What is with all the hate and trolling on #8 Central Florida (UCF) after their 40-32 loss to #11 LSU in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day? I can't tell you how many times I've heard supposedly nonpartisan announcers/commentators say, "Well, that just goes to show you Central Florida didn't deserve any consideration to be part of the four-team playoff." Uh, no it didn't.
Central Florida won 25 straight games leading up to their 8-point defeat at the hands of SEC-power LSU. They defeated another SEC-power, Auburn, in the same game a year ago to finish the season 13-0. It's not like they lost to a nobody or got dominated. The Golden Knights were an inch or two away from recovering an onside kick toward the end of the 4th quarter, which would have given them a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime. Not only that, but they were starting their back-up quarterback in place of their all-conference starter. So you're going to tell me an 8-point loss to the #11 team in the country when starting your back-up quarterback proves you didn't deserve to be in the 4-team playoff? Really?
Let's also look at the #3 and #4 playoff selection teams. I think we can all agree #1 Alabama and #2 Clemson were deserving of their selections and are, probably without question, the two best teams in the country. Notre Dame, however, lost 30-3 to Clemson and then 1-loss Oklahoma, before a late-game run, was dominated by Alabama. It's not like these announcers can tell me with a straight face, "Central Florida's one-possession defeat at the hands of LSU while shorthanded proves they wouldn't have made a more competitive contest than Alabama or Clemson than did Oklahoma or Notre Dame."
Condensing matters, here's what these announcers are essentially saying:
Event: 12-0 #3 Notre Dame loses by 27 points to #2 Clemson
Conclusion: "Well, Notre Dame deserved to be in the 4-team playoff!"
Event: 12-1 #4 Oklahoma loses by 11 points to #1 Alabama
Conclusion: "Well, Oklahoma deserved to be in the 4-team playoff!"
Event: 25-0 #8 Central Florida loses by 8 points to #11 LSU
Conclusion: "Well, Central Florida didn't deserve to be in the 4-team playoff!"
Give me a break! Would Central Florida have defeated Alabama or Clemson? Probably not. But they sure as hell deserved the opportunity and would have made things more interesting than either Notre Dame or Oklahoma did!
Central Florida won 25 straight games leading up to their 8-point defeat at the hands of SEC-power LSU. They defeated another SEC-power, Auburn, in the same game a year ago to finish the season 13-0. It's not like they lost to a nobody or got dominated. The Golden Knights were an inch or two away from recovering an onside kick toward the end of the 4th quarter, which would have given them a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime. Not only that, but they were starting their back-up quarterback in place of their all-conference starter. So you're going to tell me an 8-point loss to the #11 team in the country when starting your back-up quarterback proves you didn't deserve to be in the 4-team playoff? Really?
Let's also look at the #3 and #4 playoff selection teams. I think we can all agree #1 Alabama and #2 Clemson were deserving of their selections and are, probably without question, the two best teams in the country. Notre Dame, however, lost 30-3 to Clemson and then 1-loss Oklahoma, before a late-game run, was dominated by Alabama. It's not like these announcers can tell me with a straight face, "Central Florida's one-possession defeat at the hands of LSU while shorthanded proves they wouldn't have made a more competitive contest than Alabama or Clemson than did Oklahoma or Notre Dame."
Condensing matters, here's what these announcers are essentially saying:
Event: 12-0 #3 Notre Dame loses by 27 points to #2 Clemson
Conclusion: "Well, Notre Dame deserved to be in the 4-team playoff!"
Event: 12-1 #4 Oklahoma loses by 11 points to #1 Alabama
Conclusion: "Well, Oklahoma deserved to be in the 4-team playoff!"
Event: 25-0 #8 Central Florida loses by 8 points to #11 LSU
Conclusion: "Well, Central Florida didn't deserve to be in the 4-team playoff!"
Give me a break! Would Central Florida have defeated Alabama or Clemson? Probably not. But they sure as hell deserved the opportunity and would have made things more interesting than either Notre Dame or Oklahoma did!
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