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UCF is spending so much time in the respective heads of the SEC that it should be paying rent at this point. Take this year's SEC Media Days.
As was to be expected, UCF was a topic of conversation for both Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. And let me tell you how much they enjoyed that.
First, Nick Saban on Opinions
First up was Nick Saban, head coach of the defending co-national champion Alabama Crimson Tide, who was really having a good time.
Nick Saban had a shared national title under the BCS system at LSU. Alabama has a long history of shared titles. I asked Saban if the system is broken again after @UCF_Football undefeated season. @MyNews13 @SpecSports360 #SECMediaDays pic.twitter.com/HAfTFJLjAx
— Pat Welter (@PatrickWelter) July 18, 2018
Look at his face. God, I love it.
"You're entitled to your opinion; I'm entitled to mine." Yes, Nick, thanks for that insightful tautology, as usual.
Hey Nick, how about this opinion:
Love that coach Saban has to answer questions about @UCF_Football he said the best teams got into the playoff and he’s not responsible for @CFBPlayoff selections. He forgets that he begged to be let while other teams where playing conf. championship games.#UCF ⚔️ #rolltide pic.twitter.com/ccaDMYRILs
— ⚔️ (@UCFChief) July 18, 2018
But wait, in 2012 you said:
Saban on how important winning conf title should be in playoff, Saban "you don't have to win your league to get into the Final Four."
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) July 19, 2012
So which one is it Nick?
To be fair, Nick Saban is a professional at changing his opinion of things at breakneck speed. Just ask Miami Dolphins fans.
But let's give Nick some credit here - The one thing he is consistent about is his team winning games.
His thoughts on college football's national championship, however, are anything but.
Next, Gus Malzahn on Eggs
Thursday it was Gus Malzahn's turn. The head coach of the team that UCF beat in the 2018 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl offered a convenient excuse for his team's defeat:
Malzahn says “I don’t have an opinion” on UCF’s title claim.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) July 19, 2018
He also said earlier Auburn “laid an egg” in the Peach Bowl, but “didn’t want to take anything away from our opponent.” #WDE #ChargeOn #SECMD18
Gus Malzahn is the college football equivalent of Fat Charlie the Archangel.
He is also speaking out of both sides of his mouth when he said his team laid an egg, but let's not take anything away from UCF.
Please.
Oh and now he's brainwashed the rest of them too:
UCF laid an egg in the 1st half, otherwise it would've been a blowout https://t.co/CSjy7Mtko0
— Kevin Trainor (@KTrainor24) July 19, 2018
Stidham, lest we recall, was 28/43 for 331 yards and a TD in the Peach Bowl, but got fooled into two 4th-quarter picks, including a pick-6. He also got sacked six times behind his vaunted SEC-level offensive line.
They didn't lay an egg. They got their ass beat. Beat just like...
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) July 19, 2018
Finally, the SEC on Itself
Let's bring Cousin Nicky back in here for a sec.
Saban and Malzahn both floated the idea that the SEC should think about expanding the conference season to nine games, leaving just three open for non-con match-ups. This is clearly a ploy to further screw over non-Autonomous Five schools since we know the SEC won't give up its cupcake week in November, while also fillings its coffers even more:
Just thought of this: If SEC goes to 9 conference games, that's 7 more games that rightsholders would have to pay for. Another windfall for SEC. https://t.co/GxgC6KfcK8
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) July 19, 2018
I mean, why stop there, guys? Let's float a 14-game SEC schedule while we're at it. You all play each other. And the opener is the Spring Game.
What are we doing here, people?
It has gotten to the point where the SEC's gravity is collapsing in on itself. To do this would not only lend further ammo to the argument UCF has been making for nine months but would constitute evidence of flat-out anti-competitive behavior.
We are left with but one conclusion: The SEC Bubble is real. It's going to be fun to watch it burst.