All’s fair in love and college football.

While Old Dominion may not have any connections to UCF, the Monarchs are happy to welcome Knights’ fans to come out and support them when they take on USF in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl on Wednesday.

“I always tell people, I have no problem being somebody else’s second favorite team,” ODU coach Rickey Rahne said. “If they want, we can be the second-favorite team for this week. Monarchs are very close to a knight, right?”

However, the 44-year-old Rahne does have a personal connection with UCF coach Scott Frost. The two were roommates while serving as graduate assistants on the Kansas State staff during the 2006 season.

“He was the defensive GA when I was the offensive GA,” Rahne told the Orlando Sentinel. “We actually lived in Raheem Morris’ house. He was the defensive coordinator, while James Franklin was the offensive coordinator. You would have thought we would have won more games.”

Kansas State would finish the season 7-6, losing to Rutgers in the Texas Bowl.

University of South Florida interim head coach Kevin Patrick with players, from left, Cole Best, Christian Helms and Mack Harris at the StaffDNA Cure Bowl pregame press conference at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld resort, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. USF takes on Old Dominion in the 11th edition of the Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Wednesday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Head coach Ricky Rahne of Old Dominion with players, from left, Kris Trinidad, Zach Barlev, and Stephon Dubose-Bourne at the StaffDNA Cure Bowl pregame press conference at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld resort, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. Old Dominion takes on University of South Florida in the 11th edition of the Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Wednesday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Orlando Sentinel - NCAA

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