Sports
Sports

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl could be a close game

1. The Peach Bowl has been played in Atlanta since 1968. 2. The game was originally created as a fundraiser for the Lions Club of Georgia. 3. Chick-fil-A, based in nearby College Park, has sponsored it since 1997. 4. It sold out 17 straight games between 1998 and 2013. 5. Auburn will play UCF on Jan. 1, 2018.
By Alex Makrides
Dec 28, 2017

The preconceived notion is the Power Five is better than the Group of Five, and the best Power Five conference is the SEC. So, No. 7 Auburn should handle No. 12 Central Florida easily... right? In the words of College GameDay host Lee Corso, “Not so fast!”

The inaugural bowl game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium pits one of the best offenses in the country against one of the best defenses. Don't count out the Group of Five, they have surprised a lot of people in the last couple years. Plus, UCF is no stranger to winning as double-digit underdogs. Here are five reasons why this New Year's Day matchup will be closer than experts think.

> Also: 5 reasons to watch Peach Bowl

About the Author

Alex Makrides
More Stories

Keep Reading

Kennesaw State fans celebrate after Kennesaw State beat UTEP during an NCAA college football game at Fifth Third Stadium, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Kennesaw. Kennesaw State won 33-20 over the University of Texas at El Paso. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

As UGA, KSU vie for conference titles, 3 Georgia teams host playoff games

There are five collegiate football programs in Georgia playing meaningful postseason games this weekend.

Lane Kiffin takes LSU job; Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arkansas fill head coach vacancies

Lane Kiffin accepted the LSU head coaching job, Florida hired Tulane's Jon Sumrall and Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding as head coach.

Controversy awaits CFP rankings: Notre Dame, Miami, Texas plead cases

The College Football Playoff selection committee has a challenging task at hand weighing head-to-head, schedules, body of work and current level of play for the next rankings.

The Latest

Kennesaw State fans celebrate after Kennesaw State beat UTEP during an NCAA college football game at Fifth Third Stadium, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Kennesaw. Kennesaw State won 33-20 over the University of Texas at El Paso. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

As UGA, KSU vie for conference titles, 3 Georgia teams host playoff games

Atlanta TV sports listings

Lane Kiffin takes LSU job; Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arkansas fill head coach vacancies

Featured

More metro Atlanta sellers are deciding to take their homes off the market, according to a new report. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Why thousands of metro Atlanta sellers pulled their homes off the market

The number of delistings in metro Atlanta grew 41% in September from the same month a year ago, a recent report said.

Public service or nuisance? Atlanta attorney’s videos cause stir

An Atlanta personal injury lawyer's social media videos of witness testimony are upsetting medical malpractice defendants, who have asked local judges to intervene.

Where could Georgia Tech play in its bowl game?

Surveying the postseason landscape for the Yellow Jackets.