UCF fans show up in force for GameDay, wow talking heads
UCF kicked off a wild Saturday in the national spotlight with an unquestioned win.
The Knights packed Memory Mall and every member of the ESPN College GameDay team agreed it was an impressive crowd estimated to have exceeded 20,000.
The fans camped out overnight for the chance to flash unique signs and cheered for three consecutive hours in the background of the popular college football preview show.
Analyst David Pollack posted a video of the crowd on Twitter and wrote, “Trust me, the [UCF football] fans represented well today. Awesome job fans!”
UCF senior Zachary Liebetren made his way through the throng of fans assembled at Memory Mall Saturday while hoisting a three-to-four-foot suit of armor adorned with Knights stickers.
“This was sitting in our friend's house and it was sitting in the house before he got there and we don't know where it came from,” Liebetren said while proudly displaying the piece. “We don't know where it came from, but we thought we would bring it out today.”
Added junior Liz DeGirolmo, “We might have another one today, a bigger one.”
The pair set up camp around 5:30 Friday morning in order to secure a tailgating spot close to the ESPN College GameDay set.
“The crowd has been incredible. Everyone is extremely excited even at 7 in the morning, everyone is losing their mind. That's a good thing,” said Liebetren. “It's going to be recordbreaking. I hope it comes back.”
On another stretch of Memory Mall, the mustache extended well past Travis Roberts' cheeks. It was a thing a beauty cultivated in honor of the Knights.
“Since we [UCF] started the 22-game winning streak is when I started growing this mustache,” Roberts proclaimed proudly while standing in a crowd of UCF fans. “And I'm never going to cut it again until we lose.”
Roberts, however, has run into some critics.
“My wife absolutely hates it,” he said. “She might want us to lose but I keep it rolling.”
Roberts isn't the only UCF fan who's keeping a tradition alive during the Knights' winning streak.
Ten-year-old Jackson McKay stood proudly atop a cement block on Memory Mall decked out in a metal suit of armor helmet. It's something he's worn every game day since UCF began the nation's longest win streak.
“No,” Jackson said when asked plans on taking it off soon.
The crowd managed to keep track of what the hosts were saying during the GameDay broadcast.
About 30 minutes into the show, the crew did a segment noting UCF is the most successful team in the state of Florida. emphatically if he anytime
“It's indisputable, they are state champions,” host Rece Davis said of the Knights as fans cheered.
The GameDay panel went on to assess the rest of the state teams, with the group spending extended time discussing the step back Miami took this season.
“I think in the state of Florida, the real question has been what's wrong with Miami,” Davis said.
The panel suggested UCF quarterbacks Blake Bortles and McKenzie Milton could have been game-changers for any team in the state.
Later in the show, UCF coach Josh Heupel sat down alongside reporter Maria Taylor for an interview in front of rowdy fans.
Heupel praised star Milton and the rest of his players before he tackled the Knights' College Football Playoff ranking. UCF has been criticized for its weaker strength of schedule and aren't projected to make the playoff semifinals even if they post two consecutive undefeated seasons.
Taylor asked Heupel to make the Knights' case to the College Football Playoff selection committee. He responded:
“First of all you look at the track record of this conference in New Year's Six bowl games, 3-1 in the four that we've had the opportunity to play. I think that speaks to the strength of this conference. I think if you look at the track record of these players have been able to do the last year and a half.
“Tonight is about going and winning a divisional title. At the same time, we have an opportunity to put our best foot forward in front of the entire country and stake a claim if you're able to go undefeated, you deserve the opportunity to go earn it on the field."
UCF fans roared in behind him.
Later in the show, ESPN featured interviews with fans, UCF president Dale Whittaker and UCF police chief Carl Metzger, who was accompanied by a national-championship-decorated UCF police car, all making the case the Knights deserve to reach the playoff semifinals.
“Give us a chance,” Whittaker said. approval