Maybe the Big East isn't the "Big Least" after all.We all know about West Virginia, and Louisville, and Rutgers.
Well America—say hello to South Florida.
In just their sixth season as a Division 1-A football team, the Bulls managed to pull off one of the more surprising upsets of the year...on the road!
It's common knowledge that the SEC is the premier conference in college football. To beat an SEC powerhouse like Auburn on their own turf speaks volumes about the strides the USF program has made in its 11 years of existence.
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Recruiting in the state of Florida is never easy, not with Florida, Florida State, and Miami to contend with. Jim Leavitt, though, has done a marvelous job.
In the last three years, the FSU coach has put together a program worthy of national recognition.
Two years ago, Brian Brohm and the Louisville Cardinals walked into Raymond James Stadium and were promptly shellacked, ending their hopes of a National Championship.
Last year, the Bulls went to Morgantown to face Pat White and Steve Slaton of West Virginia—and returned home to Tampa with one more "check" in the win column.
Two wins over highly ranked teams...and still no respect. That may have ended Saturday night, when the Bulls came out of Jordan-Hare Stadium with a 26-23 overtime victory.
The Bulls, led by sophomore quarterback Matt Grothe and senior linebacker Ben Moffitt, get another chance to make waves in two weeks against West Virginia. A win would leave no doubt as to their standing on the national stage.
Until then, USF will still be the Rodney Dangerfields of college football—no matter who they beat, they get no respect.
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11 months ago
The Bulls have pulled off their third major upset and promise more. An excellent secondary and a great quarterback provide the backbone of this team. If they continue to perform, thier victories will stop being "upsets" as people start calling them the "favorite."
11 months ago
I very much remember the "Why did the Big East let these guys in" days. But still, almost everyone recognized that the talent pool they'd have access to in S. Florida (as a member of the Big East conference) would eventually allow them to play ball.
It might seem like they're doing well now, but I think there's still a lot of room for improvement.
And how about the Big East. This is mighty impressive...and it's great for college football.
11 months ago
South Florida, Louisville, and Cincinati have really come over from C-USA to give the Big East great depth. With West Virginia already around, and Rutgers improving by the week, the days of taking cheap shots at the "big least" are long gone.
And USF is successful by being an SEC-cloned school. Their defense is fast but knows how to tackle well and get great leverage up front. And the Bulls' secondary is exceptional.
And another note about the game, is Brandon Cox really an SEC quarterback? He's been average at best for two years now. He just isn't any good when he's asked to lead a team to victory.
11 months ago
Auburn's offense has looked pretty poor so far. Cox seems to have regressed since he stepped on to the scene as a sophomore. I was reading a blog and he had a picture of Cox being sacked with the caption: The Brandon Cox Experience. It doesn't help him that the offensive line has seen better days and the starting running back (Brad Lester) was suspended.
As for South Florida, I still don't know much but Matt Groethe seems like a hell of a quarterback. Dare I say Heisman watch list next year?
11 months ago
Most definitely, especially if South Florida continues to perform on thier relatively difficult schedule. They still have a few big teams to face but after watching Grothe's performance against Auburn, I am confident that he will put up the numbers.
This guy can rush, he can pass, and he is just as comfortable throwing while on the run than he is while sitting in the pocket. Grothe was added to the Heisman watch list in January and is sure to pop across many radars if he continues to impress.
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