There is little doubt in my mind about what is the worst I have ever felt as a fan. It was a game that, to this day, still makes me shake my head in anger and disbelief.

Its November 7th, 1998. Me and my friends are sitting in Jordan-Hare stadium with a few thousand other UCF fans in Auburn, Alabama watching a hard-nosed, defensive battle between our Golden Knights and Auburn Tigers. The game was very low-scoring, as we were clinging to a scant 6-3 lead late in the 4th quarter.

But things were looking good. We managed to halt Auburn yet again and Daunte Culpepper was leading the offense towards the Tiger end zone. Time was widing down to around the 3-minite mark in the 4th quarter and we had the ball in or around the red zone (can't recall exactly). Things were looking so bad for Auburn, that their fans were starting to file out of the exits. This delighted UCF fans to no end, and only served to raise the volume of our cheers. The long-awaited break-through victory as a young 1A team was at hand.

And then it happened.....

I don't know what football god we offended. But we must have done something to piss them off, because NEVER IN MY LIFE have I seen things go so terribly wrong in such a short amount of time. And I've been watching football since I was old enough to walk.

As I said, we had the ball around Auburn's 20 yard line and were driving for a game-clinching score. Culpepper lined up in shotgun, like he had done for most of the game, and called out the signals. But when the center hiked the ball, he sent it at Daunte's feet, catching him by surprise and causing the ball to bounce away from him. We all screamed in aggravation as Auburn jumped on the ball. But all was not lost. Time was getting short and we had stopped them time and time again. We just had to do it one more time and they had 80 yards to go, or around 50 for field goal to tie the game.

First down, incomplete pass. Second down, incomplete pass. UCF fans are getting more and more intense as we could smell victory. Third down, the Auburn QB throws the ball right at Deaubry Devine, our MLB. The ball hits him square on his #6 and he drops it. UCF fans wail at the missed opportunity. But at least now its 4th and 10. One last play. One more stop and victory is ours. The Auburn QB takes the snap and passes a quick out for 10 yards and a first down. DAMN! A wasted opportunity. But still, time is growing short and they still have a long way to go.

Then it happened. The next play (it could have been a few plays later....I don't recall), the Auburn QB throws another quick out towards the sideline. The receiver catches the ball, and our defender is there....but he makes a FATAL decision. Instead of making the sure tackle for a minimal gain, he decides to go for the interception.....and whiffs. Seeing the opening, the receiver starts run upfield, but one of our safties is coming over the make the tackle......and somehow, some way.......he misses. After that there is nothing between the receiver and the endzone but green grass and he streaks down the UCF sideline for the go-ahead, game-winning touchdown. Final score: Auburn 10, UCF 6.

UCF fans, coaches, and players, are all just standing there in total stunned disbelief. Just moments before we were all intoxicated with excitement over the biggest win in school history. In those few moments that joy was shattered into devastation. It was the classic case of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory."

Its a day that will live in infamy for all UCF fans, and a day that wish I could forget. We would later go on to receive a conditional bid to the inagural Oahu Bowl in Hawaii. All that had to happen was for heavily-favored UCLA to beat Miami in Coral Gables. We all watched in disgust as the Bruins laid an egg in the Orange Bowl. Miami dashed our Oahu Bowl hopes, and then rubbed salt in the wound by taking a bid to the Micron PC Bowl. A bid that WE were supposed to get until TV mogels said "No way."

It was a dark time and an unfortunate end to Culpepper's brilliant UCF career.