Expecting letdown against UCF

[PittFamily2]

Did that make the PSU game a letdown?

Probably. Maybe. Who knows.
The team was so happy beating the MAC Bobcats we collasped in State College.

I'm getting to town early on Saturday expecting a Revenge Game against UCF.

Rather than a Letdown the team should be seeking Revenge for the close loss in State College.

Go PITT!

 

[MidKnightWhiskey]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't follow UCF or Florida.

That hypothetical media scenario was an e-mail exchange obtained via Freedom of Information Act request between the Athletic Directors of the two schools. That's quite a bit more than some "hypothetical media scenario".

UF's AD said they needed a home opener and wanted to discuss a 2-for-1 series. UCF's AD told him they had no interest in a 2-for-1, that they'd do a home-for-home series, basically called him an ass-hole, then proceeded to try and lecture him about how unfair it is that teams that play community college schedules can't compete for the national championship.

Boy, I can't imagine why UF didn't extend an official offer after that.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.or...ll-playoff-20181216-story.html?outputType=amp

After the bowl selections everyone was accusing UF of ducking UCF because UF’s AD was on the selection committee. UF’s AD then publicly said they would be interested in playing UCF. Which prompted an email exchange.

UCF’s AD to UF’s AD: “I was excited to read that you are open to playing us in football and would like to talk more about that. We are looking for a home-and-home series beginning in 2021. ...We would also consider a neutral-site game if that would expedite the process of getting a game scheduled between our two programs.”
UF’s AD to UCF’s AD: “UF isn’t in the market for home-and-home or a neutral site games against non-Autonomy 5 opponents,” Stricklin wrote. “However, we would be open to a series similar to what we’ve agreed to with USF … two games in Gainesville and one in Orlando. We are in need of a home opener for the 2022 season, so the 9/3/2022 date you mention would be a perfect date to begin the series, and we can fill in the remaining games from there.”

All UF was interested in doing was taking the pressure off of them and putting UCF in “their place”. They’re threatened because we’re the best team in Florida even as a “G5”. Meanwhile they’re playing 2 FCS teams for the second year in a row but won’t even consider a neutral site game?

 

[CJsE]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-sp-ucf-gators-danny-white-scott-stricklin-college-football-playoff-20181216-story.html?outputType=amp

After the bowl selections everyone was accusing UF of ducking UCF because UF’s AD was on the selection committee. UF’s AD then publicly said they would be interested in playing UCF. Which prompted an email exchange.

UCF’s AD to UF’s AD: “I was excited to read that you are open to playing us in football and would like to talk more about that. We are looking for a home-and-home series beginning in 2021. ...We would also consider a neutral-site game if that would expedite the process of getting a game scheduled between our two programs.”
UF’s AD to UCF’s AD: “UF isn’t in the market for home-and-home or a neutral site games against non-Autonomy 5 opponents,” Stricklin wrote. “However, we would be open to a series similar to what we’ve agreed to with USF … two games in Gainesville and one in Orlando. We are in need of a home opener for the 2022 season, so the 9/3/2022 date you mention would be a perfect date to begin the series, and we can fill in the remaining games from there.”

All UF was interested in doing was taking the pressure off of them and putting UCF in “their place”. They’re threatened because we’re the best team in Florida even as a “G5”. Meanwhile they’re playing 2 FCS teams for the second year in a row but won’t even consider a neutral site game?

You left out this part of UCF's response.

“… Requiring non-autonomy 5 schools to have to settle for inequitable scheduling seems like an unfair business practice and something we should all address at a high level,” White wrote. “If this type of scheduling is what is required for teams like UCF to make the final 4 of the CFP (College Football Playoff), we must consider expansion of the playoff to include non-autonomy 5 schools so we avoid the system operating like a monopoly. I am open to playing anyone in the country, but shouldn’t have to put my team at a severe disadvantage by being forced to play two for ones or guarantee games.

That's the part where where the AD of a lesser known school, that most Americans wouldn't be able to distinguish out of a grouping with USF, FA&M, FIU, or Florida Atlantic, decides to lecture UF's AD on fairness in scheduling. Ignoring that UCF hasn't been competing very long, while UF has been playing for more than 100 years. That UCF went 5-19 against P5 opponents in the 10 years prior to 2017 while Florida won a National Title and 5 SEC Championships.

No one had heard of UCF prior to a few years ago, while Florida has been a national power for decades. Florida beats ranked opponents every year, but UCF beats 2 or 3 in a decade and all of a sudden they feel they are equals?

I think you currently have a great program and think you'd be in top 20% of Power 5 teams the past 2 years, but give me a break with this idea that your program is on the level of some of these other SEC of Big 12 programs and should be respected as such.

 

[MidKnightWhiskey]

I think you currently have a great program and think you'd be in top 20% of Power 5 teams the past 2 years, but give me a break with this idea that your program is on the level of some of these other SEC of Big 12 programs and should be respected as such.

We've had plenty of home & home deals with SEC teams when we first got into the FBS and were playing at the citrus bowl, less after we built our on campus stadium and none now that we're a dominate team.

What you're essentially saying is UF & the SEC deserve more respect than any of the schools we have scheduled home & homes with?
Since we moved to our on campus stadium in 2007 we've played home & home series with: Texas, NC State, Miami, Boston College, Missouri (oh wait), South Carolina (aren't they SEC?), Penn St, Stanford, Maryland, GA Tech, & Pitt
With future series scheduled against UNC, Louisville & GA Tech.

