ORLANDO, FL — Another game, another easy quarterbacking exhibition of UCF QB McKenzie Milton and his growing Heisman campaign in a 45-14 rout over visiting Pitt.
It’s not just the fact that No.13 Central Florida extended its nation’s best win streak to 17 games, of that fact that it’s Flyin’ Hawaiian QB in Milton put on a clinic against a Power Five opponent at home, but the fact that despite teams such as No.9 Penn State and No.7 Stanford losing in prime time affairs, that UCF continues to be both ignored and overlooked by many in the national media.
With the new AP poll coming out on Sunday, UCF stood pat at No.13 with the only major changes including the Buckeyes moving up to No.3, Georgia up to No.2, Stanford dropped to No.14 and Clemson dropping down to No.4
The issue here is that UCF is not getting no respect of any kind. None for beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl. None for their bonafide Heisman QB in Milton and none for the fact they play in a non-Power Five conference as the American Athletic Conference.
They’ve been mocked and trolled over crowding themselves national championships despite going 13-0 and destroying a quality opponent–from the SEC, by the way–and yet, no first-place votes or even a mention about their accomplishments.
UCF is a victim of both their conference alignment and the unwilling pawn of college football politics. They have no control over who they play on their schedule, and yet all they have done is win 17 straight games.
Now, the Knights–If they run the table again–stand to become the CFP Playoff committee’s worst nightmare.
Hypothetically speaking, what if UCF wins the AAC again, is left out of the CFP Playoff and destroys another Power Five team?
That would add up to 26 straight wins over two seasons with big name wins on that hit list. Depending on who the Knights might slay on New Year’s Day and what happens in the CFP title game out in Silicon Valley, the CFP is praying that the Knights fall.
Bet money?
It’s all about money, branding and which school bringing in the most viewers and ratings?
Ohio State, Alabama are the Evil Empires of college football. Clemson, Oklahoma, Notre Dame are the Resistance and UCF is the Han Solo-like outlaw, living out on the outer edges of the college football galaxy far, far away.
Until the CFP is expanded to include at-large teams such as UCF, the Knights will sadly be self-made kingmakers living in their own proverbial Camelot.