It's official: The USF Bulls have hit the big time. Thousands of articles have been written about them over the last week and every college football fan has at least had one conversation (this week) about the team from, as one writer put it, “The strip mall and fast-food-chain infested corner of North Tampa.” (I don't know if that's an insult or not, but no one rips on my Gladstone's Chicken and gets away with it, so tread lightly reporter dudes?I hold grudges.)
In New Jersey, the general consensus is that USF will lose and lose big, that the Scarlet Knights will earn their way back into the top 25 by beating the Number 2 ranked team in the country. The Knights' fans are looking forward to an evening of chanting “overrated” over and over again. It won't happen though.
I don't have any real problem with the Rutgers' fans. They talked a little trash at the game after they beat us last year. It was disheartening, but it was also a close game (2 points) that hinged on some bullshit calls. We knew we'd see them next year, and we said as much. And even the most ‘roided up Jersey Boy had to agree that the game could have gone either way. So I don't hate Rutgers fans, so I'm going to politely let them know what to expect.
Last time USF met the Scarlet Knights, the Bulls gave up 22 points. They'll probably give up 22 points again. Last time the Bulls met the Scarlet Knights, USF scored 20 points. They'll score around 35 tonight (41, if our fucking kicker can make the occasional field goal). The offense of the Bulls, though still not nearly as good as their defense, has vastly improved since the Knights last saw them.
Now, there's a lot of Cinderella Team talk surrounding the Bulls. A lot of people are counting on the Bulls to fall down during this stretch run of Big East play. They won't though.
My old college roommate, Doug, who hails from North Jersey and still resides there, is going to the game in New Brunswick (or the other burg that's too hard to spell). I spent an hour in the USF bookstore last Saturday, helping him pick out some USF jerseys and shirts to mail up to him. We've also talked a few other times on the phone this season. And every time we talk, he informs me that he wishes he had my optimism regarding USF, that he just doesn't see an undefeated season happening for the kids from Tampa.
“Dude,” I told him. “Wait until you watch them play in person. You will leave that stadium with a grin from ear to ear and you will never doubt that team again? well, this year anyway.”
The national exposure has been nice. But it's only gonna get nicer because, well, here's the thing:
The Bulls haven't even played a good game yet.
Against WVU, they turned the ball over five times and won. Against Auburn, they missed four motherhumping field goals. Against UCF, they dropped three easy touchdown passes. Against FAU, they sleepwalked the whole freaking game on both sides of the ball. (I don't know what they did against UNC and Elon because I was drunk as hell, but I'm sure they didn't play that great.)
And yet they still won.
Some people will tell you that the Bulls were simply lucky and are incapable of playing a great four quarters of football. Other people?namely, me?will tell you that this team is confident it can win against good teams with its B game. And one day, some unfortunate squad is gonna get to see their A game.
And Lord help them when that happens.
South Florida (-2) over RUTGERS
USF by 14.