Auburn's Peach Bowl loss to UCF gives Tigers motivation by entering the 2018 season

The Auburn loss attack at UCF in the Peach Bowl Chick-yarn-A on New Year's Day can still be felt by the Tigers

"We laid a egg that day, "said coach Gus Malzahn. -factly when asked about the impact of the 34-27 defeat at the hands of the Knights. "It does not take away from our opponent, an excellent team, but we were not happy with how the season ended."

"It's something that our team really used to motivate them during the summer. I know our coaches feel the same way as much as possible.

Auburn won the crown of the SEC West after defeating both Georgia No. 2 and No. 1 Alabama in 1965

. two games, both in Atlanta at the new Mercedes-Benz stadium. First, the Tigers suffered a disappointing defeat in a rematch against Georgia in the SEC championship game.

The loss made Auburn fall to seventh place in the final standings for college football finals and lack of consideration for the semi-finals. The loss of UCF could be the impetus that the Tigers need to start a new season.

"We have a lot of players who have known our closeness, and we have our staff who have had the experience," he explained. "So when I say we're hungry, it's really because of that."

Linebacker Deshaun Davis was a little more direct in his badessment of the Tigers' defeat.

"Honestly, it was difficult to get up for this game knowing that we should have played in the college football playoffs," Davis told reporters Thursday at SEC Media Days. "The two teams that we clbadically beat [Georgia, Alabama] were playing in the playoffs and the national championship game.

"They [UCF] took the game much more seriously than we did, not to take away their credit. They are an excellent football team and are perfectly entitled to keep their heads high. They made games and we did not play.

Senior quarterback Jarrett Stidham said that the team had changed.

"We feel a different attitude this season and everyone is really bought," said Stidham. named SEC Newcomer of the year in 2017 after spending 3,158 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Others are more focused on just continuing.

"Honestly, it's one of those things you just have to put behind you," senior defensive tackle Dontavious Russell said of the bowl loss. "Our success last year can not push us to next season and our traps last season can not hurt us in this coming season."

Davis added, "We just have to have that bad taste out of our mouth when we come back to Atlanta this year.It's in the past and we can not wait to play Washington in Week 1 and have a good time.

Auburn returns to Atlanta to open the 2018 season against Washington in the Chick-Wire-A Kickoff Clbadic on September 1

When asked what he thought From the UCF's decision to proclaim itself national champions, Malzahn has adopted the diplomatic approach.

"I really do not have any opinion on that, other than the fact that they are chasing us, they played very well that day and I thought they were a very talented team, "he said." I will not go into this debate as far as it goes. "

Davis, however, had a different opinion on the claim of the UCF

"There is really only one national champion and that is Alabama as much as I hate to say it. They are the national champions, "said Davis, who was the Tigers' best tackle last season with 82 saves. "I am not a type of moral type and if we were to be undefeated, I would not be saying that we are national champions." 19659002 "If we win the SEC, then we know we have a huge right to say that we deserve to be in the College Football Playoff and Georgia has done, which is why they deserve to say it. We have not managed to reach our goal and we must try to get back there. "

Malzahn added," There is such a fine line in this conference to win the conference championship and get closer and we came in last year.We have to find a way to get to the next step and it's easier said than done. "

Subscribe and download our College Gridiron 365 podcast on iTunes and Android.

Email: [email protected]

Abstract: Twitter: @osmattmurschel

Facebook: @osmattmurschel