Black & Gold Banneret - #UCFiesta 2018: #8 UCF Knights vs. #11 LSU TigersA UCF Knights Community2019-01-11T15:42:13-05:00http://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/rss/stream/178890402019-01-11T15:42:13-05:002019-01-11T15:42:13-05:00Wrapping UCF’s Football Season on “Intersection” on NPR
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<figcaption>Derek Warden</figcaption>
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<p>Talking UCF, CFP, Power Five and more on WMFE</p> <p id="EfOCfJ">Check out this segment from “Intersection” on WMFE 90.7 FM, Central Florida’s NPR affiliate, where I talked about the <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a>’ 2018 season with host Matthew Peddie.</p>
<p id="GbgSb4">We discussed UCF’s place in the college football world post-<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a>, and the context around the Knights’ 25-game winning streak.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Intersection: Upacking The UCF Knights’ Winning Streak <a href="https://t.co/iPY5A1NcCx">https://t.co/iPY5A1NcCx</a></p>— 90.7 WMFE (@wmfeorlando) <a href="https://twitter.com/wmfeorlando/status/1081264945881329671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2019</a>
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<p id="tZCHRZ">Give Matthew a follow at <a href="http://twitter.com/@matthew_peddie">@matthew_peddie</a> and WMFE at <a href="http://twitter.com/@WMFEOrlando">@WMFEOrlando</a>.</p>
https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/11/18179003/wrapping-ucf-knights-football-season-on-intersection-on-nprJeffSharon2019-01-03T08:14:03-05:002019-01-03T08:14:03-05:00And Just Like That, It Was Over - Or Did It Just Begin?
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Fiesta Bowl-Louisiana State vs Central Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iTeAkJR5D2gs-2gg8w37Wg1lSEo=/0x187:1876x1438/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62772776/usa_today_11927341.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Knights went 0-1 in the Fiesta Bowl, something that hasn’t happened for a very long time.</p> <p id="hlQRBE">LSU’s Ed Orgeron lifted the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a> trophy when the clock hit triple zeroes, and while it most definitely happened, as you can clearly see the picture above, it’s still hard to believe.</p>
<p id="7ewZIP">LSU did what no team could do since Arkansas State completed the feat 745 days ago: go 1-0 against UCF. And they definitely earned it.</p>
<p id="L2dX4N">LSU perfected their game plan, playing keepaway from UCF by possessing the ball for nearly three quarters of the game. They also took UCF’s offense out of rhythm by blitzing on nearly every play, forcing QB <span>Darriel Mack Jr.</span> to often throw footballs under duress. They also matched the physicality UCF provided after going down 14-3 early. From that point on, LSU outscored UCF 37-18 and won a 40-32 ballgame.</p>
<p id="11LTBX">However, going 0-1 in a bowl game against all odds facing a team that has faced more adversity than most, if not every team and program in college football, can dilute memories of how UCF even got to a 25-game winning streak and how they positioned themselves to their second New Year’s Six bowl berth and a spot among the nation’s elite teams.</p>
<p id="KM1qFz">With eight months to digest and regurgitate the stinging defeat, this UCF team will often always be questioned as to how good this team really was, and that is absolutely not how this team should be remembered. </p>
<p id="8QZSpt">Some of the <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a> have seen a huge deviation of highs and lows. The graduating seniors went 0-12 as freshmen under George O’Leary and ended their careers winning 25 of their last 26 games.</p>
<p id="2QcUGq">“This is a group that bounces back, that is resilient, that came together to win games and accomplish great things,” senior <span>Matthew Wright</span> said. </p>
<p id="89s9zD">In the current makeup of the CFP and the system, it automatically disqualifies schools like UCF, which despite their talent, will never be seen as a legitimate contender for the best team in the country. Schools outside of the Power 5 have to work twice as hard to receive half the credit and respect of schools within the Power 5 conferences. However, that did not stop UCF from playing its tail off week in and week out.</p>
