-Florida Championship game were both broadcast on ESPNU.