Auburn Football: 5 bold predictions for Peach Bowl vs. UCF

Auburn drew the Group of Five opponent in the 2017 New Year’s Six schedule. Here are five bold predictions for the Peach Bowl showdown against UCF.

Auburn experienced the highest of highs at the end of November, taking down rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl to win the SEC West. A week later, the Tigers opened December to the lowest of lows as they fell in their rematch against Georgia for the SEC championship. In the process, Gus Malzahn’s team fell from a shot at the College Football Playoff national championship to a consolation spot in the Peach Bowl.

Among the Power Five wild-cards, Auburn drew the short straw. Not only do they return to the same venue where they just lost a big game, but they also drew the Group of Five champion. Thus they face the only undefeated team in the country, a UCF team that won the American Athletic Conference but lost its head coach.

There is little to gain and plenty to lose for Power Five teams in this situation. An Auburn victory can be written off as a case of the Knights losing Scott Frost and a tactical advantage. A Tigers defeat would give a big boost to UCF and temper expectations for what should be a veteran team in 2018 on the Plains.

Auburn won all three previous meetings against UCF, which all took place at Jordan-Hare Stadium between 1997 and 1999. They will meet on neutral turf for the first time, and for the first time in the 21st century. What will go down at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when the Knights meet the Tigers in this year’s Peach Bowl?