<p id="WZ7xOo">“This is a team that played with passion, played with love, for 26 straight games,” junior <span>Trysten Hill</span> said. “I don’t think it will ever be forgotten.”</p>
<p id="N3aGxy">The love and passion that <span>Hill</span> mentions led the team to 25 wins across two seasons, two completely different coaching staffs, a devastating quarterback injury, several miraculous come-from-behind victories, and two New Year Six Bowl berths. The only teams that have won as many games in a two-year span are Alabama and Clemson, the two teams vying for a national championship on Monday night, and the undeniable college football powerhouses of this era.</p>
<p id="xKOlul">On a larger scale, this will likely be seen as a loss in a bowl game that will hurt fan opinions on whether or not UCF should be included with the Power 5 schools in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-playoff">College Football Playoff</a>. However, the way the team acted in defeat proves that this is not the team’s legacy.</p>
<p id="9yMmWR">“It’s been a historic run,” AD Danny White said. “It’s going to be a big part of our history. We’re such a young place, that our history is by in large in front of us.”</p>
<p id="r3yyUX">Before the 2016 season began, UCF made just one NY6 bowl appearance, but fell straight to the bottom just two years later, erasing much of the credibility it built after defeating Baylor in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl.</p>
<p id="xGlDK2">However, the legacy this team built in just two years has not only rebuilt the credibility the team earned in 2014, but it has built even more off of that foundation.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">745 days ago maybe you knew of UCF? Today, UCF is 1 of the most talked about brands in sports <br> Applications⬆️<br> Season tickets⬆️<br> Sponsorships⬆️<br> Donors⬆️<br> Merchandise sales wide⬆️<br>Keep flooding those mentions insecure fans of blood programs. We’re just getting started</p>— Jimmy Skiles (@JimmySkiles) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmySkiles/status/1080240201568382976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="jy5I3L">“We’re not that little school anymore,” senior tackle <span>Wyatt Miller</span> said.</p>
<p id="eQEBXX">Now, it’s hard to even remember or fathom the fact that UCF was once a “little” school. </p>
<p id="cBoego">The loss is a tough pill to swallow for a team that accomplished so much and won a lot, but it should not, can not, and will not erase the legacy the team created in the past two seasons.</p>
<p id="zL6Ngx">So, while the streak may be over, the legacy has just begun.</p>
https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/3/18164404/ucf-knights-lsu-tigers-fiesta-bowl-streak-over-football-ncaaJeremy_Brener2019-01-02T22:03:23-05:002019-01-02T22:03:23-05:00Fiesta Bowl National TV Viewership Up from Last Year’s Peach Bowl
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Fiesta Bowl-Louisiana State vs Central Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Uag42oMaxFriQQeN9o4--4wGp0Q=/0x0:3727x2485/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62772736/usa_today_11926511.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Orlando market viewership was down from last year’s UCF NY6 bowl</p> <p id="L5AP6d">TV viewership for the <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a>’ 40-32 loss to the <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/">LSU Tigers</a> in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a> was on par with UCF’s win over Auburn at the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/peach-bowl">Peach Bowl</a> last year, as the Fiesta Bowl garnered 8.471 million viewers, which is slightly up compared to the Peach Bowl’s 8.377 million viewers. This would put the game basically even as nationally second-most watched UCF football game nationally along with Peach Bowl, and behind the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. </p>
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<p id="R5ulu0">The Fiesta Bowl, which started at same time slot as last year’s Peach Bowl, drew a 5.0 national rating, which is slightly down with last season’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, which was played in the similar New Year’s Day timeslot.</p>
<p id="bnCPh5">The game was up 9% from the 2014 Fiesta Bowl in ratings and 14 percent in viewers from the 2014 Fiesta Bowl (held on New Year’s Eve of 2014, not the UCF-Baylor game), the only other time in the New Year’s Six Era when the game hosted the automatic qualifier from the Group of Five when Boise State took on Arizona. That game drew a 4.6 rating with 7.3 million viewers. </p>
