Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
UCF AD calls on UF AD to speak up
Help put an end to playoff monopoly, unfair scheduling
In an email exchange between UCF athletics director Danny White and Florida Gators athletics director Scott Stricklin, White not only lobbies for Stricklin to schedule a neutral-site game with the Gators but encourages Stricklin — a member of the College Football Playoff Committee — to help him fix a “broken” system.
The Orlando Sentinel obtained the email exchange between White and Stricklin via a public-records request regarding scheduling a UFUCF series.
The controversial back-and-forth between the two schools started right after the College Football Playoff selection committee announced the bowl matchups (Florida vs. Michigan in the Peach Bowl and UCF vs. LSU in the Fiesta Bowl) and vocal UCF fans on social media accused the Gators of ducking UCF in the Peach Bowl.
Stricklin then mentioned to members of the media that he would be open to scheduling UCF, which prompted White to send an email on Dec. 7 to Stricklin that read, in part, “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-andhome 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.”
White went on to give Stricklin a list of future dates during which the two schools might be able to begin a home-and-home series, including the season opener on Sept. 3, 2022.
Stricklin emailed back and said he was aware of White’s philosophy of only scheduling home-and-home series with Power 5 opponents but reiterated UF’s long-standing scheduling philosophy regarding schools outside the Power 5.
“UF isn’t in the market for homeand-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.”
White then seemed to take umbrage with Stricklin grouping UCF in with other “non-Autonomy 5 opponents” and sent a lengthy email urging Stricklin to help him change an unfair system.
“You mention not playing a neutral site contest versus a non-autonomy 5 opponent, but a UF vs. UCF game held in our state would certainly be a sellout, which would be a positive for both of us financially,” White wrote. “I think that our team has shown on the field that we are far from a typical ‘non-autonomy 5’ opponent.”
White continued and even went as far as comparing the College Football Playoff to a “monopoly.”
“… 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.
“The system should be such that we can schedule home and homes. As someone who sits on the CFP Committee, I am asking for your help in fixing a broken model by expanding the playoff and putting an end to unfair scheduling practices.” Stay tuned for Stricklin’s reply. It should be interesting.
“I think that our team has shown on the field that we are
far from a typical ‘non-autonomy 5’ opponent.”
Danny White, UCF Athletic Director