The University of Central Florida will head to the Playstation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona for its second-straight New Year’s Bowl after winning the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in 2018.
No. 11 LSU (9-3) will play No. 8 UCF (12-0).
The No. 7 Knights completed the 2018 season 12-0 after handling Memphis 56-41 at home, coming back from a three-score deficit with backup quarterback Darriel Mack, Jr. while holding the Tigers to three points in the second half.
The back-to-back American Conference champions would be denied access to the playoffs as No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Oklahoma secured the final spots. No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Ohio State buffered the CFP against UCF, despite a vocal campaign from all the Knights’ fans, administrators, and community the team and student-athletes deserve the chance.
It’s not a playoff. It’s an invitational. I’m excited to see what invitational we get to be a part of, and once again show what our team is capable of, ON THE FIELD! Proud of our team. Can’t wait to go bowling with #KnightNation!!!
— Danny White (@UCFDannyWhite) December 2, 2018
UCF Athletics Director Danny White went on air in front of media to fight for the football program to be called into the College Football Playoffs given the success of the 25-0 program and the disrespect from the committee it has received over two years. Should UCF not be included, White says, it would be another glaring reason that the four-team playoff is inadequate.
#BREAKING: The undefeated UCF Knights DID NOT make the College Football Playoffs (@CFBPlayoff)
Number 3 team will be Notre Dame and Number 4 team will be Oklahoma
— UCF Knight News | OHANA (@UCFKnightNews) December 2, 2018
One could argue the entrenched competitors in the College Football Playoff War Room decided UCF, or any “G5” team, would never get a seat at the table.
UCF AD Danny White Goes Live to Fight for 25-0 Knights Football to be Called into Playoffs
While UCF interest surged in the 2018 CFA Peach Bowl, the bowl staff elected to host UF and Michigan in 2019, two teams that will have played each other three times in the previous four years (Citrus Bowl 1/1/16, Orlando; Arlington, TX 9/2/17, Peach Bowl 1/1/19, Atlanta). Word on the street
Stay tuned for more news on UCF Football.
AAC Championship:
UCF Knights Back-to-Back American Conference Champions, Now at 25-0