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<p id="XpqBDj">Surprisingly, the game picked up a 14.0 local rating. While that is the third most watched UCF football game in the Orlando market history, it is <em>down</em> from last year’s Peach Bowl audience, which was at 16.0. </p>
<p id="HGh3lr">The 2014 Fiesta Bowl, where UCF defeated Baylor, is the most-watched UCF telecast within Orlando, garnering a 17.4 rating. That game was on primetime on New Year’s night. </p>
<p id="QjThFM">Orlando was the #3-rated market for the Fiesta Bowl behind Birmingham and New Orleans, which led the way. </p>
<h3 id="XizlgV"><strong>Market Rating</strong></h3>
<ol>
<li id="21hPwa">New Orleans (25.12)</li>
<li id="MeC7f4">Birmingham (21.23)</li>
<li id="8o2YTe"><em><strong>Orlando (14.04)</strong></em></li>
<li id="lns7av">Greenville (11.15)</li>
<li id="BUFv7P">Columbus, Ohio (10.36)</li>
<li id="jKAht3">Tampa-St. Pete (9.57)</li>
<li id="ponSrx">Atlanta (9.48)</li>
<li id="W88RqM">Jacksonville (9.19)</li>
<li id="yMxgZw">Austin (8.910)</li>
<li id="9spzvj">Knoxville (8.3)</li>
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<p id="bwrdoB">Keep in mind also that this year’s UCF game was a lead-in to a non-playoff game in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/rose-bowl">Rose Bowl</a>, while last year’s Peach Bowl was a lead-in to a Playoff Rose Bowl. </p>
<p id="EkxrTB">The final ratings for the game will not come out for couple days. For example, last year’s Peach Bowl ended up with a national rating of 4.6. The 2014 Fiesta Bowl ended up with national rating of 6.6.</p>
https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/2019/1/2/18165760/fiesta-bowl-tv-viewers-down-in-orlando-compared-to-2017-peach-bowl-ucf-knightsEric Lopez2019-01-02T00:15:34-05:002019-01-02T00:15:34-05:00INSTANT REAX: Knights’ Phenomenal Run Ends at the Hands of LSU in Fiesta Bowl Shoot-Out
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<img alt="PlayStation Fiesta Bowl - LSU v Central Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NHYwUs8uvwdD_SdAkr26j3GiZFo=/0x0:4592x3061/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62765191/1088784002.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Mistakes prevent UCF from a second consecutive NY6 win over an SEC opponent.</p> <p id="UCONjq">It was going to end at some point. But that doesn’t make it any less painful.</p>
<p id="EoX8AB">The <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a>’ 25-game winning streak came to an end in a penalty-riddled, wild <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a>, 40-32 against the <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/">LSU Tigers</a>. It was a game that, in some ways, both teams could have won easily were it not for a few key moments and mistakes on both sides. And yet, UCF had the ball down one possession in the final minute with a chance to tie.</p>
<h1 id="8mDvD2">Highlights</h1>
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<h1 id="iZ7HAp">Reaction</h1>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> QB Darriel Mack Jr. talks about the difficulty losing the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FiestaBowl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FiestaBowl</a>, what lies ahead for this program, and having McKenzie Milton on the sidelines today. <a href="https://t.co/k2WbgUkjrU">pic.twitter.com/k2WbgUkjrU</a></p>— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spokes_Murphy/status/1080244967228862464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Darriel Mack Jr. said the hardest part of losing the Fiesta Bowl was not being able to win it for the seniors. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> <a href="https://t.co/R1sBcA2sMD">pic.twitter.com/R1sBcA2sMD</a></p>— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spokes_Murphy/status/1080246085484871681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<h1 id="h7zvLF">It’s over.</h1>
<p id="W1kBN9">The Knights’ winning streak comes to an end at 25. it was their first loss since the 2016 Cure Bowl against Arkansas State at Camping World Stadium, an astounding 745 days ago.</p>
