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Central Florida knows the drill.
Going unbeaten in a non-Power 5 conference doesn’t equate to an invitation to the College Football Playoff.
“I don’t have any control over whether the format will change,” expanding from a final four to a final eight, UCF coach Josh Heupel said Sunday. “Inevitably it will change. For now, we push forward and move on to our next opportunity.”
For the Knights, No. 8 in the final CFP top 25 rankings, that means a second straight New Year’s Six bowl shot at an SEC team. They beat Auburn 34-27 in the Peach Bowl last season to finish 13-0 and will carry a 12-0 record into the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 against No. 11 LSU at State Farm Stadium.
UCF overcomes QB injury
UCF clinched a New Year’s Six berth as the highest rated non-Power 5 champion with a 56-41 win over Memphis on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference title game. Backup quarterback Darriel Mack engineered a comeback from a 17-point halftime deficit, filling in for McKenzie Milton, who suffered a season-ending injury Nov. 23.
“He (Mack) performed extremely well,” Heupel said. “He did some things early he’d like to have back, but he continued to have great poise and great confidence in himself. He took an opportunity and ran with it.”
The Knights come to Arizona trying to repeat their Fiesta success of five years ago, a 52-42 upset of Baylor when George O’Leary was UCF’s coach.
Group of 5 success at Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl has been fertile territory for Group of 5 conference champions to prove their worth.
In addition to UCF, other non-Power 5 Fiesta winners are Boise State three times (January 2007, January 2010, December 2014) and Utah before it joined the Pac-12 (January 2005).
“If history means anything, the Boise States of the world have come down here and shown they can come down here and play with Power 5 teams,” said Mike Nealy, Fiesta Bowl executive director. “I think UCF is coming with that attitude, and I don’t think LSU is going to take them light at all.”
LSU coach Ed Orgeron promised as much to the degree that he can control the Tigers’ effort.
“We’re highly motivated,” Orgeron said. “This is where our team wanted to go when the possibilities came up. We have complete respect for UCF. We’re not happy with our last game, and our guys are going to be ready to play.”
LSU lost 74-72 in seven overtimes to Texas A&M on Nov. 24, a game sparked with controversy over two calls at the end of regulation that went against the Tigers allowing the Aggies an extra second to score a game-tying touchdown.
“It’s done with,” Orgeron said. “We’re not talking about that again. We’ve said all we have to say, and we’re pressing on to UCF.”
LSU 50th bowl game
LSU is making its 50th bowl appearance and 19th consecutive, the fourth-longest active streak nationally behind Virginia Tech (26), Georgia (23) and Oklahoma (20).
The only other SEC teams to play in the Fiesta Bowl are Tennessee (three games), Alabama, Florida and Arkansas (one each). That list does not include Alabama, Auburn and Florida appearances in CFP or Bowl Championship Series title games in Arizona or a Fiesta appearance by current SEC member Missouri when it was in the Big Eight.
LSU has made one previous appearance in Arizona, edging Arizona State 35-31 at Sun Devil Stadium in a 2005 game that was moved from Baton Rouge due to Hurricane Katrina. The Tigers will play ASU again in 2029 (Baton Rouge) and 2030 (Tempe).
“I know our fans are going to be there,” said Orgeron, a Syracuse assistant when the Orange played in the 1997 Fiesta. “It’s one of the top bowl games I’ve ever been to. It’s a beautiful place with great sunshine, great people and partying for Louisiana people to partake in. We’re going to need them.”
Heupel knows Fiesta
Heupel is in his first season at UCF, replacing Scott Frost, who left for Nebraska. He previously was Missouri offensive coordinator and is familiar with the Fiesta Bowl from his assistant coaching days at Oklahoma, his alma mater.
“I’ve coached in the game and know first hand the way the committee treats players, coaches and the entire athletic department,” Heupel said. “It’s unique and one of if not the best bowl games in the entire country.”
Cheez-It Bowl
The 30th Cheez-It Bowl, Dec. 26 at Chase Field, will pair California (7-5) vs. TCU (6-6).
Cal is returning for the first time since 2003 when it won the then Insight Bowl 52-49 over Virginia. The Bears also won the then Copper Bowl (played in Tucson) 17-15 over Wyoming in 1990.
TCU is returning for the first time since 2012 when it lost 17-16 to Michigan in the then Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
Arizona Bowl
Nevada (7-5) was chosen to face Arkansas State (8-4) in the fourth Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl, Dec. 29 in Tucson.
Nevada is coached by Jay Norvell, in his second season after one year as ASU’s wide receiver coach.
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