[Westside]

All the love going to UCF is well deserved, but any thought that they are a top level team is a mistake. People want to run with the "Auburn Win" to prove legitimacy. In these bowl games, the Big Five teams that have been knocked out of contention play for nothing. Top guys either don't play, or don't play with conviction. The UCF squad was playing for pride and respect, the Auburn players were trying to stay healthy for the NFL Combine. We see this every year and it never proves that the non-Big Five teams could play with the big dogs. I watched the UCF/Auburn game. That Auburn was not the same Auburn that beat Georgia. UCF could not have beat any of the top four teams. Their ranking is deserved where it is currently at.

C'mon, look at their season schedule....

Maybe so. Maybe no. It's all speculation including the statement that Auburn players were just trying to stay healthy during the bowl game. It's probably so, but do we really know for sure? I like to think Auburn was playing with some pride. Before the bowl game, a lot of people were saying that UCF played in a weak conference and didn't play anyone. They beat a very good South Florida team, a decent Memphis team twice and the only Power 5 team they played, which was a very good Auburn team. They passed every test that they were faced with this season. No other team in the country can say that. For that, they deserve some credit.

For the record, a few years ago we were having this same debate on this very site about a team named Boise State. I actually argued against that team. I don't know why, but I liked this UCF team.