<p id="EJkljW">Cue SemiSonic:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.<br><br>Ready to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChargeOn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChargeOn</a> to the next streak ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/fD702WIjcV">pic.twitter.com/fD702WIjcV</a></p>— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Football/status/1080233611746455553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<h1 id="vZLo9x">So close, yet so far</h1>
<p id="9Lm45q">LSU beat UCF in the following categories:</p>
<ul>
<li id="kjCWf7">First downs: 32-17</li>
<li id="0GcuKH">Total yards: 555-250</li>
<li id="wNPHtg">Passing yards: 394-120</li>
<li id="ATqcJx">Total plays: 86-61</li>
<li id="DfWO1f">Time of possession: 44:31-15:29</li>
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<p id="kCN8qG">And yet, despite all that, on the final competitive play of the game, down 8 after scoring late, nearly recovering an onside kick and forcing a 3-and-out, <span>Darriel Mack Jr.</span> and <span>Michael Colubiale</span> nearly pulled off some kind of late Christmas miracle:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just for the record, here’s how close <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> was to still pulling out a miracle finish vs. LSU, despite everything that happened today.<br><br>This team never quits. <a href="https://t.co/C4O4d1rAn9">pic.twitter.com/C4O4d1rAn9</a></p>— Jeff Sharon (@Jeff_Sharon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeff_Sharon/status/1080283427583246336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="sSNrtw">This game, as well as every game in this amazing ride, is decided by inches. As Al Pacino said in “Any Given Sunday,” the inches we need are all around us. On Tuesday, for the first time since December of 2016, UCF couldn’t get the inches it needed.</p>
<p id="0flIqF">Inches.</p>
<h1 id="r7waRi">Mistakes</h1>
<p id="osUHud">Speaking of those inches, what hurt UCF was a series of mistakes:</p>
<ul>
<li id="plzL59">The personal foul on <span>Randy Charlton</span> for spiking the ball on a 3rd down sack up 14-3 that gave LSU an automatic first down and eventually led to their first TD.</li>
<li id="WZyLc4">A few key drops in key situations by key players.</li>
<li id="WjGipG">12 penalties worth 104 yards</li>
<li id="JqbB9C">Two turnovers</li>
</ul>
<p id="conIPD">UCF didn’t have to play the perfect game to win, but some of these errors definitely cost them in what turned out to be a one-possession game.</p>
<h1 id="5qtsVD">DJ’s rough ride</h1>
<p id="4aKVHI">It’s hard to escape the fact that <em>redshirt freshman</em> QB Darriel Mack Jr. was making his third career start, and at times looked like a redshirt freshman quarterback making his third career start.</p>
<p id="2ycE7h">He finished the day 11/31 for 97 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked five times, fumbled the ball away once, and threw the game-ending pick.</p>
<p id="4TspON">About that touchdown though:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Darriel Mack hits Gabriel Davis for the deep UCF touchdown before the half! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChargeOn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChargeOn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FiestaBowl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FiestaBowl</a> <a href="https://t.co/88OJIt6KLq">pic.twitter.com/88OJIt6KLq</a></p>— The Game Haus Sports (@TGHSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/TGHSports/status/1080191200978706432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="nLz2Of">Can’t defend that.</p>
<p id="th0W3f">Imagine if 2016 McKenzie Milton had played in this game. I suspect the result may have been similar. KZ’s third career start was the ill-fated home game against Temple, where he went 13/22 for 2 TDs and one INT in a last-second loss.</p>
<p id="HdiKEs">DJ has a spring and another summer to do what KZ did between 2016 and 2017: Hone the craft. Today was a big ask. Assuming <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2018/12/29/18160843/could-ucf-knights-qb-mckenzie-milton-play-in-2019">KZ isn’t back for 2019</a>, it won’t be as big of an ask for next season.</p>
<h1 id="7lQe46">Cue the schadenfreude</h1>
<p id="yDJlCf">It’s going to be bad. We’ll address it in due time. But for now, don’t be sad it’s over. be glad it happened.</p>
<p id="5d964d">We sure as hell are.</p>
https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/2/18164580/ucf-knights-phenomenal-run-ends-at-the-hands-of-lsu-in-fiesta-bowl-shoot-outJeffSharon2019-01-01T21:40:04-05:002019-01-01T21:40:04-05:00The Fiesta Bowl Loss Shouldn’t Change Anyone’s Opinion About UCF Football
