UCF is tied with the Miami Hurricanes for third in popularity among Florida college football teams in the state, according to a recent Public Policy Polling survey.
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel reported this new surge in UCF football popularity within the Sunshine State last week.
“Florida (Gators) was the state’s most popular college program with 23 percent of respondents choosing the Gators as their favorite college team with FSU trailing by a gnat’s eyelash and garnering 22 percent of the votes.
But the most startling result on the survey was that UCF and Miami were tied for third with 10 percent, followed by USF with 8 percent.”
So even South Florida, which hasn’t reached a bowl since 2009, is closing in on Miami’s popularity.
These poll results should be taken with a grain of salt. For one, Florida, in many ways, is a New England state transplanted in the Southeast. The state is a melting pot of culture, particularly in Miami, which enjoys a heavy Cuban influence. Walk along the Florida coast and you’ll quickly notice residents supporting teams from all over the U.S. And Secondly: It’s a poll — not every Floridian who watches college football voted.
Still, it’s cool to see just how high the Knights have risen since their Fiesta bowl run a couple seasons ago.
UCF’s Orlando home is the third-largest media market in Florida — nineteenth in the country — meaning the Knights’ recent rise in popularity is the byproduct of winning and good geography.
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