Israel started for the UCF as a junior in 2006; he played in nine games[3] and threw for 1,420 yd (1,300 m)[3][4]
2007
Israel completed 12 of 24 passing attempts[5] as he led the 2007 UCF Knights football team to a season-opening upset of North Carolina State; the victory was the program's second victory over a BCS opponent and the first time the Knights defeated a BCS school since 2000.[6]
On September 15, 2007, he started for the first football game held on the UCF campus in the new Bright House Networks Stadium. The game was against the number-six ranked 2007 Texas Longhorns, the highest ranked team ever faced by the Knights.[7] Israel completed 35% of his passes for a total of 133 yd (122 m) and the Knights lost a back-and-forth game by the score of 35–32.[8][9]