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Fiesta Bowl-Louisiana State vs Central Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZTcBekprhui8RqkqclUG7zji9pw=/0x1077:1649x2176/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62764749/usa_today_11925943.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>UCF CB Brandon Moore goes 93 yards for a pick-six during the first quarter of the Fiesta Bowl versus LSU. | Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>If you loved the Knights, this game hardened that. If you hated them, well, you probably feel good, too.</p> <p id="cDHqRg">GLENDALE, Ariz. — The clock, the season and the streak all expired about four hours ago.</p>
<p id="5W83jX">I’m still at State Farm Stadium, but not because I’m in a catatonic state over what occurred. The <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a> did not play a very good game today. I think that’s something we can agree upon rather civilly. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> QB Darriel Mack Jr. talks about the difficulty losing the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FiestaBowl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FiestaBowl</a>, what lies ahead for this program, and having McKenzie Milton on the sidelines today. <a href="https://t.co/k2WbgUkjrU">pic.twitter.com/k2WbgUkjrU</a></p>— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spokes_Murphy/status/1080244967228862464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="43BMLq">LSU quarterback <span>Joe Burrow</span> was the best player on the field. The Knights couldn’t get off the field enough on third downs. Their myriad penalties were absolute killers. <span>Darriel Mack Jr.</span> wasn’t sharp. His offensive line got beaten far too often. The offense overall really struggled outside of a couple of drives. </p>
<h3 id="Pr3K2y">The Tigers were undermanned and still deserved to win this game. If you can’t understand that, I don’t know what else to tell you.</h3>
<p id="fxtYXs">Except this: Right now, at 6:31 p.m. Mountain Time, I feel the same way about this team and this program as I did at 6:31 a.m. this morning. </p>
<p id="wenlYq">Tonight, to me, feels like a funeral, but one that is more grounded in celebration than mourning. It’s hard to let go of something you cherish, but all things, good or bad, come to an end. And tonight, UCF fans should celebrate what has been accomplished. The team will.</p>
<p id="dIk2SE">Sooner or later, the Knights were going to lose. It stings a little extra that it comes on this national stage, in the final game for so many influential players, against a team from a conference that represents college football’s ivory tower.</p>
<p id="wDTp0u">But even with this 40-32 defeat still wafting through the desert air, did what you saw today tell you, dear UCF fan, that the Knights absolutely can’t compete on this level against these types of blue bloods? It better not have because we know they can; we’ve seen it through the past two years as they dispatched everything in their path, including a handful of Power 5 opponents.</p>
<p id="1msip6">They came up short today, and it was ugly at times. While that’s quite different than what UCF Fan has become accustomed to, it doesn’t alter what UCF Football is now. Look at how much has changed in general since 746 days ago, the date of the Knights’ previously most-recent loss.</p>
<p id="QjbKEp">There is a winning expectation within this program. The class of athlete that resides on this team is totally different. The culture has also taken a 180. Back in 2015, the Knights didn’t trust each other; some players admitted that this week. Now, all you hear about is how much love there is inside of the locker room.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pat Jasinski talks about his hug with McKenzie Milton after the game and moving on from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a>. <a href="https://t.co/ISq5hvtVX2">pic.twitter.com/ISq5hvtVX2</a></p>— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spokes_Murphy/status/1080251347574784000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="uS1Pe3">So much has changed, and this loss impacts no more than a sliver of that. It’s a single endpoint. It doesn’t erase what has been put in place over the past 2-3 years. Not going undefeated for a second consecutive season shouldn’t leave anyone who roots for the Knights feeling empty. Don’t lose sight that a 12-1 season is still pretty dang great.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CB Brandon Moore talks about the end of the streak, playing for the seniors and the message he had for his teammates in the locker room after the game. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> <a href="https://t.co/qCwmU3aLBX">pic.twitter.com/qCwmU3aLBX</a></p>— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spokes_Murphy/status/1080254280643166208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="zBK4p9">Of course, UCF has certainly picked up more than a few haters during their undefeated journey. But like Reggie Jackson said more than 40 years ago, “They don’t boo nobodies.”</p>
