Orlando's Hometown National Champions

[HankStrong]

All this talk about who beat who and who didn't have a tough schedule and who did and who belongs where reminded me of something not wholly related, but funny. 

 

I did a quick search and couldn't find it, but there is a guy who keeps track of the Super Bowl title belt holder in the NFL.

Basically, it could be any given team in the league on any given week.  The Eagles won the Super Bowl last year and won their game in week 1 this year.  In week 2 this year they lost to the Bucs, so the Bucs were holding the title belt (WWE STYLE!) who lost to the Steelers in week 3.  They lost to the Ravens in week 4.  They lost to the Browns in week 5 (see? ANY team) who lost to the Chargers in week 6.

But this guy has this record all the way back to Super Bowl I.  Every week of every season.

 

It doesn't really relate, but at the same time.  If UCF beats Alabama who loses to Georgia who loses to LSU who loses whoever, does that actually mean anything?

[spenser1058]

You're right, it's totally absurd. The only way it gets resolved is to just settle it on the field. CBS was talking about the quandary the CFP is going to be in if UCF does manage to run the table and go undefeated.

Their solution is to give KZ the Heisman as a bone to keep UCF mollified.At the very least, our fan base is apparently obnoxious enough they won't be able to ignore this forever.

The idea of half the teams in a sport permanently barred from going all the way due to politics is a lot like our, ummm, politics these days.

[HankStrong]

Your comment about po-dunk university towns starting to see a shift to ones in bigger cities was one I don't think I commented on, but wanted to agree with.

I've heard this from several professors I know.  There is a shift on from the G'ville/Tallahassee types to Orlando and Tampa because there is more to offer the students.  Will it ever really change?  Probably not in our lifetimes, but it is a valid comment.  It is happening quietly.

[AmIReal]

1 hour ago, HankStrong said:

Super Bowl title belt holder in the NFL

It is an old Reddit thread.  There was also a CFB version. Article here- https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1686762-a-visual-history-of-the-nfl-title-belt

[jrs2]

21 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

As 24/7 notes, when you compare how UCF plays teams like Pitt or SMU compared to P5 teams, we look pretty good. It's all about perception - for example, did you know that Georgia's schedule prior to LSU did not any include any winning programs this year (and when they hit a winning team in LSU, look how that went...)? Or that Alabama was not playing any Top 25 teams early in the season. Now, both Georgia and the Tide are great teams, there's no question. But they are not infallible. Did you know that the last time we played Auburn, we won? Or that the last time we played Georgia, we won? Or that the only time we played Alabama, we won?

All we ask is to inject objectivity into the process.

https://247sports.com/Article/UCF-Knights-College-Football-Playoff-transitive-property-argument-123400585/

And...did you know that when UCF beat Bama 40-38 in 2000 Bama was a 3-8 team?  Or that UGA in 2010 was a 6-7 team that they only beat 10-6?  They're at best squeaking out wins against better football schools having bad years; we already know about the Auburn team from last year.  And some of my P5 colleagues are praying that UCF gets pitted against a P5 school this year with a lot to lose (unlike Auburn last year) so that both schools, and not just UCF,  go into the game guns blazing- and I think you all know why they want that to happen.

Personally I don't care.  All I care about is my team and what they can accomplish this year.

[Jernigan]

Lol.   Alabama was a big deal at the time but no one is saying that we should be respected because of our 2000 or 2010 team.   No ones wearing their Liberty Bowl patch at UCF.

But what’s the point if you can so easily pivot to “Auburn wasn’t motivated” which is ludicrous the way the game played out.   A team that isn’t motivated might come out the gate lazy and then turn it on (like we did against FAU) but Auburn made a comeback, took the lead and then...I don’t know what you think...maybe they decided to become unmotivated again for the 2nd half?

[aent]

8 hours ago, jrs2 said:

And...did you know that when UCF beat Bama 40-38 in 2000 Bama was a 3-8 team?  Or that UGA in 2010 was a 6-7 team that they only beat 10-6?  They're at best squeaking out wins against better football schools having bad years; we already know about the Auburn team from last year.  And some of my P5 colleagues are praying that UCF gets pitted against a P5 school this year with a lot to lose (unlike Auburn last year) so that both schools, and not just UCF,  go into the game guns blazing- and I think you all know why they want that to happen.

Personally I don't care.  All I care about is my team and what they can accomplish this year.

And  Baylor, Big 12 conference championship in 2014 and apparently also not motivated? Since apparently nobody really cares about winning any bowl game except for the CFP now, hopefully that means your P5 colleagues are praying UCF gets placed where they belong, in the CFP.

[Jernigan]

16 hours ago, aent said:

And  Baylor, Big 12 conference championship in 2014 and apparently also not motivated? Since apparently nobody really cares about winning any bowl game except for the CFP now, hopefully that means your P5 colleagues are praying UCF gets placed where they belong, in the CFP.

Unmotivated Baylor QB being unmotivated 

[spenser1058]

SBNation thinks the AAC is the most interesting conference in college football and notes the AAC East is the only division in the FBS with three undefeated teams:

https://www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/college-football/2018/10/18/17990902/american-athletic-conference-aac-ucf-usf-cincinnati

Now we know where the Fun 'n Gun went to play!

