Peach Bowl 2018 Preview, Prediction: UCF vs. Auburn

UCF puts the last unbeaten record in the FBS on the line against SEC West champion Auburn. How will things play out at this year’s Peach Bowl?

One after another, team after team fell from the ranks of the undefeated. Wisconsin became the last Power Five team to sustain a loss in 2017 when they fell to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. That left just one team, American Athletic Conference champion UCF, with the chance to finish 2017 with a perfect record.

The Knights crushed Maryland, but they missed out on a second chance against Power Five competition when Hurricane Irma forced the cancellation of their matchup against Georgia Tech. UCF nevertheless finished unbeaten and earned the Group of Five bid into a New Year’s Six bowl game.

That gave McKenzie Milton and the rest of the top-ranked UCF offense a chance to take on an SEC opponent in their bowl game. Slotting into the Peach Bowl, the Knights landed opposite SEC West champion Auburn. The Tigers return to Atlanta, site of their championship game loss to Georgia, and it remains to be seen how motivated they will be to take on a mid-major opponent.

But a New Year’s Six game is a New Year’s Six game, and these are two of the top teams in the country squaring off to close out 2017 in style. What will transpire between a 12-0 team that just lost its head coach to the Nebraska job and a 10-3 team that just lost a shot at the College Football Playoff? To find out on Saturday, here’s how to watch the New Year’s Six showdown between UCF and Auburn in the Peach Bowl:

Date: Saturday, Dec. 30
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

For UCF, they need to jump out to an early lead against Auburn. If they fall behind, the Tigers will be able to clamp down and render UCF’s offense less effective. McKenzie Milton needs to have a big day both through the air and on the ground, leading a high-flying passing attack and a strong option offense. If he is playing well, Otis Anderson and Adrian Killins Jr. will be able to find more space to run as well.

The Knights also need to make life difficult for Jarrett Stidham. Auburn will almost certainly manage to get some space at the line of scrimmage and should have no trouble running the ball. But UCF has also been one of the best teams in the country at generating turnovers, an issue that came to the forefront for Auburn in the SEC championship game against the Bulldogs.

Gus Malzahn’s crew will need a huge game from Kerryon Johnson, who was fighting through rib and shoulder injuries in the SEC title game. During the regular season, Johnson racked up eight 100-yard games in his 11 appearances. He will need another triple-digit game for Auburn to keep the heat off Stidham.

The Tigers defense will also need to crack the highest-scoring offense in the country. UCF put up more than seven touchdowns per game. Even a defense of Auburn’s caliber will have trouble stopping the various threats presented by the Knights. They will need to figure out how to slow down the skill players right away lest they fall behind quickly.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Sportsbook Review

Point Spread: Auburn -9.5
Over/Under: 67

Prediction

Auburn will arrive in Atlanta as a 9.5-point favorite, but that won’t mean a thing once the opening kickoff flies through the air at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Tigers will give up a touchdown on the opening drive, and they will be playing catch-up for the rest of the night.

Milton is going to throw for more than 300 yards and run for another 100 yards as he posts four total touchdowns. Killins and Anderson are going to open things up on the option, churning out hard yards against the teeth of the Tigers defense.

Next: SMQ: Are we really seeing more bowl blowouts in 2017?

For the third time in four years, the top team from the Group of Five is going to prove itself capable of competing with the best in the country. Not only will the Knights beat the spread, but they will walk away from Georgia with an outright victory to cap a statement season and remain the only team in the country with a perfect record.

Final Score: UCF 41, Auburn 27