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Post by Mojave Gator on Oct 11, 2023 19:22:43 GMT -5
Many of us - me included - watched with considerable trepidation as Central Florida brought in Gus Malzahn to lead a program that had lost its last two head coaches to the Big Ten and SEC. Malzahn had an SEC pedigree at Auburn, and he showed an ability to knock off Nick Saban with an arguably less talented roster. With Florida at a down point, UCF was poised to assume a position among the top three college programs in Florida. His first two seasons in Orlando resulted in nine wins apiece, although largely with rosters recruited by Josh Heupel. The 2023 season has been different. After barely scraping by mediocre Boise State, in the last three weeks they were thumped by Kansas State, blew a big lead in a home loss to Baylor, and were rolled by Kansas.
Their remaining games are at #5 Oklahoma, West Virginia, at Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, at Texas Tech and Houston. They are finding life in the Big 12 a difficult go.
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Post by tapsgator on Oct 12, 2023 10:01:16 GMT -5
Gus doesn't strike me as one that adapts well to major changes like NIL. He just wants to run his little offense, which used to be much more effective when it was more unique, and he doesn't really recruit well even at Auburn where he had geographic advantages and Bobby Lowder. He's not a head coach, he's an OC, and I'm not even sure he's good at that anymore. UCF was going to take a hit with NIL just because their alums have no allegiance to them and not the super deep pockets but my guess is the Gus bus leaves town by 24. He'll go back to some small school in the Southwest and be happy posting scores against shitty competition. That's what he's built for.
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Post by g8rfan on Oct 12, 2023 10:35:30 GMT -5
Many of us - me included - watched with considerable trepidation as Central Florida brought in Gus Malzahn to lead a program that had lost its last two head coaches to the Big Ten and SEC. Malzahn had an SEC pedigree at Auburn, and he showed an ability to knock off Nick Saban with an arguably less talented roster. With Florida at a down point, UCF was poised to assume a position among the top three college programs in Florida. His first two seasons in Orlando resulted in nine wins apiece, although largely with rosters recruited by Josh Heupel. The 2023 season has been different. After barely scraping by mediocre Boise State, in the last three weeks they were thumped by Kansas State, blew a big lead in a home loss to Baylor, and were rolled by Kansas. Their remaining games are at #5 Oklahoma, West Virginia, at Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, at Texas Tech and Houston. They are finding life in the Big 12 a difficult go. I’m here for it. That whole National Champions thing a few years ago was a bridge too far with me. I live in central Florida and just got sick of hearing it. Kinda hard to find a UCF fan lately come to think of it. |
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Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Oct 13, 2023 8:00:30 GMT -5
That bogus 2017 National Championship claim was so disgusting. I lost so much respect for that program when they actually raised a banner in their stadium stating so. 1994 Penn St asnd 2004 Aub both went undefeated in real conferences and they never claimed a National Championship.
I love seeing UCF struggle now as their level of competition has increased on a week to week basis. I will only ever root for them IF they play FSU or scUM. That's about it, other than that its like their fan base from 2017-2022 had a goal to be the most delusional and obnoxious fan base in Florida, which is impressive when you factor thats typically scUM's fan base lol.
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Post by Mojave Gator on Oct 22, 2023 18:59:20 GMT -5
UCF acquitted themselves well yesterday in Norman. For Oklahoma some of it may be hangover from an emotional win over Texas last week, but they were pushed to the limit.
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Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Oct 23, 2023 10:33:03 GMT -5
I agree, I think OU is still riding the high of beating TX and UCF will always play better in an underdog situation with nothing to lose (Big 12 road game @ Norman). I still love seeing them struggle with a respectable schedule as opposed to all those years theyd played a bunch of nobodies including some low end power 5 teams and then would brag how amazing they are.
scUM had to learn the same thing when they joined the mediocre ACC in 2004. No more easy peasy handpicked Independant or Big Least schedules. Since joing the ACC in 2004 they've had ONE Ten Win season and have won 1 Division Title LOL. Oh but "They're Back" every offseason!
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Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Oct 24, 2023 19:37:48 GMT -5
Will the Champions of the Galaxy UCF get their first Big 12 win vs historical Big 12 Powerhouse West Virginia this week? Vegas has the Knights favored at home in that impressive 45k stadium by 7 points. Stay tuned folks, 1 Big 12 win should have the UCF Knights rabid fanbase claiming a Big 12 Title soon!
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Post by Rock Gator on Oct 26, 2023 14:52:18 GMT -5
They're learning (or not, who am I kidding?) that winning one bowl game, after rolling through Tick Tock Tech, Holy Sisters of the Blind, and Southeastern North Alabama, well, that doesn't a champion make.
They have played one ranked team this year, and are sitting at 3-4. Yes, they played OK well, but you know, they lost. Maybe in their magical year, they'd have won that game, but there are 11 other games to worry about in big boy football. So yes you're correct, they are finding it a difficult go, to say the least.
Acting like asshats when they had one good season didn't endear them to the rest of the state, that's for damn sure.
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Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Oct 27, 2023 19:07:18 GMT -5
Absolutely correct Rock Gator. I never disliked any of the non Power 5 (Power 5 pre 2023) prograns like USF, UCF, FIU, FAU, Famu, Bethune etc. But once UCF's fanbase starting becoming so obnoxious during that 2017 season and the school itself had the audacity to put up an actual "2017 National Champions" sign in their stadium,i could never support or pull for that program again. Well maybe if they play scUM lol!!!!
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Post by Mojave Gator on Oct 28, 2023 0:14:50 GMT -5
scUM had to learn the same thing when they joined the mediocre ACC in 2004. No more easy peasy handpicked Independant or Big Least schedules. Since joing the ACC in 2004 they've had ONE Ten Win season and have won 1 Division Title LOL. Oh but "They're Back" every offseason! The ACC put Miami and Florida State in different divisions in anticipation of frequent meetings in the ACC title game. It hasn't happened once. |
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Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Oct 28, 2023 7:11:21 GMT -5
Hahah that is 100% correct Mojave. Just like UCF, scUM has learned what its like to have a semi respectable schedule and their win loss records have been nowhere near their Independant and Big Least days. Oh how i love it!
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Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Oct 30, 2023 8:45:59 GMT -5
This week we'll see UCF travel to Cincy where both teams look to earn their 1st Big 12 win in program history. UCF are the champions of the galxy and Cinn is being led by Emory "He can Run" Jones who has am atrocious starting record as a starting QB between his time at Fla, AZ St and Cincy. Lets see who grabs that BIG W!
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Post by tapsgator on Nov 11, 2023 19:18:55 GMT -5
Here’s something sad:
Can we really mock UCF at this point? Miami? Anybody? Ucf just put it on a top 25 team with considerably more talent on the roster. We’re yet to beat a team with more talent under Napier. I guess we’ll find out when we play them next year. We’ll be at home so
I’m sure we’ll be favored just like against Miami, but I really think Napier and stricklin have put us in a place where we cannot throw stones at anybody. Sad
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Post by Rock Gator on Nov 12, 2023 6:35:43 GMT -5
Yeah I was thinking that we're holding on by a thread to the coveted "Third Best Team in Florida" title. Both teams are sitting at .500, but with two powerhouses to go for the Gators, the Knights have a much better chance of pulling off that win to go to a bowl game.
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Post by g8rfan on Nov 12, 2023 6:55:37 GMT -5
I’m tired boss.
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