<p id="6T2rou">And yes, tonight is a night for those haters to celebrate as well. This game probably confirms all of their preconceived notions about the Knights that they never wanted to release, even as UCF reeled off W after W. So, why try to fight against it? </p>
<p id="Xpxqoy">Note to UCF fans: Maybe step away from Twitter for a couple of weeks. There’s going to be a lot of schadenfreude expressed by those people who hate the Knights. My advice to you is to let it lie and die. As much as Knights fans celebrate without reservations after every victory no matter how the result developed, those detractors will revel because a loss is a loss is a loss. There is no argument that can stand up against that fact tonight.</p>
<h3 id="L19sTB">But look before and beyond tonight. The recent past has been genuinely spectacular for UCF football. Those memories never die. </h3>
<p id="BsRLOn">For the future, the memory of what happened in Arizona today will be used by the players to fuel UCF’s next extended run of success. No one thought the 25-game run would transpire following the 2016 Cure Bowl.</p>
<p id="NFoO6p">Following the 2019 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a>, there is a belief, an expectation, that the Knights’ next stretch of greatness begins tomorrow. When you look at everything that makes up this program right now — the coaching staff, the athletes, the swagger, the culture — that belief is warranted and should be shared by any UCF fan that feels at all sour this evening. </p>
<div id="GLfrrb">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.<br><br>Ready to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChargeOn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChargeOn</a> to the next streak ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/fD702WIjcV">pic.twitter.com/fD702WIjcV</a></p>— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Football/status/1080233611746455553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/1/18164559/fiesta-bowl-loss-shouldnt-change-opinion-about-ucf-knights-footballBrian Murphy_UCF2019-01-01T18:16:18-05:002019-01-01T18:16:18-05:00Following Fiesta Bowl defeat, DT Trysten Hill declares for NFL Draft
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 01 AAC Championship Game - UCF v Memphis" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/22_Rdy6BA3PqFCzD_pbVChHNTBs=/0x0:1342x895/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62764152/1067378378.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The junior DT is heading for the NFL.</p> <p id="MHhHtF">After losing 40-32 in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a>, junior DT <span>Trysten Hill</span> announced via Twitter that he was declaring for the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you God for everything, without You I am nothing <a href="https://t.co/AwD7G0pkIE">pic.twitter.com/AwD7G0pkIE</a></p>— Trey9️⃣ (@trystenhill9) <a href="https://twitter.com/trystenhill9/status/1080238003518230529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="pGL1Y8">In his final season in black and gold, <span>Hill</span> finished second on the team with 3.0 sacks and had 10.0 TFL’s, including 0.5 TFL in the Fiesta Bowl. Hill even added a rushing touchdown as a fullback against SMU earlier in the season.</p>
<p id="LPBs9o"><a href="https://www.drafttek.com/Top-100-NFL-Draft-Prospects-2019-Page-2.asp">Draft Tek</a> lists Hill as the 189th best prospect regardless of position heading into the draft. Given his early declaration, his stock could possibly see a rise in the coming months before April.</p>
<p id="r5W060">Congratulations on a great career, Trysten!</p>
https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/1/18164438/following-fiesta-bowl-defeat-dt-trysten-hill-declares-for-nfl-draftJeremy_Brener2019-01-01T11:59:59-05:002019-01-01T11:59:59-05:00UCF Seniors Treasure One More Chance to Leave Their Mark
