Cinderella UCF

[Section KK]

I don’t understand why it’s Alabama (non-conference winner, lost to 3-loss Auburn, 1 loss) vs Ohio State (2 losses).

UCF is an undefeated conference champion. Why doesn’t NCAAF realize how much people enjoy watching Cinderella teams. An entire month of college basketball has amazing ratings because of this. Everyone remembers the Boise state-Oklahoma game as much as any championship game.

Who cares if Alabama it Ohio State is better? UCF earned it this year.

 

[Zues1]

Follow the money

 

[Section KK]

Ratings will be better with UCF... only people unhappy with Bama or Ohio State missing out are their fans. If UCF made the championship game against Georgia or Oklahoma it would be the highest television rated championship game in history. I think that’s where the money is.

No one outside of their fans cares that much if bama or Ohio State wins another championship.

.. but I will concede that Ohio State brings in the big ten audience, and its share of ratings, and that’s who the committee will ultimately choose. I just think it’s wrong.

 

[neyland05]

I understand the concept but if teams wanna get in then they need to schedule some big non conference opponents. You can't put a team in just because they could be a Cinderella team although I would love to see it.

 

[volfannbama]

I understand the concept but if teams wanna get in then they need to schedule some big non conference opponents. You can't put a team in just because they could be a Cinderella team although I would love to see it.

Most of the games in the playoffs even in with the "big programs" have been blowouts. I say let UCF in.

 

[bamawriter]

While there is an argument to be made, the playoff was created for, and is run by, the Power 5. If one is being honest, UCF is ineligible.

 

[Rockytoptalker]

All that matters is if you're in a Power 5 conference or not, sadly.

 

[vols-1]

I think the cancelled GA Tech game cost them any chance at consideration.

 

[LouderVol]

meh. for every Cinderella there is a bug splat on the window shield.

there record isn't that great. Memphis twice (championship) and USF. they played A P5 school, Maryland (4-8). Never made up their game vs GT. UT would have won 7-9 games with that schedule. color me extremely not impressed.

FIU win
GT- win (as we did beat them)
Maryland - could win
Memphis - loss
Cinci - close win
E. Carolina - win
Navy - loss
Austin Peay - win
SMU - win
U Conn - win
Temple - win
South Florida- loss

 

[DiderotsGhost]

UCF's schedule was pretty weak. According to Sagarin, they only beat 3 teams in the top 50 (Memphis #1, Memphis #2, USF) and all those wins were at home. Memphis is rated #31 by Sagarin, which puts them in the same company as Wake Forest, Florida State, Boston College, and Oregon. UCF has been impressive, no doubt, but I don't see how you can put them in the playoff with that sort of dreadful schedule.

 

[lawgator1]

Fact is, UCF would get trounced by any of the top tier power 5 schools. They have no defense and would be a deer in headlights versus those teams. I'm in Orlando, and even the UCF fans here acknowledge this.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Ratings will be better with UCF... only people unhappy with Bama or Ohio State missing out are their fans. If UCF made the championship game against Georgia or Oklahoma it would be the highest television rated championship game in history. I think that’s where the money is.

No one outside of their fans cares that much if bama or Ohio State wins another championship.

.. but I will concede that Ohio State brings in the big ten audience, and its share of ratings, and that’s who the committee will ultimately choose. I just think it’s wrong.

Ummm....not even remotely true.

 

[volfannbama]

While there is an argument to be made, the playoff was created for, and is run by, the Power 5. If one is being honest, UCF is ineligible.

So we reward teams that cant even win their own conference, that dont even play Championship Sunday? Why devalue the Championship games so much? If those games dont matter, Auburn, Georgia and Wisconsin all get in before alabama.

 

[Rockytoptalker]

Fact is, UCF would get trounced by any of the top tier power 5 schools. They have no defense and would be a deer in headlights versus those teams. I'm in Orlando, and even the UCF fans here acknowledge this.

I'm not saying anything one way or another, but I thought this narrative would've died after Houston made mincemeat of some of the better Power 5 programs here the past few years.

 

[Jim]

Expand to 8 team playoff and make a rule that highest ranked undefeated non-power 5 team is guaranteed a spot. UCF would have been in this year under this setup.

 

[901king]

I understand the concept but if teams wanna get in then they need to schedule some big non conference opponents. You can't put a team in just because they could be a Cinderella team although I would love to see it.

This is an argument everyone uses against the elite G5 programs like UCF, Houston, Memphis, Boise, etc. The problem is, none of the "big boys" will schedule these teams. UCF won the Fiesta Bowl 3 years ago. That same year, they beat Penn State and Louisville in the regular season. There's a reason only Maryland and Ga Tech were on their schedule this year.

Memphis has beaten Ole Miss (2015) and UCLA (2017).
Houston dominated (3) Top 5 teams in 2016.
Boise has won 2 Fiesta Bowls and can play with anyone.
The truth is, no one is getting in line to play these teams because there is too much to lose.

I don't know about Houston and Boise's upcoming OOC schedule, but Memphis has had trouble getting games from upper tier Power 5 schools. Tigers have Missouri, Purdue, Miss State, and Ole Miss on future schedules beginning in 2019.

UCLA actually signed a home and home with Memphis a few years ago. 2014, the Tigers lost at #11 Bruins 42-35, and Memphis had the ball with chance to tie it up at the end. 2017 Memphis beat #25 ranked UCLA at home 48-45. Memphis leads the head to head with USC (1-0). What are the chances of UCLA or any other PAC 12 school ever scheduling Memphis again?

Winsipedia is a great tool that shows every schools record versus other teams. Interesting facts that show these trends.