Hey Knight fan: will you show up down the stretch?

Shaquem Griffin and UCFierce are worthy of your fan support.

Hey UCF football fans, how are you doing? Your Knights are vastly improved from last year's rock bottom squad, sporting a 5-4 record including 3-2 in the conference. First year head coach Scott Frost and his staff have brought an exciting new brand to the UCF Kingdom, including sweet Nike custom uniforms, an up-tempo offense, and most of all, a defense that wreaks havoc all over the field. Yeah, I would say that you who bleed Black and Gold are doing pretty well these days. 

Now, I admit, this season has been far from flawless. We took one on the chin at Michigan in Game 2, there is no denying that. In Game 3, we experienced the thrill of freshman quarterback McKenzie Milton's debut only to literally fumble away another home game against a Power 5 opponent. Then, after enduring Hurricane Matthew, we hosted the Temple Owls in Game 6 and built a 25-7 lead, only to see our UCFast offense turn UCFutile. That resulted in UCFierce becoming tired and we know how it ended: 26-25 Owls win on a last second play. Finally, just when we thought Milton had found his groove against UConn and holding a 24-3 lead to previously top 10 ranked Houston, our Knights offense found a way to literally UCFail, resulting in a 31-24 loss. Fans were irate after that one, myself included. It is almost better to get blown out than to blow a big lead. The worst thing about the Temple and Houston games: it was like getting a glimpse of the 2013/14 conference champion UCF team for one half, then watching the 2015 Knights take the field in the second half. Painful to experience to say the least!

Now, let's back track to last week. I get that many of us did not expect there to be a UCF home game on November 5, but come on, what was that? The Knights, especially the defense, showed up in a big way on the field, but that was an awful performance by the fan base. The Bleacher Monster reared his ugly head at the Bounce House and he was scarier than anything I witnessed a few days earlier on Halloween. Apparently it scared our athletic director Danny White, because he tweeted this the next morning after the Knights throttled Tulane:

Notice the caps of EVERYONE and the reminder of WHY: because this team has a chance to be bowl eligible after winning 0 games last year. In one year, things have turned around dramatically! Now, I get the potential to win 6 games is nothing to throw a parade for, but for a fan base that so often clamors for the Knights to be part of a Power 5 conference, showing up to these last few November home games is critical both to the team's success and the national perception of UCF. 

Quite frankly, this team deserves your attendance and fan support. While they have blown some games, they have come such a long way from last season and, a few plays here and there, could be 7-2 or 8-1. The Griffin twins alone are worth the price of admission on defense. If you have kids, watching Shaquem Griffin do more with one hand than half the other guys on the field do with two is pretty incredible. Not only that, a true fan attends the game not just because the team is great, but because the team is playing, plain and simple. 

So UCF fan, unless you are ill, working, doing something related to your religious faith, or doing something meaningful with your family, you've got to be there on Saturday against Cincinnati. I know, I know, it's a noon game, the Bearcats are only 4-5, and tailgating time will be limited. However, it is November, so this is not the miserable 90 degree heat of a  midday September game. This is why we live in Florida, for sunny, cool Fall days! It is Saturdays like this that trips to Disney, Universal, Sea World, the beach, Lake Eola, the shopping mall, etc. can wait. The Knights only play at home 6 times a year. That leaves 98 other weekend days per year to help Orlando's tourism economy. 

If you really can't bless the Knights with your presence for the Cincy game, find a way to be there for the Tulsa game. The Golden Hurricane are 7-2 overall, 4-1 in the conference, and just might win the West division of the American. What a great opportunity to play spoiler, improve our quality of bowl game, and watch the Knights continue to surprise people. Finally, if you are staying in Florida for Thanksgiving, 2 days after we feast on turkey, we aim to eat more beef with the War on I-4. For most UCF fans, we would do many insane things to ensure a win over the Bulls. As much as it pains me to admit, USF is legit this year, aiming to win out while hoping that Temple falters aheads of them. This game will mean so much more if UCF enters it at 6-5 or 7-4. The best way to ensure that is to pack the Bounce House and give UCFierce all the ammunition they need against Cincinnati and Tulsa. Do that and Thanksgiving weekend could be extra special. 

My not so bold prediction: you all will match, if not out number the Bull Manure fans at Ray Jay. My bold prediction: you attend at least one, if not both of these final 2 home games and make the end of year 1 of the Scott Frost era a springboard for many special things to come.  Prove me right, UCF fans. I'll be there to #ChargeOn with you!