Gov. Rick Scott proclaims UCF football team 'national champions in Florida'

Knights finished perfect season with Peach Bowl win

Florida Gov. Rick Scott holding a proclamation declaring the Knights "national champions in Florida" on Monday, Jan. 8, 2018.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Central Florida Knights football players are national champions, at least in the state of Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott declared the undefeated team "national Champions in Florida" on Monday through a proclamation ahead of celebrations in Orlando for the players and coaching staff.

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“Florida is home to the country’s best college football, and this season, UCF proved to the world that they can beat any team," Scott said in a news release. "By having a perfect season and beating the only team that defeated both Alabama and Georgia this season, the UCF Knights are clearly champions. I wish both teams good luck tonight in Atlanta. Charge on.”

The Knights (13-0) finished with the only perfect season in the Football Bowl Subdivision with a Peach Bowl victory over Auburn, which during the regular season beat both Alabama and Georgia, who'll meet in the CFP championship game Monday night in Atlanta.

UCF feels its accomplishment in winning the American Athletic Conference championship was undervalued by the CFP selection committee, which listed the Knights 12th in the panel's final rankings.

Last week, UCF athletic director Danny White claimed the national title. UCF is hosting celebrations in downtown Orlando Monday evening and held a parade Disney World over the weekend.

Scott's statewide proclamation read as follows:

"I, Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby proclaim that the UCF Knights are this season’s best college football team and will be recognized as the 2017 College Football National Champions in Florida."

Read the full proclamation here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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