LSU linebacker says UCF doesn’t belong in a national title debate
White claims Alabama is probably 10 times better than Knights
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — LSU All-American linebacker Devin White says he respects UCF, but not the Knights’ national-championship claim.
White told reporters Saturday he hoped UCF, which owns the nation’s longest win streak spanning 25 games, would not try to call the Fiesta Bowl a nationaltitle game.
“Man, I hope not. That’s one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever seen,” White said. “It’s great media coverage for them. That’s all I know they’re looking at it is as a media stunt.”
Despite the criticism, White said the No. 11 Tigers respect No. 8 UCF and won’t overlook the Knights when they face off Tuesday in the Fiesta Bowl.
“What they have did in the two years is really impressive. As far as the national-championship stuff, we know who won the national championship,” he said, alluding to Alabama. “We got to play those guys and those guys are probably 10 times better than this team. And that’s just facts. They are about to get ready to play in the semifinals tonight.
“We just look at them as being another great team that we have to face. We’ve got to come with it and play LSU football.”
White said he was amused UCF held a national-championship celebration after beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl and finishing as the only undefeated team in the nation.
“Last year, I really thought it was funny how they was disrespecting Alabama,” he said. “I feel like they wouldn’t want to play them. Any team in the SEC, but they beat Auburn last year and that was really impressive. But I mean, I feel like Auburn was a beat-up team because they played Alabama ... and Georgia two times.”
Milton hits Topgolf
Injured UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton traveled with the team to Arizona for this coming week’s Fiesta Bowl, providing a huge boost for the Knights as the team prepares to take on LSU on New Year’s Day.
The junior has been able to take part in most of the team activities, including a trip to Topgolf. Players, including Milton, took their turn hitting golf balls.
“I saw him swinging a golf club and I was like, ‘Hold on, don’t hurt yourself,’ ” UCF senior tight end Michael Colubiale said of Milton.
UCF senior offensive lineman Wyatt Miller added, “He did. He swung the club a couple of times. It didn’t go very far. The trainer was sitting right behind him so it was OK. He was doing it on one leg, so it wasn’t bad.”
Milton suffered a catastrophic leg injury and had multiple surgeries before he was cleared to travel with the team to Arizona. Luckily, it hasn’t stopped him from having some fun.
His mom posted on Twitter she was glad to see him enjoying himself after “a month of no fun.”
“But you know, McKenzie is competitive and I bet someone probably bet him he couldn’t hit it farther than him and he probably did it even on one leg,” Colubiale said.
The veteran tight end said players are grateful to spend time with Milton, who had mostly been limited to hospital rooms and his apartment during the past month.
“Having him being around the team and around his brothers again just means so much to us and means so much to him too because he was isolated from us and it was kind of hard for him to be away from the team that he is the leader of,” Colubiale said. “Just having him back and bring around has boosted the morale a lot. We’re really excited to have him back on the sideline.”