[spenser1058]

The St. Pete Times ponders whether UCF can be stopped:

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2018/10/17/ucf-football-midseason-review-is-there-no-stopping-the-knights/?template=amp

[spenser1058]

Your Hometown National Champions make the New York Times!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/sports/college-football-playoff-ucf.amp.html

[spenser1058]

And then there were two.. Cincy lost to Temple 24-17 in OT, leaving just two undefeated teams in the AAC, our Hometown National Champions and the Bulls. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, ASU is barely ahead of LA-Lafayette at the half (ASU is supposedly a much better team than UCF according to Kirk Herbstreit. More on this later.

 

[spenser1058]

The Lane Train has derailed after losing to the Thundering Herd 31-7.

[aent]

MM isn't starting for some reason, not looking good without him :-( "Game time decision" wtf?

[aent]

UCF is still doing okay without him, they're trollin the cameras, MM puts his helmet on before Mack each time they take the field lol currently 20-3 UCF

UCF has its toughest stretch coming up so I guess they're trying to keep him rested and safe if they don't need him this game.

[spenser1058]

20 wins in a row for your Hometown National Champions - this time without KZ!

[spenser1058]

Meanwhile, FSU and FIU both won. USF got by UCONN by a touchdown. UF had the week off. Our Knights will continue on as the Sunshine State's best.

[aent]

Just now, spenser1058 said:

Meanwhile, FSU and FIU both won. USF got by UCONN by a touchdown. UF had the week off. Our Knights will continue on as the Sunshine State's best.

Cinci losing was bad for UCF, we needed that win vs a ranked team.

[spenser1058]

In the Coaches' Poll, the Knights fell by one to #10. The Gators are at #11, the Bulls are at #20 and the U is back at #25.

It's important to remember that many of the voters have no knowledge of actual events in the game and simply rely on the point spread.

Still, it's frustrating that one knock on UCF has been that we're a one-trick pony and that without KZ we'd be nothing.

Instead, KZ sat out the whole game against ECU and we still won by a comfortable margin.

http://sportspolls.usatoday.com/ncaa/football/polls/coaches-poll/

From USA Today

Edited October 21, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Meanwhile in the AP, Florida jumped ahead to #9, the Knights remain at #10 and the Bulls sit tight at #21.

Edited October 21, 2018 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

23 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Meanwhile in the AP, Florida jumped ahead to #9, the Knights remain at #10 and the Bulls sit tight at #21.

So I "liked" this of all comments by you, my best bud, for obvious reasons, but I dare not gloat, because The Cocktail Party looms ahead, so, more than likely, that ranking will be short lived.  I think the UGA loss to LSU may give the O&B a false sense of security; being a realist.  But it shouldn't, since UF  had to dig themselves out of a 21-3 hole at Vandy last week.

Personally I think that beating ECU with the backup increased UCF's cred by showing a little QB depth and overall team depth.  It's like back when SOS was UF's coach, and he would stick in the backups regularly and they would still move the ball.

[aent]

3 hours ago, jrs2 said:

So I "liked" this of all comments by you, my best bud, for obvious reasons, but I dare not gloat, because The Cocktail Party looms ahead, so, more than likely, that ranking will be short lived.  I think the UGA loss to LSU may give the O&B a false sense of security; being a realist.  But it shouldn't, since UF  had to dig themselves out of a 21-3 hole at Vandy last week.

Personally I think that beating ECU with the backup increased UCF's cred by showing a little QB depth and overall team depth.  It's like back when SOS was UF's coach, and he would stick in the backups regularly and they would still move the ball.

He has been playing a bit in the 4th quarters, and getting points at that. I know this is a bit different, the other team has no hope of winning by the time he is in.... thats actually one complaint among UCF fans, we aren't running up the score nearly as much as we could, and even though our wins are nearly all by wide margins, they could be wider and that might make the pollsters happy. I personally don't find that complaint valid.

 

[spenser1058]

USA Today says the Knights are the 2nd most likable team in college football (behind the Cardinal.) When you're warm and fuzzy, what else matters?

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/08/college-football-top-25-coaches-poll-ranking-likable-popular-alabama-stanford-miami-ohio-state/amp

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

USA Today says the Knights are the 2nd most likable team in college football (behind the Cardinal.) When you're warm and fuzzy, what else matters?

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/08/college-football-top-25-coaches-poll-ranking-likable-popular-alabama-stanford-miami-ohio-state/amp

I don't know what kind of world we live in where spear chucking Chief Osceola and the dreaded U are more likeable than plush Albert the Alligator & Co.  TOSU?  Really?  Especially with all the drama surrounding Meyer?  Bama?  Who likes Bama outside of Alabama?  And who likes Texas with the whole non sharing of $$$ from the Longhorns Network?  Southern Cal and all of the Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll drama? Maybe UF didn't make the list b/c Tebow ran angry and SOS took no prisoners...all the better...and UF will keep not making the list now that it has a real coach again...

[Jernigan]

We’re only 2nd because they are only looking at the Top 25.

We all know Tuesday night MACtion is #1 in our hearts