/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63939447/FB_vs_bools_76.0.jpg)
Amidst all of the made-up controversy over the UCF Knights’ home-and-home-or-bust scheduling philosophy vis-a-vis the rest of The American, I became intrigued at one question:
If UCF had to schedule a two-for-one, who should they schedule it with?
Of course, there’s only one completely scientific way of figuring this out: Conduct 65 Twitter polls in a 24-hour period.
So that’s what I did.
#UCF fans - Time to figure something out via a *totally scientific* series of Twitter polls.
— Black & Gold Banneret (@UCF_Banneret) June 1, 2019
Which teams would you be OK with @UCF_Football scheduling a 2-for-1 with?
We're going to go through each conference team by team, starting with the Big 12.
Ready? Here we go.
I kept each poll to just 24 hours in order to minimize the possibility of trolling, and given the results, it looks like that worked, since no question left me scratching my head.
So before we get to the raw data, let’s summarize the findings.
There are four tiers of responses. I picked these tiers because it’s my damn poll and I’ll do whatever the hell I want with it.
Definitely OK with it (>67%)
Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Michigan
At least two in three respondents said yes to these five teams. Call this the CFP Prediction group, because it looks like these are the teams everyone across the country thinks might be in the College Football Playoff, given whoever comes out on top between Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten. All very fair.
Very much OK with it (>50%)
Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, USC
These are the remaining teams that got a majority. Let’s call this group the Next Four In. All are traditional powers, and all are also fun travel destinations. And aside from Georgia, UCF has never played any of these teams on the road.
No, but we’re thinking about it (>33%)
Texas, Oregon, Penn State, Florida State, Auburn, Texas A&M
These teams got a majority thumbs-down, but I feel as though the fan base might soften their stance on them given the right circumstances. Note that UCF has already been to Texas and Penn State in the last decade, and that Florida State is the highest-voted team in-state.
No. Just no. Well, maybe. (>20%)
Michigan State, Wisconsin, Washington, Florida, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, West Virginia, Miami
Again, a majority say no to a two-for-one, but at least one in five yeses feels a bit squishy. UCF has previously played at Wisconsin (2004), Florida (twice), Nebraska (1997), West Virginia (2003), and Miami (2008). Interesting that T. Boone Pickens University, er, Oklahoma State made the list.
Shut up and go away (<20%)
Everyone else.
The only one I was surprised by was UCLA. You people don’t want two trips to the Rose Bowl?
So there it is: The people have spoken, and they have given Danny White license to break his promise with regard to a very select few power conference schools.
UCF Scheduling Twitter Poll Results
Are you OK with UCF scheduling a two-for-one with the following schools?
School | Conference | Yes % | No % | Votes |
---|---|---|---|---|
School | Conference | Yes % | No % | Votes |
North Carolina | ACC | 5 | 95 | 113 |
Georgia Tech | ACC | 5 | 95 | 112 |
Virginia | ACC | 5 | 95 | 115 |
Virginia Tech | ACC | 15 | 85 | 116 |
Clemson | ACC | 79 | 21 | 165 |
NC State | ACC | 5 | 95 | 116 |
Duke | ACC | 3 | 97 | 117 |
Miami | ACC | 21 | 79 | 119 |
Wake Forest | ACC | 2 | 98 | 103 |
Florida St. | ACC | 39 | 61 | 110 |
Louisville | ACC | 5 | 95 | 109 |
Pitt | ACC | 4 | 96 | 112 |
Syracuse | ACC | 8 | 92 | 117 |
BC | ACC | 4 | 96 | 101 |
Notre Dame | Independent | 63 | 37 | 163 |
Michigan | B1G | 68 | 32 | 187 |
Michigan State | B1G | 32 | 68 | 122 |
Ohio State | B1G | 77 | 23 | 182 |
Indiana | B1G | 2 | 98 | 112 |
Iowa | B1G | 10 | 90 | 125 |
Wisconsin | B1G | 28 | 72 | 130 |
Illinois | B1G | 2 | 98 | 127 |
Purdue | B1G | 4 | 96 | 126 |
Minnesota | B1G | 2 | 98 | 124 |
Penn State | B1G | 40 | 60 | 143 |
Rutgers | B1G | 3 | 97 | 117 |
Maryland | B1G | 4 | 96 | 116 |
Nebraska | B1G | 22 | 78 | 135 |
Northwestern | B1G | 6 | 94 | 124 |
Florida | SEC | 23 | 77 | 152 |
Georgia | SEC | 64 | 36 | 179 |
Alabama | SEC | 84 | 16 | 136 |
Auburn | SEC | 39 | 61 | 132 |
Tennessee | SEC | 15 | 85 | 120 |
South Carolina | SEC | 9 | 91 | 117 |
Kentucky | SEC | 6 | 94 | 171 |
Ole Miss | SEC | 8 | 92 | 131 |
Mississippi St. | SEC | 8 | 92 | 127 |
LSU | SEC | 61 | 39 | 133 |
Arkansas | SEC | 4 | 96 | 124 |
Texas A&M | SEC | 39 | 61 | 131 |
Vandy | SEC | 3 | 97 | 118 |
Missouri | SEC | 5 | 95 | 117 |
Stanford | Pac-12 | 7 | 93 | 111 |
Oregon State | Pac-12 | 3 | 97 | 109 |
Oregon | Pac-12 | 42 | 58 | 115 |
California | Pac-12 | 5 | 95 | 110 |
Washington | Pac-12 | 27 | 73 | 158 |
Washington St. | Pac-12 | 9 | 91 | 158 |
Arizona | Pac-12 | 2 | 98 | 120 |
Arizona St. | Pac-12 | 4 | 96 | 114 |
USC | Pac-12 | 51 | 49 | 122 |
UCLA | Pac-12 | 14 | 86 | 122 |
Utah | Pac-12 | 8 | 92 | 112 |
Colorado | Pac-12 | 6 | 94 | 124 |
Kansas | Big 12 | 9 | 91 | 429 |
West Virginia | Big 12 | 22 | 78 | 184 |
Oklahoma | Big 12 | 74 | 26 | 309 |
Texas | Big 12 | 47 | 53 | 293 |
Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 23 | 77 | 193 |
Baylor | Big 12 | 8 | 92 | 180 |
TCU | Big 12 | 18 | 82 | 180 |
Texas Tech | Big 12 | 13 | 87 | 186 |
Kansas St. | Big 12 | 8 | 92 | 173 |
Iowa State | Big 12 | 8 | 92 | 180 |
What I find really interesting about this is that it actually shows what UCF fans think the pecking order of college football is right now. Yeah, there’s a little bit of screw-you being lobbed at Florida, but for the most part, this passes the eye test at this given moment.
I’d be interested to see what the results would look like next year, or perhaps five years from now. But for now, this makes sense.