QB says unbeaten UCF has earned national title

Central Florida quarterback McKenzie Milton stood next to his departing head coach Scott Frost, shrouded in gold and white confetti on the Peach Bowl podium.

Much like his coach once did years ago, Milton made the case his team deserved to be known as national champions. Milton delivered his endorsement after No. 12 Central Florida’s convincing 34-27 upset victory against No. 7 Auburn before a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd of 71,109 — with many of them wearing black and gold.

The Tigers, who dropped to 10-4, previously beat No. 1 teams and College Football Playoff semifinalists Georgia and Alabama.

Central Florida (13-0) finished the season as the only undefeated college football team in the country.

“I said on the podium, you can go ahead and cancel the playoffs,” Milton later said, suggesting the Knights did enough to win the national title. “I’m not changing my mind.”

That won’t happen, of course. But Central Florida players believe they might have opened some minds about the strength of schools like UCF and others from Group of 5 conferences.

Auburn

Running back Kerryon Johnson isn’t quite ready to call his college career complete.

Not long after the No. 7 Tigers lost the Peach Bowl, 34-27, Monday to No. 10 Central Florida, Johnson didn’t want to look to the future just yet.

He already has drawn plenty of attention in the NFL after being named the Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, but he stopped short of saying he’s ready to apply for early entry for the draft.

“I’ve got to think about the positives and negatives and all that stuff,” he said. “That’s a life choice. There’s only a few times that you get a life choice. College is one, and this is another. Just got to take time and do it.”

Johnson rushed 22 times for 71 yards. He scored one touchdown, a 4-yard run midway through the third quarter, but otherwise had a quiet afternoon against a Central Florida team that was keying on him.