The 1990 UCF Knights football season was the UCF Knights football's first season in Division I-AA (now commonly known as 'FCS'). In their first year in the division, Gene McDowell led the Knights to a 10–4 record, a program best, and a trip to the I-AA playoffs. UCF would make it to the semifinals, and became the first school in history to qualify for the I-AA playoffs in its first season of eligibility. During the 1990s, UCF would compile an overall record of 67–46–0 (.593) during the decade.