Feb. 24, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After much controversy in the press and speculation on whether or not Michael Lynche, the former UCF football player, is still competing on American Idol. "Big Mike" will make his return to the show tonight he said in an interview with The Tampa Tribune.
Lynche earned a spot in the show's Top 24 last week and takes to the stage tonight, along with the show's 12 other male competitors, hoping to not be cut from the program during tomorrow night's vote. Two contestants will be cut from the show each of the next six weeks until the Top 24 has been pared down to 12.
Lynche played defensive tackle for the Knights from 2001-02. He made an immediate impact as a freshman out of St. Petersburg's Gibbs High School which also served as UCF's practice site for the 2009 St. Petersburg Bowl. Lynche had 24 tackles in 2001, 17 of them solos, with eight tackles for loss and a sack. As a sophomore in 2002, Lynche played in all 12 games and started each of the last three. He had at least one tackle in 11 of those contests and finished the year with 46 tackles in all, including a pair of sacks and six TFLs. He left the team just before the start of the 2003 season, returned to his native St. Petersburg and helped care for his ailing mother, Michele.
To see the Knights in action in 2009, with season tickets starting as low as $99, either call the UCF Athletic Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 or logon to UCFAthletics.com. To catch the former UCF football player Lynche, tune in to FOX Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.