Definitively no, because nothing in sports is definitive. But watching them vs the rest of the top 25 I’m pretty confident in saying they don’t matchup physically nor do they have the depth that a power 5 team has. The one thing UCF does have that matches up with a lot of the top 25 is speed. They are a fast team that would cause problems, but the only top 25 team that I think I would favor them is Colorado. That’s not to say that UCF couldn’t win in a one game scenario, I just wouldn’t pick them.

 

What chance would you have given up App State at the beginning of the season to give Penn State more than they wanted, taking them all the way to overtime?

What chance would you have given up App State at the beginning of the season to give Penn State more than they wanted, taking them all the way to overtime?

Not very likely. Does that mean Penn State and App State are equal teams? Of course not. Obviously Penn State is better, but for one game though it was close.

Not very likely. Does that mean Penn State and App State are equal teams? Of course not. Obviously Penn State is better, but for one game though it was close.

And UCF would likely destroy App State and if they played Penn State in that game, Penn State would have two losses right now.

 

All I'm getting out of any of this is the playoffs need to be extended to at least 8 teams, 16 would suit me better.

All I'm getting out of any of this is the playoffs need to be extended to at least 8 teams, 16 would suit me better.

 

I don't think it's necessary to expand it, but for kicks using the current AP poll....

 

1) Alabama

16) Wisconsin

 

8) Auburn

9) West Virginia

 

4) Clemson

13) Kentucky

 

5) LSU

12) UCF

 

6) Notre Dame

11) Penn State

 

3) Ohio State

14) Stanford

 

7) Oklahoma

10) Washington

 

2) Georgia

15) Michigan

And UCF would likely destroy App State and if they played Penn State in that game, Penn State would have two losses right now.

 

All I'm getting out of any of this is the playoffs need to be extended to at least 8 teams, 16 would suit me better.

That’s assuming Penn State would have performed the same against UCF as they did against App State. You think Penn State wouldn’t have been a little more pumped up to play a team in the top 25 who claimed a national championship the year prior?

And UCF would likely destroy App State and if they played Penn State in that game, Penn State would have two losses right now.

 

All I'm getting out of any of this is the playoffs need to be extended to at least 8 teams, 16 would suit me better.

Also if the goal is to give the little guy a chance, it would have to be 16 teams before I would consider putting a non power 5 team in the playoff.

That’s assuming Penn State would have performed the same against UCF as they did against App State. You think Penn State wouldn’t have been a little more pumped up to play a team in the top 25 who claimed a national championship the year prior?

 

In the same light, you don't think UCF would be pumped to play a team ranked ahead of them to prove themselves?

In the same light, you don't think UCF would be pumped to play a team ranked ahead of them to prove themselves?

As they should. UCF has no issues motivating themselves. That’s a credit to their coaching staff. But the only way UCF would beat Penn State is if Penn State wasn’t motivated to play the game or didn’t prepare the way they would for a bigger opponent. Penn State at their best is better than UCF at their best. As we both know, teams don’t play their best every week, this is how we get upsets.

As they should. UCF has no issues motivating themselves. That’s a credit to their coaching staff. But the only way UCF would beat Penn State is if Penn State wasn’t motivated to play the game or didn’t prepare the way they would for a bigger opponent. Penn State at their best is better than UCF at their best. As we both know, teams don’t play their best every week, this is how we get upsets.

Wouldn't that be a discredit to Penn State's coaching staff?

 

As to the second part, your claim is a stretch because too many teams like Penn State don't seem to want to schedule teams like UCF.

Wouldn't that be a discredit to Penn State's coaching staff?

 

As to the second part, your claim is a stretch because too many teams like Penn State don't seem to want to schedule teams like UCF.

I just think its hard to get 18-21 to be hyped up to play App State. It is definitely an issue with the PSU coaching staff, but I understand why games like that happen. But I hate the argument that teams don’t want to schedule UCF. Now that they’re having 2 great years in a row I’m sure they aren’t getting a bunch of calls, but before that they were 6-7 in 2016 and 0-12 in 2015. The schedule UCF is playing this year was made when they weren’t a good team.

I just think its hard to get 18-21 to be hyped up to play App State. It is definitely an issue with the PSU coaching staff, but I understand why games like that happen. But I hate the argument that teams don’t want to schedule UCF. Now that they’re having 2 great years in a row I’m sure they aren’t getting a bunch of calls, but before that they were 6-7 in 2016 and 0-12 in 2015. The schedule UCF is playing this year was made when they weren’t a good team.

 

Seems to me I remember reading on here a year or two or three ago about how non power 5 schools we're having trouble getting power 5 schools to schedule them.

I don't think it's necessary to expand it, but for kicks using the current AP poll....

 

1) Alabama

16) Wisconsin

 

8) Auburn

9) West Virginia

 

4) Clemson

13) Kentucky

 

5) LSU

12) UCF

 

6) Notre Dame

11) Penn State

 

3) Ohio State

14) Stanford

 

7) Oklahoma

10) Washington

 

2) Georgia

15) Michigan

 

I think that would be an interesting playoff. I'd like to see it!

Nick Saban says this is the reason that he tries to play a power 5 opponent on opening day. He has the total focus of the team during summer workouts as well as fall practices for the upcoming game. When they played a group of 5 team to open the season, he says the practices during the summer and fall were non productive.

 

The reality of the situation is if you give UCF's schedule to Michigan State, Kentucky, Miami, USC, South Carolina etc they would probably go undefeated. Would you consider them to be a playoff team?

Seems to me I remember reading on here a year or two or three ago about how non power 5 schools we're having trouble getting power 5 schools to schedule them.

Yeah that’s not true. I would say Boise State, Houston, BYU, USF, and now UCF may have difficulty because there is little to gain for power 5 schools to play them. But to act like the reason UCF hasn’t had a good power 5 program on their schedule the past two years is strictly on them. They were one of the worst teams in FBS when they made their schedules the last 2 years.

I think that would be an interesting playoff. I'd like to see it!

Which of those games intrigue you? Notre Dame/ Penn State and Oklahoma/ Washington are the only games that I think would be good games. UK/ Clemson is intriguing to us regionally, but nationally that doesn’t move the needle.