LSU Football: 5 reasons Tigers are on upset alert vs UCF

5. Josh Heupel and staff improved on a formula that beat Auburn

Perhaps the biggest reason why UCF is in a position to topple an SEC powerhouse for the second straight season is the simple fact that the new coaching staff didn’t try to reinvent the wheel in Orlando as they first came in. Josh Heupel and his staff didn’t try to force one of the nation’s best offenses to suddenly change directions.

Heupel, with his experience as both a player and as an offensive coordinator, knew that he didn’t have all the answers on defense. So he made an incredibly shrewd move, bringing in former Miami head coach Randy Shannon to shore up a defense that ranked 93rd in yards allowed and 53rd in points allowed.

Last year, the Knights gave up more than 25 points per game. This year, while they gave up only five fewer yards per game, they held opponents to more than four fewer points per outing. That shift helped improve the Knights to a top-25 scoring defense, which only bolstered their credentials as a top team in the FBS.

LSU will continue to be a favorite in this year’s Fiesta Bowl. But all the momentum favors the Knights, and all signs point to UCF pulling off yet another upset of an SEC team as they continue to build their case for a possible run at the College Football Playoff in 2019.