The only thing that's changed from then and now is we've gotten damn good at football.

 

[knightraveler]

I don’t know- these kids and coaches are competitors - they have their backs against a wall .

Using last year as a guide- they actually did really well after tough losses- winning the weeks after the PSU, UCF , and ND games.

I suspect focus and energy won’t be an issue .

I expect Pitt to be a lot tougher than last year. I would just be happy to get the win. I hope neither team has any serious injuries.

 

[hemightbejeremy]

UF never offered to play a game in UCFs stadium. They specifically said “Orlando” which means CWS. That’s the problem. Their 2-1 where the 1 was a neutral site was a non starter. Not while UCF has scheduled 1-1 series with other P5 teams like Pitt and Stanford. And recently scheduled Louisville to 1-1 and extended the North Carolina series. UCFs strategy of scheduling 7 home games every other year is working just fine.

 

[knightraveler]

You left out this part of UCF's response.


That's the part where where the AD of a lesser known school, that most Americans wouldn't be able to distinguish out of a grouping with USF, FA&M, FIU, or Florida Atlantic, decides to lecture UF's AD on fairness in scheduling. Ignoring that UCF hasn't been competing very long, while UF has been playing for more than 100 years. That UCF went 5-19 against P5 opponents in the 10 years prior to 2017 while Florida won a National Title and 5 SEC Championships.

No one had heard of UCF prior to a few years ago, while Florida has been a national power for decades. Florida beats ranked opponents every year, but UCF beats 2 or 3 in a decade and all of a sudden they feel they are equals?

I think you currently have a great program and think you'd be in top 20% of Power 5 teams the past 2 years, but give me a break with this idea that your program is on the level of some of these other SEC of Big 12 programs and should be respected as such.

I think what most reasonable people believe is that if UCF was in the P5 they would have P5 assets. Monetarily that is about 10x what UCF currently has and yet they still compete at a high level. Also just being in the P5 would give them much more national tv exposure. There are perennial teams in the P5 that would have a hard time competing in the AAC.

 

[Tiemanster]

We've had plenty of home & home deals with SEC teams when we first got into the FBS and were playing at the citrus bowl, less after we built our on campus stadium and none now that we're a dominate team.

What you're essentially saying is UF & the SEC deserve more respect than any of the schools we have scheduled home & homes with?
Since we moved to our on campus stadium in 2007 we've played home & home series with: Texas, NC State, Miami, Boston College, Missouri (oh wait), South Carolina (aren't they SEC?), Penn St, Stanford, Maryland, GA Tech, & Pitt
With future series scheduled against UNC, Louisville & GA Tech.

The only thing that's changed from then and now is we've gotten damn good at football.

While I agree with the essence of what you said I need to point out two typos.
1) Since we had Texas open our stadium that was actually a 1 for 3 (they bought out the last one after pushing it out for years due to the 9 game conference schedule)
2) Penn State was a 1 for neutral because they were going to buy us out if we didn't play our return game in Ireland.

The 2 for neutral with Florida was an offer that had to be turned down regardless.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

Ignoring that UCF hasn't been competing very long, while UF has been playing for more than 100 years.

Now wait a minute. I mean, Rutgers has been playing for 150 years . . .

 

[McKee Place]

Probably. Maybe. Who knows.
The team was so happy beating the MAC Bobcats we collasped in State College.

I'm getting to town early on Saturday expecting a Revenge Game against UCF.

Rather than a Letdown the team should be seeking Revenge for the close loss in State College.

Go PITT!

Our offense got so euphoric on its exhaustive sojourns to get the ball inside the 5 yd line twice that it experienced massive letdowns from there each time.

 

[pittdan77]

Now wait a minute. I mean, Rutgers has been playing for 150 years . . .

Remember that time they were in the Big East/AAC and were making a bowl game every year and someone thought they'd make a nice addition to a P5 conference?

 

[Pitt79]

And I thought most older Pitt fans were delusional.

Why? UCF is a FAR SUPERIOR football program compared to Pitt.

 

[Pitt79]

I come in peace, but with that said ... what the 'f' are you b**ching about??? I just gave you guys props and hoped for a continuation of the series, as well as mentioned that UCF and Houston would be great for the B12. How can any of that be considered delusional?

I lot of Pitt fans are delusional, and actually are so stupid, that they think that Pitt isn't where it is, meaning FAR BELOW UCF as a football program.

 

[Pitt79]

after we blew them out in Orlando in 2006... I'm confused, does Pitt want to schedule OOC pansies or do they not? I thought the consensus here was that they should schedule easy wins "like everybody else"?

The fact that UCF is a power now does not take away from the "probable win" aspect of putting them on the schedule years prior to their ascension to that status......

Yup, It was a BAD BREAK FOR PITT, it would of been way better if we had scheduled them the year they went 0-12. It was typical Pitt luck to schedule them during the best years of their history.

 

[MidKnightWhiskey]

Well the let down was all ours. Congrats on a hard fought win, keep it going! Hope we're able to get another series scheduled with you guys.

 

[Pantherwalk]

I lot of Pitt fans are delusional, and actually are so stupid, that they think that Pitt isn't where it is, meaning FAR BELOW UCF as a football program.

Fake news here folks.