April 1, 2010
Michael "Big Mike" Lynche UCF Football Gallery
By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - There were no surprises on American Idol last night as former UCF defensive tackle Michael Lynche advanced on to be one of the final nine competitors.
Widely considered to be the leader out of the male finalists, Lynche put forth a typically solid performance on Tuesday night's show. For R&B night with Usher as a special guest, Lynche, guitar in hand, sang "Ready For Love" by India.Arie. Lynche found out that he was safe for another week on Wednesday night and even picked up show host Ryan Seacrest in celebration after Seacrest (who himself played football at Dunwoody High School for David Kelly) had teased "Big Mike."
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 2010, with season tickets starting at just $99, either call the UCF Athletic Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 or logon to UCFAthletics.com. Current season ticket holders have until April 1 to renew their tickets and maintain their seats.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to 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 UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.