Fiesta Bowl 2019: LSU vs. UCF TV Schedule, Time and Odds

UCF ran the table for the second consecutive season and will once again take on a heavily favored SEC opponent in one of the New Year's Six bowl games.

However, the circumstances for this Fiesta Bowl matchup with LSU are dramatically different than last year's upset victory over Auburn in the Peach Bowl. 

Who: No. 11 LSU vs. No. 8 UCF

Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

When: Tuesday, January 1, 1 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Spread: LSU -7, via OddsShark

The starkest contrast for UCF between this year and last is the health of its quarterback McKenzie Milton, who suffered a season-ending injury late in the year against South Florida. Darriel Mack Jr. has done a nice job as Milton's replacement, but he hasn't been tested against a defense like LSU.     

The other significant difference in this year's bowl matchup is the potential motivation by UCF's opponent. Last year, Auburn was coming off a loss in the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers went from chasing a national championship to the consolation prize of meeting up with a team from the American Athletic Conference. 

In the weeks leading up to the game, there's little doubt that Auburn struggled to stay focused after the way its season ended. It would be understandable if many players and maybe even the coaching staff overlooked UCF to a certain extent. 

This year, LSU did not end its season with heartbreak the way Auburn did a season ago, and advancing to the Fiesta Bowl likely does not feel like a consolation prize.

Many of LSU's key players, most notably quarterback Joe Burrow, will return in 2019, so they should remain relatively focused in an effort to use this stage as a way to kick off a potential championship run next fall. 

Additionally, LSU will likely take UCF more seriously after seeing the Knights take down Auburn a year ago. The Tigers know this is a team capable of hanging with an SEC opponent.        

The biggest question heading into this game is: how will Mack fare against LSU's formidable defense?

The AAC is not known of its defense, and UCF faced just one opponent who ranked in the top 35 in ESPN's defensive efficiency metric (Cincinnati). 

UCF put up 38 points on Cincinnati (with a healthy Milton) but was greatly aided by three Cincinnati turnovers. The Bearcats defense held the Knights to a season-low 402 yards, and if they could have simply protected the football, the scoreboard at the end of that game may have looked a lot different.

LSU enters this game ranked 10th in defensive efficiency and is likely up for the challenge of slowing down UCF with its backup quarterback. 

It's worth mentioning, however, that two teams (Alabama and Texas A&M) racked up over 500 yards of total offense against LSU. Both Alabama and Texas A&M have mobile quarterbacks, much like Mack. During his two starts versus Memphis and East Carolina, Mack rushed for 179 yards.

If the UCF coaching staff is able to draw from some concepts that worked for Alabama and Texas A&M, perhaps the Knights can use Mack's mobility to their advantage and keep the LSU defense on its heels. 

Final Prediction

Bowl games are often decided by motivation, or lack thereof. Unlike a year ago versus Auburn, UCF meets an opponent that should be focused, motivated and will take them seriously based on last year's results. 

Without the ability to sneak up on a disinterested opponent, and without its starting quarterback, the magic likely runs dry for UCF. 

Prediction: LSU 35, UCF 24