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Central Florida Claiming 2017 National Title, Raising Banner
#1
UCF athletic director Danny White said Wednesday the program has decided to claim a national championship and will place a championship banner inside Spectrum Stadium to recognize its undefeated 2017 season.

The Knights beat Auburn 34-27 in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to cap a 13-0 season, finishing as the only undefeated team in college football. But because UCF doesn't play in a Power 5 conference, it entered the bowl game ranked No. 12 by the College Football Playoff selection committee and was not given an opportunity to play for the national championship.

Since the victory on New Year's Day, UCF football has changed its Twitter display name to "2017 National Champions" with a logo designed to match.


White told ESPN's Dan Le Batard on Tuesday that the school is planning a parade for the team. He initially told Orlando radio station 96.9 The Game about plans for the banner.

"If you take the long view of the history of college football, there's an awful lot of national championships being claimed by universities that didn't accomplish what we accomplished this year in those respective seasons, so we feel we're more than justified to claim our first national championship, and we think it'll be the first of many," White told ESPN.

"I don't think our kids should be penalized because we weren't respected by the College Football Playoff committee, nor should our program be penalized because we weren't around 20 or 30 years ago when people were claiming national championships left and right. We're trying to build our program and we feel very strongly as the only undefeated team and having beat Auburn, who beat both teams competing for the national championship, that we have an extremely sound case to claim the crown."

According to ESPN Stats & Information, UCF is the 10th team in the BCS era (since 1998) to finish the season undefeated and not win the national title. The last was Ohio State in 2012, but the Buckeyes were ineligible to compete in the Big Ten championship or go to a bowl game.

UCF also isn't the first school to dispute the national championship. Alabama, for instance, recognizes 1973 as a championship year. The coaches' poll did name the Crimson Tide No. 1 that year, but voting took place before they lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. The Associated Press voted the Fighting Irish No. 1 and Alabama fourth after the season.

White said he also hopes the ongoing discussion about whether the selection committee gave UCF a fair opportunity this season opens more dialogue about where Group of 5 teams stand moving forward. He also heavily criticized the selection committee for being too subjective in its rankings, saying the Bowl Championship Series was a more equitable way to rank teams. White also is in favor of an eight-team playoff.

"There should be change," White said. "It's not an equitable system. It's not equitable in terms of how we do the rankings. The BCS era was much more accurate for how teams were ranked, more objective, and I don't think the playoff is adequate to determine a true national champion. You can't subjectively pick only four teams. I think you need to come up with some more objective rankings, which we already had in place with the BCS that allowed computers to have a voice, that allowed the media to have a voice, and the coaches' poll to have a voice so it was a combination of objectivity and subjectivity.


"That model, going back and looking at it, seems to be much more equitable, but then I think you need to have at least eight teams in a playoff if you're really going to call it a true national champion. Absent of that, we're claiming a national championship for the 2017 season."

On Tuesday, both CFP executive director Bill Hancock and committee chairman Kirby Hocutt told ESPN's Heather Dinich they stood behind the way UCF was ranked all season. "The selection committee respected UCF," Hancock said.

Those inside the UCF athletic department and around Orlando contend differently. Though UCF won't get a trophy or official acknowledgement as a national champion, White says it is important to hang a banner inside the stadium and recognize the efforts of all their players.

"It's a proud moment for our university," White said. "Having an undefeated football season is unique, and this is a moment in time we don't want to forget, and it deserves to be memorialized with a national championship banner."

http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...hip-banner
#2
This is more legit than the national championship trophy Kentucky had made over 50 years after the "fact" when they claimed their "title".


Confusednicker:
#3
This is ridiculous. They are ruining people’s grace and respect towards their season by doing this garbage. They had a great year.... but I don’t like this at all.
#4
If Auburn had a better head coach we would not be having this conversation, Malzahn was out coached by Frost...Auburn finishes with 4 losses...JMO but that claim is ridiculous...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
#5
^ agreed. Malzahn is terribly overrated.
#6
Kentucky beat a LSU team in 2007 that went on to win a National Championship so I guess UK can claim one...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
#7
UK football fans.

:biglmao:




https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/7/27/122...hip-trophy
#8
I claimed to be the funniest man alive, turns out I'm not. My girlfriend will attest to that.
If you need any assistance or want to report a problem feel free to PM me and we will get it taken care of!  Thank you for choosing to be apart of the BGR community!
#BBFL
#9
Westside Wrote:UK football fans.

:biglmao:




https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/7/27/122...hip-trophy

I think Alabama claims a few of those from the 40’s...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
#10
They actually did beat the team, that beat the two teams playing in the National Championship.

All this does is make it very clear the playoff needs to go to 8 teams so that these type teams have a shot to win it. Maybe they wont, maybe they will.
#11
http://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fbs these is all the national championships over the years. there is some years the 2 or more teams got a championships.
#12
plantmanky Wrote:They actually did beat the team, that beat the two teams playing in the National Championship.

All this does is make it very clear the playoff needs to go to 8 teams so that these type teams have a shot to win it. Maybe they wont, maybe they will.

I bet you are one of the people that say a few years back the TCU and BSU should be the championship game. because going into there bowl game both teams was 12-0 and all the other teams had 1 lose. if these little colleges want to play for the national title, they need to try to get one of the power 5 Conf. let them in. I have been heard talk that the big 12 want to go back to 12 teams, or maybe 14 teams. there you go UCF.
#13
In a day and time that people get to claim what gender to put on their birth certificate, what is so wrong with claiming a national championship?
#14
Why not, it is the AD’s job to bring a positive light on his programs. They Were very good and beat a Power 5 top 10 team handily. Playoffs NO, what they are doing now, go for it, be heard, make people know who you are and seize the moment for your University. I would expect nothing less from proactive leadership. Good job.
#15
Desperately need to go to 8 team playoff. Shorten the season by one game. Still play conference championships.
5 automatic bids from P5 champs plus 3 at large.
1 of those 3 at large is the mid major best.

Also put in writing it can never be changeed or expanded after that. 8 is all they need. 2 weeks between each playoff game.
#16
RunItUpTheGut Wrote:Desperately need to go to 8 team playoff. Shorten the season by one game. Still play conference championships.
5 automatic bids from P5 champs plus 3 at large.
1 of those 3 at large is the mid major best.

Also put in writing it can never be changeed or expanded after that. 8 is all they need. 2 weeks between each playoff game.

light up another one. do you really think that a mid major team better then any of the top power 5. if they make it a 8 team playoffs the power 5 will break away. they have been talks about them doing that. if the power 5 do that. the teams like UCF wont be getting money from bowl games. UCF would not have won the FCS national title.

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