The University of Central Florida is taking the celebration of its unbeaten, untied season to a whole new level. The Knights have anointed themselves national champions.
The University of Central Florida is taking the celebration of its unbeaten, untied season to a whole new level. The No. 12 Knights gutted out a Peach Bowl win over No. 7 Auburn, the only team to beat both Alabama and Georgia, the College Football Playoff finalists.
So to heck with the championship game, Central Florida athletic director Danny White has resolved. The Knights have anointed themselves national champions.
White said via Twitter that UCF will hang a national championship banner at Spectrum Stadium, where it plays its home football games. The Knights will have a national championship parade, rings, the works.
"We're gonna have a parade to celebrate the success of our team," White said during an ESPN Radio interview on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. "We'll be announcing that later [Tuesday]."
Camping World Stadium in Orlando, host of the Cure Bowl, Camping World Bowl, Citrus Bowl and soon the Under Armour All-America Game, offered up its services in case UCF wants to challenge the winner of Georgia and Alabama.
Consultant wants lawmakers to declare Central Florida national champs
ORLANDO — Florida lawmakers are being asked to take action the College Football Playoff Committee won’t: Declare UCF national champions.
Kevin Cate, a Democratic consultant and Auburn University graduate, tweeted this week that lawmakers should consider a resolution declaring UCF national champions after it knocked off Auburn 34-27 in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.
On Twitter, the idea gained support from Rep. Amber Mariano, R-Dunedin, a UCF graduate; Rep. Kionne McGhee, D-Miami; and Sen. Oscar Branyon II, D-Miami Gardens.
By Wednesday afternoon, there had been no word from House Speaker Richard Corcoran if such a resolution would be considered when the legislative session begins Tuesday.
“They’re undefeated and they beat a team that beat both of the teams in the national championship game in my Auburn Tigers,” Cate said Wednesday. “It may be symbolic in nature, but the players, coaches and school deserve it … I think anyone who was watching that Auburn game — even you’re an Auburn fan like me — if you didn’t get the chills watching that, I can’t help you.”
Historically, programs such as Alabama and Oklahoma State have laid claim to championships that the NCAA doesn’t recognize.
And despite UCF finishing as the nation’s lone undefeated team, CFB chairman Kirby Hocutt told ESPN he “strongly believes the selection committee got it right this season” in not choosing UCF for the playoff.
Portions from Washington Post and Orlando Sentinel stories were uses in this report