UCF Knights unveil 2017 championship banner

Submitted by LLG on

Part of me does think that UCF has a point when I read:  ". . . we feel very strongly as the only undefeated team, and having beat Auburn, who beat both teams competing for the national championship, that we have an extremely sound case to claim the crown."  Maybe not a great point but, still, it is a point.  

Also I did not know the Knights finished No. 1 in at least one ranking -- the Colley Bias Free Matrix Rankings, one poll among many recognized by the NCAA that was formerly used in the BCS computer rankings.  I guess if I went to school there, I'd support the banner since the team didn't get a chance to compete in the playoffs.

Anyway, here is the link

crg

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^

Great for them. It seems many/most people believe that the CFP is some form of ultimate authority on who is declared a champion. It is simply a 4-team invitational tournament at the end of the regular season that, at least, tries to use some logic in their invite process. However, the inherent nature of their mandate and process implies that it will be imperfect. Is it better than any predecessor method? Absolutely, but that is an incredibly low bar to overcome.

Avon Barksdale

April 22nd, 2018 at 11:51 AM ^

This is how change happens. UCF should claim it. Hell if Nebraska can claim 1/2 of ‘97 and USC claims 1/2 of AP/ BCS title — UCF might as well claim 1/2 of 2017 title.

A Lot of Milk

April 22nd, 2018 at 2:34 PM ^

The difference is that the playoffs were literally created to determine an undisputed national champion. Back before the BCS there were just bowl games. You could have an undefeated BYU playing a shitty Michigan team with their backup QB. No one game decided everything, so they had writers basically pick a champion. All you had to do was pick a writer who picked your team and you were a champion. They tried to change that with the BCS by having a single game decide everything and make it indisputable

Wolverheel

April 22nd, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^

It's April 22nd and we're still talking about UCF football. They were brilliant with this entire thing and the sports media combined with the people who got irrationally angry about it fed right into everything. Honestly I respect it, because the system really does f*** mid majors right now (expand it to 8 games with an auto bid for the best mid major, please).

Wolverine Devotee

April 22nd, 2018 at 11:57 AM ^

They have every right to. Colley Matrix, a recognized selector, picked them as national champions.

That just goes to show how much bragging about national championships means. If Warde felt like it, we could add 5 more national titles to our total because we were picked by selectors in 1925, 1926, 1964, 1973 and 1985 just like UCF was.

If I was AD, I'd add those 5 in a press release released in a national title game we were in and leading in the 4th quarter with the win secured. Winning our 17th national title in that game. Then no one can say a word because we won the current year's title. Only way to claim them without people laughing.

Ty Butterfield

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^

Michigan was lucky to play UCF when they did. That team would have completely owned Michigan last season. It would have been an ugly loss.

Tuebor

April 22nd, 2018 at 9:41 PM ^

Losing to ucf in the big house is an ugly loss even if they go 13-0.

Rich Rod's loss to utah in 2008 was ugly even if they finished undefeated and beat saban's alabama in a bowl game.

MH20

April 23rd, 2018 at 9:07 AM ^

I wouldn't consider Michigan's two point loss to an undefeated Utah a bad loss. Yeah, it was disappointing but it wasn't like Utah was some crap team -- they were coming off a 9-4 season and had a good QB in Brian Johnson.

Michigan's loss to Toledo? Now, that was a bad loss.

Tuebor

May 12th, 2018 at 10:55 PM ^

Fair enough.  I guess Michigan football has fallen off that much.  I remember a time when any loss in the big house was considered a bad loss.  Much less one to a Mountain West team.

wildbackdunesman

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:54 PM ^

Meh....

I highly doubt that they would have "compltely owned" Michigan in Ann Arbor had we played this year.

(A) It would have been before Speight got hurt (who was better than O'Korn).

(B) We would have had a realistic chance at an undefeated regular season last year with UCF's schedule.  What were their best regular season wins?  Navy?  Memphis?

(C) 2 common opponents suggest that they weren't significantly ahead of us:

UCF 38 Maryland 10, Michigan 35-10 (Michigan jumped out in front quicker than UCF did and then coasted, perhaps Harbaugh wanted to be kind to Durkin)



UCF 51 Cincinnati 23, Michigan 36-14.

(D) It is highly possible that our Defensive Line would have disrupted their offense.

Blue in Paradise

April 22nd, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^

I think Ty Butterfield is the champion of all MGoBlog douchebags. And there is some stiff competition from supposed Michigan “fans”.

The most pathetic form of humanity created by the internet are trolls that post on rival websites. That includes Michigan trolls that post on RCMB and 11 Warriors.

wildbackdunesman

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^

They let 68 teams into the NCAA Bball tourney and there is still controversy with who gets in and who doesn't.

I am not opposed to expanding it to 8, but don't think for a minute that if they expand it to 8, teams ranked #9 and #10 won't still whine about being better than teams #7 and #8.

Blue in Paradise

April 22nd, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^

A handful of fans whining on Twitter? An analyst talking about a team left out for 39 seconds on a Bracket recap?

The NCAA has done a fantastic job with March Madness. The Tournament creates nearly unparalleled hype and excitement which last 5 weeks each year (from the conference tourneys to the Final Four). This is one of the few things I will give them credit for.

wildbackdunesman

April 22nd, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^

Didn't the NCAA tourney expand from 64 to 65 and then to 68 in part because people were complaining that it wasn't fair that such and such teams were left out?

If they expanded the CFB Playoff field to the best 8, based on the CFB Playoff rankings there still would be controversy - no?

2017's final poll before the playoffs - Penn State was ranked 9th and claim that they were better than #7 3 loss Auburn.  Undefeated UCF was 12th.

2016's final poll before the playoffs - Undefeated #15 WMU would claim that they were more deserving than a 3 loss #8 Wisconsin team.  FSU and WVU would also likely claim that they were better than Wisconsin.

I am for expanding the playoff field, but there would still be some controversy, perhaps not as much, but some.

Michigan4Life

April 22nd, 2018 at 6:44 PM ^

for NCAA BB Tournament are all teams that had no shot of winning it all whereas for Football, they actually have a shot of winning it all. That's a big difference between the two because there aren't enough sample size to determine a true champion since it's 12-13 games as opposed to 30+ games. Any of the top 10-15 teams can win it all in Football hence the argument for playoff expansion.

wildbackdunesman

April 22nd, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^

Technically they didn't participate in all of their games.  Due to weather they canceled the Georgia Tech game and never made it up.  They canceled the Maine game to make up the Memphis game, which had also been canceled due to weather.

They got out of two opponents last year...through no fault of their own.

Shadowban

April 22nd, 2018 at 3:13 PM ^

Beating another Power 5 team who had a losing record would not have moved the needle for a Power 5 playoff candidate, and it should't for them.  Schools like UCF need to basically schedule at least one serious title contender and one other solid P5 team AND beat them in order to be in the conversation, otherwise their whole schedule has about as much menace as Alabama's typical nonconference lineup.

Bo Nederlander

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^

The historical argument against this kind of thing (see Boise St) is that their conference is weak. If they played in a major conference, many more variables. Play and even beat a Wisconsin, for example, after playing an Iowa, Michigan, Ohio St etc, you're much more likely to lose at least one from the mental and physical aspects of playing teams with bigger, faster, stronger, more mentally prepared and better conditioned players.
I get it. Good for them. But their slight isn't completely unwarranted.

Maize4Life

April 22nd, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^

SHOULD (but doesnt have the guts to) order them to take it down and if they dont level hard penalties on them. This undermines the NCAA and its playoff