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<figcaption>Senior defensive lineman Titus Davis said last week that the Fiesta Bowl is partially about the senior class leaving its legacy. | Derek Warden/Black and Gold Banneret</figcaption>
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<p>This class of Knights has had a incredibly unique and storied time at UCF. Some of them spoke this week about their legacy</p> <p id="xOzPU8">PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. — Welcome to the beginning of a new year and the end of an amazing ride.</p>
<p id="GUDBDJ">All Knights fans know by now what this year’s senior class has experienced at UCF. Many of them started their careers with the Knights at college football’s bottom, 0-12.</p>
<p id="H3ipxa">Now, they’re here. They will spend their second consecutive New Year’s on the road in one of the sport’s biggest bowl games versus one of the country’s most recognizable brands. In the process, they have helped hoist UCF’s own brand from obscurity to national prominence. Now, with one game remaining in their careers, a few seniors talked to Black and Gold Banneret this week about this group’s legacy.</p>
<h3 id="n6Ob18">Offensive Guard Tyler Hudanick</h3>
<p id="8Mpqtw">Maybe this final game means more to Hudanick than any other senior. That’s because Hudanick knows the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a> will mark the last time he plays football.</p>
<p id="H8gT1p">Hudanick has dealt with left knee injuries throughout his career, including a torn left ACL in 2016. He said Sunday that he has been dealing with another left knee injury since the Temple game in November and needs to undergo microfracture surgery following the season.</p>
<p id="zsC2MT">“It’s my last one. This is it for me,” he said. “I wish the next level was an option for me, but I’m going under another surgery after this one and then I’m going to be hanging it up. Hopefully start my career coaching.</p>
<p id="592HmC">“For these seniors, it’s been a heck of a ride, from 0-12 to now. They’ve really seen this program go. Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago if I had one word for this team, for this program since I’ve been here, and I said ‘growth.’ Just because when I got here to now, this place has changed, night and day.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Heckuva squad right here <br><br> <a href="https://t.co/XYr5SlbSHz">https://t.co/XYr5SlbSHz</a> <a href="https://t.co/P9AtBhDs0Z">pic.twitter.com/P9AtBhDs0Z</a></p>— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Football/status/1079897743823319040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a>
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<h3 id="IpTO7J">Defensive Tackle Joey Connors</h3>
<p id="qqheqF">“My main thing leaving here, I want to teach the younger guys to do the right things: Go to class on time. Go to tutoring. When you go to things on time, good things happen for you. When you show up late, do bad things, don’t follow the rules, that’s when the program starts going downhill.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most Improved Defensive Player? Joey Connors Gets the Nod. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> <a href="https://t.co/lgKWtt1CvR">https://t.co/lgKWtt1CvR</a> <a href="https://t.co/04QLNBjSMB">pic.twitter.com/04QLNBjSMB</a></p>— Black & Gold Banneret (@UCF_Banneret) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Banneret/status/1078818121492897793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2018</a>
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<h3 id="POYqFi">Offensive Tackle Wyatt Miller</h3>
<p id="ddwWiZ">“Five years ago, I couldn’t have chosen a better place to be through the ups and downs. I’ve been here for a while and to see the growth and gains, I think that makes you appreciate something even more, when you see a place where it came from to where it is now.”</p>
<p id="7mBa67">“What I would like the legacy of the senior class to be is just resilience, a bunch of guys that are never going to quit. I think you’ve seen that this year. The couple of times that we’ve gotten down, no matter how far down we are. No matter what’s going on, we’re not going to lay down. We know we’re not out of it. It is important for us to have that mentality. A bunch of fighters. A bunch of guys that will get it. </p>
