Take Two: Does UCF deserve a CFB Playoff shot?
MORE: Week 12 in review | Five weird things from Week 12
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
THE STORYLINE
There has been so much heated debate about whether UCF deserves a shot in the College Football Playoff, why an eight-team playoff would make the Knights’ argument even better and all the while UCF just keeps winning.
This past weekend in primetime, UCF destroyed Cincinnati, 38-13, and the Knights have now won all their games this season by double-digits except the Memphis win, where they escaped with a late victory. UCF has now won 23 games in a row including a bowl win over Auburn last season.
UCF has not lost a game since the 2016 campaign – the first of coach Scott Frost's two seasons there – and still is not even sniffing the College Football Playoff.
Do the Knights deserve a chance or would they be completely outmatched by the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Michigan, the current top four?
FIRST TAKE: BRANDON HELWIG, UCFSPORTS.COM
“UCF just wants an opportunity. A year ago, nobody gave UCF a chance against Auburn, the only team that beat both teams in the national title game, Alabama and Georgia. As everybody knows, UCF capped off its perfect season with a victory against the Tigers in the Peach Bowl and that winning streak continues to this day, 23 games and counting.
“Objectively, it's clear to see Alabama and Clemson have been and continue to be the class of college football. I'd pick those teams against anybody, UCF included, but you never know unless the game is played. Beyond those two, I think UCF can certainly play with and beat anybody else ahead of them, Michigan and Notre Dame included. UCF players have mostly deferred playoff-related questions, but quarterback McKenzie Milton, in making his case for playoff inclusion last week, did say that he felt UCF was 'better' than Notre Dame. Again, you'd never know unless the game was played, but I'd like UCF's chances in that game.
“UCF's offense is elite and I believe it could outscore most teams. Defense isn't to the offense's level, but that's not uncommon in the top 10. Oklahoma, looking at you. Much of the outcry from UCF circles is over the apparent lack of respect, that 23-straight wins only merits a CFP ranking of No. 11. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit is one member of the national media who seems to be more of a believer now, saying over the weekend that he would rank UCF No. 7. That's a fair spot.
“On top of that, UCF's plight is also shedding light on how much better the system can be. There's a lot more national discussion about an eight-team playoff now which I think can be attributed to UCF AD Danny White and his continual challenges to the current system.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“I don’t think UCF would beat any of the top four teams. The Knights are good for a Group of Five team, their winning streak is impressive and they have some talented football players but I don’t think they have the depth or the star power to handle a team like Alabama, Clemson, Michigan or Notre Dame.
“Those four teams are just too complete when it comes to talent on offense and defense compared to UCF.”