UCF Football: 3 takeaways from home takedown of Houston in Week 10

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 26: Members of the UCF Knights pose for a picture in the fourth quarter against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field on October 26, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The UCF Knights defeated the Temple Owls 63-21. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

1. Is UCF back in the AAC race and New Year’s Six discussion?

UCF was able to exert its will in the second half and run away with their home game over Houston, and that raises an interesting question. After they lost to Cincinnati to see the death of a multi-year regular-season winning streak, UCF was still ostensibly alive in the AAC East. They also lost to Pitt, but the Bearcats defeat is still their only division loss.

At the moment, the Knights need Cincinnati to lose twice in their final five games of the season. The Bearcats face East Carolina on the road in Week 10, then return home to take on UConn in a Week 11 showdown. Trips to South Florida and Memphis offer far bigger hurdles, and Temple could still throw a wrench into the works if they defeat the Bearcats at Nippert Stadium.

The automatic New Year’s Six bid to the top Group of Five school goes specifically to the top-rated of the five conference champions. So first and foremost, Cincinnati has to lose two of its last five to reopen the door for the Knights. But wackier things have happened in college football, and there is still hope in Orlando.

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UCF does have an outside chance at returning to the New Year’s Six for the third straight season, especially if they were able to knock off an unbeaten SMU squad or a ranked Memphis team in the AAC championship game. Either opponent would boost the schedule in a year where the Knights went 1-1 against Power Five opponents and prevailed in a deep AAC field.

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