<blockquote><p id="fJyYne">”The mark of a man is what he leaves behind. Elderly men don’t take pride in the trees they plant but the shade it provides 100 years later. I want to leave this place in a better spot than I found it. So far, it’s in the right direction and I want to continue that.” </p></blockquote>
<h3 id="WF1I9l">Defensive End <span>Titus Davis</span>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCF</a> defensive end Titus Davis on how, as a senior, this New Year's Six bowl trip compares to last year at the Peach Bowl and leaving behind a legacy. <a href="https://t.co/2iXMCPyUwU">pic.twitter.com/2iXMCPyUwU</a></p>— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spokes_Murphy/status/1078710935009648640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2018</a>
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<p id="bBWiFL">“I couldn’t ask for better teammates and better friends,” he said. “These guys have been great. They’ve been impeccable. It’s an awesome feeling to play with guys that love the game and love you as a person and are willing to give their last toe for you. I’m looking forward to just playing this game and doing it one more time with my team.”</p>
<h3 id="D32tEP">Tight End Michael Colubiale</h3>
<p id="jqNA6R">“Just getting here and experiencing my last bowl game, just trying to take it all in one more time. I’ve done a little bit of reflecting, just hanging out with all of my teammates one more time.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This was the only fitting way to see <a href="https://twitter.com/michael_colub?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@michael_colub</a> leave the practice field after 6 years of hard work, grit and sacrifice <a href="https://t.co/TUigykGgGE">pic.twitter.com/TUigykGgGE</a></p>— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Football/status/1079811116081983489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2018</a>
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https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/1/18163488/ucf-seniors-treasure-one-more-chance-to-leave-their-markBrian Murphy_UCF2019-01-01T10:00:09-05:002019-01-01T10:00:09-05:00FIESTA BOWL LIVE GAME THREAD: #8 UCF Knights vs. #11 LSU Tigers
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Fiesta Bowl-Louisiana State vs Central Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9VMywsDzpQ9BPDWvknJUXE5Bs2c=/0x197:3476x2514/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62760065/usa_today_11925912.1546281655.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Knights try to close out a second consecutive 13-0 season against another SEC foe in a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.</p> <p id="4wjs4V">It’s finally here: New Year’s Day in Glendale, Arizona, and the #8 <a href="https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/">UCF Knights</a> look to finish off a second consecutive season at 13-0 in a New Year’s Six Bowl Game - the PlayStation <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fiesta-bowl">Fiesta Bowl</a>. Standing in their way is another SEC foe, the #11 <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/">LSU Tigers</a>.</p>
<p id="kLKm8s">Brian Murphy and Jeremy Brener will be in the press box covering the game live, while the rest of our staff will be following along with you at home.</p>
<p id="KSLi2j">Here are the vitals for the game:</p>
<p id="t03V8x"><strong>Who:</strong> #8 UCF Knights (12-0, 9-0 The <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a>) vs. #11 LSU Tigers (9-3, 5-3 SEC)</p>
<p id="pbOBKy"><strong>Where:</strong> State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona</p>
<p id="K6zjwB"><strong>When:</strong> 1 p.m. ET (11 a.m. local time)</p>
<p id="QFqOTK"><strong>TV:</strong> ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay)</p>
<p id="26I493"><strong>Line and O/U:</strong> LSU -7, 57.5 (<a href="https://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/lsu-ucf-odds-january-1-2019-1071071">OddsShark</a>)</p>
<h1 id="5JtshF"><a href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Banneret/lists/fiesta-bowl-ucf-vs-lsu">Follow the action!</a></h1>
<div id="ih1gUp">
<a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/UCF_Banneret/lists/fiesta-bowl-ucf-vs-lsu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">A Twitter List by UCF_Banneret</a>
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https://www.blackandgoldbanneret.com/football/2019/1/1/18163083/fiesta-bowl-live-game-thread-8-ucf-knights-vs-11-lsu-tigers-cfp-ny6-aac-secJeffSharonBrian Murphy_UCFJeremy_Brener