Last year, No. 8 UCF set the college football world on fire by going undefeated in the regular season, and while the Knights were left out of the College Football Playoff fold, they shocked everyone more in the postseason with their defeat of Auburn. After going undefeated once again in 2018, UCF will get another shot to take down an SEC team in a New Year's Six matchup when it takes on No. 11 LSU in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day.
Will the Knights spring another upset over an SEC team, or will the Tigers put an end to the magical 25-game win streak? Let's break down and pick the big game in the desert.
Viewing information
Event: Fiesta Bowl
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 1 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: State Farm Stadium -- Glendale, Arizona
TV: ESPN | Live stream: WatchESPN
Storylines
LSU: The Tigers did most of their damage on the ground this year, thanks mostly to the work of senior Nick Brossette. The veteran has rushed 922 yards and 14 touchdowns during his final season in Baton Rouge, and set the tone for an offense coached by coordinator Steve Ensminger. Transfer quarterback Joe Burrow hasn't produced video game statistics, but has tossed 12 touchdowns and four picks en route to a 9-3 record. The defense will be without defensive back Greedy Williams, who is sitting out the game as he prepares for the NFL Draft. But linebacker Devin White and the fierce front four have helped the Tigers give up just 4.86 yards per play.
UCF: Star quarterback McKenzie Milton went down with a gruesome leg injury in the win over South Florida on Nov. 23, but backup Darriel Mack lit up Memphis in the AAC Championship Game to the tune of 348 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 59 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. The multi-dimensional rushing attack is led by Greg McCrae (1,101 yards and nine touchdowns), and features five players (excluding McKenzie) who have four or more touchdowns on the ground in 2018. The defense has been hit-or-miss for the majority of the season, but held opponents to less than 400 total yards in three straight games prior to the title game vs. Memphis.
Game prediction, picks
The UCF dream will come crashing down against LSU on New Year's Day, when the Tigers defense shuts down Mack and limits big plays from the high-octane Knights. The speed and physicality that the Tigers boast is unlike anything Heupel's crew has seen this year, and the battle at the line of scrimmage will be the most one-sided matchup of the bowl season. Burrow will work off play-action well, spread the ball around to his receivers and make the Knights first loss in more than two years as slow and painful as possible. Pick: LSU -7.5
Who wins LSU vs. UCF? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see the pick for the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, all from the model that has returned over $4,000 in profit for $100 bettors.
