FSU Football: UCF Twitter gets salty about Noles being ranked higher

FSU football is the second highest ranked team in the state of Florida in the first USA Today poll, and the team at number three is not happy about it.

When the first poll of the 2018 season came out from USA Today and the 65 coaches who vote in it, FSU football found themselves in the top 20 when they snuck into the No. 19 spot after last season when they made a very early exit from the polls long before that year had come to a close.

After a season where six of the seven FBS teams from the Sunshine State made it to a bowl game – with the Florida Gators being the lone team watching from home – a total of three teams from the state found themselves ranked: No. 8 Miami, the Seminoles at No. 19 and the UCF Knights coming in at No. 23.

Yes, that’s right – the self appointed national champs barely snuck into the rankings after going undefeated last season and finally beating a relevant team when they laid the wood to Auburn in the Peach Bowl. Much as been made of the men from Orlando and their public relations blitz trying to convince the world they were the best team.

Needless to say, the black and gold were not happy that teams like FSU football had the audacity to be ranked above the defending but not really champs – and their Twitter account threw a little Group of Five temper tantrum.

On the surface, I get why UCF and the average college football observer would be upset about the only undefeated team from last season being ranked so low in the first poll in the season. If you didn’t know any better, the Knights would have a legit argument.

That being said, the Knights need to stay in their lane on this one. First off, you can not compare the schedule that teams like FSU football will have to face as opposed to what UCF will – schedules matter and the level of competition does as well. An American Athletic Conference slate doesn’t hold a candle new nearly every Power Five schedule.

Second, one season doesn’t make a program relevant in the college football landscape. If the Knights go out and have another undefeated season, they deserve to be taken more seriously – if they go 8-4 in the regular season, they were just another one hit wonder.

As for now, they can be as salty as they want while the Knights look up at FSU football and 22 other teams in the early rankings.