ORLANDO, Fla. _ Florida lawmakers are being asked to take action the College Football Playoff Committee won't: Declare UCF national champions.
Kevin Cate, a Democratic consultant and Auburn University graduate, tweeted this week that lawmakers should consider a resolution declaring UCF national champions after it knocked off Auburn 34-27 in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Day.
On Twitter, the idea gained support from Rep. Amber Mariano, R-Dunedin, a UCF graduate; Rep. Kionne McGhee, D-Miami; and Sen. Oscar Branyon II, D-Miami Gardens.
By Wednesday afternoon, there had been no word from House Speaker Richard Corcoran if such a resolution would be considered when the legislative session begins Tuesday.
"They're undefeated and they beat a team that beat both of the teams in the national championship game in my Auburn Tigers," Cate said Wednesday. "It may be symbolic in nature, but the players, coaches and school deserve it ... I think anyone who was watching that Auburn game _ even you're an Auburn fan like me _ if you didn't get the chills watching that, I can't help you."
Cate said he feels the pain of UCF fans who feel wronged by the system that determines champions.
In his senior year at Auburn, the Tigers went undefeated but weren't chosen to play in the 2004 national championship game played between Southern Cal and Oklahoma.
Soon after Monday's game ended, UCF declared itself national champions. Athletic Director Danny White told ESPN the school was planning a parade and tweeted it would raise a banner signifying a national championship in Spectrum Stadium.
Historically, programs such as Alabama and Oklahoma State have laid claim to championships that the NCAA doesn't recognize.
And despite UCF finishing as the nation's lone undefeated team, CFB chairman Kirby Hocutt told ESPN he "strongly believes the selection committee got it right this season" in not choosing UCF for the playoff.
