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UCF Offensive Line Coach Shawn Clark 1975-2025
UCF Offensive Line Coach Shawn Clark 1975-2025. (Photo credit: UCF Athletics)

UCF Crushes UNC: Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels Humiliated in Orlando

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UCF is off to a 3-0 start after giving the winningest Super Bowl Coach in history a lesson in humility. No Bill Belichick, this is not “Central Florida” anymore, hasn’t been that way for a decade. This is UCF, and they put an absolute curb stomping on the UNC Tar Heels Saturday in a way that must make Belichick question what he is even doing coaching college football. 

 

UCF Head Coach Scott Frost knew he was getting into a rebuilding effort at UCF, and fans are likely to be patient. Should fans in Chapel Hill? While his girlfriend is young, Coach Belichick is not, already past his 73rd birthday. His roster was not improved by the transfer portal, and there is not a load of freshman talent developing to come and save the day. Late in the drubbing, UNC Quarterback Gio Lopez went down with an injury, throwing the season into more turmoil. Now national writers are piling on because girlfriend Jordon Hudson was seen on the sidelines before the game speaking with Belichick, making him subject to unnecessary distractions. I want to be clear: I don’t care if a family member, or even girlfriend is on a sideline if they are not interfering with game preparation. It’s not a good look though when she is nearly 50 years younger than her beau, and that man just got crushed 34-9 and never really looked like they were in the game.

 

Should we increase our expectations for UCF? It didn’t look like it after barely surviving Jacksonville State to open the season in Week 1. Things really came together for the Knights Saturday, especially in the run game, and it was remarkable to see them be that dominant against a Power 4 team in UNC. UCF got to 1-0 with late passing heroics by quarterback Tayven Jackson coming off the bench for an injured Cam Fancher. Now they are running the ball better, and are getting the quarterback run game involved, something Coach Frost has always emphasized. Now they get their first road test of the season, going to Manhattan Kansas to face Kansas State. I would have predicted a sure loss before the season, but K State has looked shaky at best to date, and UCF will go into this game feeling like they have a good chance. 

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I want to wish all my condolences and the best to the UCF family over the death of Offensive Line Coach Shawn Clark. He was so excited to resume coaching at UCF after an amazing run at Appalachian State as a player, line coach, assistant head coach, then running the program for 4 seasons. Those teams he coached in Boone were to be respected. They would absolutely get after their opponents. It’s a loss for UCF and the football community at large.

 

If you’re Florida and 1-3, at least you’re not Clemson at 1-3. If you are Clemson at 1-3, at least you are not Oklahoma State at 1-3. Some losses are worse than others, and the worst of those three was Oklahoma State spitting the bit at home against Tulsa. I’ll be surprised if Mike Gundy is coaching that team next August. (Editor’s note: He was fired Tuesday)

Rankings are coming into a clearer focus now that more teams are facing better competition. This week we finally see Penn State facing real competition, getting Oregon at home. The pollsters have them in the top 3, but I won’t put them there until they earn it. 

TOP 25 FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 22ND

  1. MIAMI (4-0) Best combo of wins in college football
  2. OKLAHOMA (4-0) Have beaten both Michigan and Auburn
  3. FLORIDA STATE (3-0) Alabama win is the best singular victory for any team to date
  4. OHIO STATE (3-0) Texas win looks better as Longhorns improve
  5. GEORGIA (3-0) Get Alabama at home next
  6. INDIANA (4-0) What an amazing thumping of Illinois
  7. LSU (4-0) I keep having to move them down because their signature win at Clemson means so little now
  8. OREGON (4-0) They tried to play someone out of conference, but rival Oregon State is pitiful, and Oklahoma State is worse
  9. OLE MISS (4-0) Doing it with multiple quarterbacks makes it impressive
  10. TEXAS TECH (4-0) Beat a Utah team I consider pretty good
  11. MISSOURI (4-0) Now wins over Kansas and South Carolina
  12. GEORGIA TECH (4-0) Another team dropping spots because Clemson isn’t very good
  13. TEXAS A&M (3-0) Auburn on Saturday should be a good one
  14. VANDERBILT (4-0) Beat South Carolina worse than Missouri did, but don’t have a big 2nd win yet
  15. TCU (3-0) Like I imagined, beating SMU was tough to do
  16. MISSISSIPPI STATE (4-0) Win over Arizona State is better than wins the next two have
  17. IOWA STATE (4-0) On strength of Iowa win
  18. SOUTHERN CAL (4-0) Responded every time Michigan State tried to get back in the game
  19. PENN STATE (3-0) Played Nevada, FIU, and Villanova so far.  Come on man
  20. TEXAS (3-1) Improving every week
  21. TENNESSEE (3-1) Despite loss to Georgia, can still contend in the SEC
  22. HOUSTON (3-0) Win over Colorado may not be deserving enough for a ranking
  23. MICHIGAN (3-1) Good win at Nebraska
  24. ALABAMA (2-1) Wins convincing, loss was not
  25. UCF (3-0) Throwing them a bone for dominating UNC
Picture of Mike Synan

Mike Synan

News | Sports | Politics

  • After two decades in news and politics, Mike Synan is returning to his roots to write Sports as “The Sportsaholic”. Mike hosted a talk show for 6 years on WDBO after Magic home games called “Magic Til Midnight”, and spent years working as an in-game correspondent for both ESPN and Fox Sports Radio. His column “Synan Says” has appeared on both www.wdbo.com and www.floridadaily.com. He has a BS in Political Science from Clemson University. You can reach him at msynan@sportsmail.com

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