On Dec. 3, 2017, one day after UCF beat Memphis in the AAC Championship, during which Brett McMurphy officially confirmed Scott Frost would leave for Nebraska, and hours after the 13-0 Knights finished 12th in the final College Football Playoff Rankings, I wrote this: UCF Lost Scott Frost But Has the Talent and Schedule to Compete for a Playoff Spot in 2018.
I was right; UCF had the talent to compete for a playoff spot. I was also wrong; UCF didn't have the schedule to compete for a playoff spot.
This week, I considered writing something similar. The Knights will lose key seniors like Wyatt Miller, Titus Davis and Kyle Gibson but return — presumably — McKenzie Milton, almost every notable skill player, including Adrian Killins Jr. and Gabriel Davis, and about a dozen key defenders, including Brendon Hayes and Richie Grant.
I could be half right, again. I could also be half wrong, again.
First, UCF's schedule should be better:
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Saturday, Aug. 31 | vs. Florida A&M |
| Saturday, Sept. 7 | at Florida Atlantic |
| Saturday, Sept. 14 | vs. Stanford |
| Saturday, Sept. 21 | at Pittsburgh |
| TBD | at Cincinnati |
| TBD | at Temple |
| TBD | at Tulane |
| TBD | at Tulsa |
| TBD | vs. East Carolina |
| TBD | vs. Houston |
| TBD | vs. UConn |
| TBD | vs. USF |
The great news: In non-conference, UCF is swapping North Carolina (canceled this season) for Stanford, playing both FAU and Pittsburgh (both of whom were 2018 home opponents) on the road. They also hit the road to play the projected second- and third-best teams in the American East: Cincinnati and Temple, respectively. And they host projected West favorite Houston.
The bad news: They miss Memphis, host Florida A&M and, as they found out this year, can't rely on a strong season from FAU (or any of their non-conference opponents for that matter).
The American hasn't released the dates for the 2019 conference schedule, but UCF's 12 regular-season opponents are confirmed. They should drop one of those opponents: Florida A&M.
UCF should cancel the Florida A&M game, pay the buyout and find a better opponent. With all due respect to Florida A&M — who's trending upward under head coach Willie Simmons — they're a bad opponent for a team seeking a College Football Playoff berth. Pay the buyout, find a respectable FBS team that will do the same with their Week 1 game (and offer to pay their buyout, too) and schedule them instead.
For example, pay the Florida A&M buyout, offer to pay Texas A&M's buyout with Texas State and try to play in College Station on Aug. 31. Or pay Iowa State's buyout with Northern Iowa and play in Ames on Aug. 31. Call TCU (vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Michigan State (vs. Tulsa), Washington State (vs. New Mexico State) or Baylor (vs. UTSA).
Would it work? Does UCF athletic director Danny White have the gumption to cancel a long-scheduled game and leave Florida A&M in a tough spot? If so, could he find a team willing to do the same? Does Texas A&M want to play UCF? Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is clear: UCF is not guaranteed playoff contention if they go undefeated — again — next season. White must work tirelessly to replace the Florida A&M game.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and a playoff appearance would be a game-changer for a Group of Five program starving for national prominence.
NEXT: Armageddon Scenario To Get UCF in the College Football Playoff
