South Florida Set To Run A 'Make Or Break' October Gauntlet

Three buses pulled out of the University of South Florida campus late Friday morning. They were packed with Bulls—USF football players hopeful that this will be THEIR year in the Big East.

The buses were headed to the airport and a flight to New York.

Sure they're off to a 4-0 perfect start with the latest win being a stunning 17-7 victory over Florida State in the first-ever meeting between the teams. But now Jim Leavitt and his players must turn their eyes to the prize—the Big East title.

Saturday's meeting with Syracuse is the first of four straight conference games that will either make or break USF's season.

USF is expected to prevail in the Carrier Dome but this born-again Syracuse program is tougher and more hopeful than last year's sad team. The Orange fans are excited and the Syracuse defense will test USF for the full 60 minutes.

Should the Bulls perform as expected and manage a victory, then it gets much tougher.

What could be the Big East title game will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15, when Cincinnati comes calling at Raymond. If everything goes as planned, if USF can conquer Syracuse and deal with quarterback Greg Paulus and receiver Mike Williams, both teams should come into that contest at 5-0.

Cincinnati should have no problem coming home 5-0 from its visit Saturday to winless Miami of Ohio.

That should set up the national showdown on that Thursday night, with the winner taking command of the Big East.

After Cincinnati, USF travels to Pittsburgh on Oct. 24 then comes home to host high-scoring West Virginia on the 30th.

So, as you can see, there will be no late collapse by USF this season.

It's October and it's not going to be Octoberfest for USF, but rather, Octoberslugfest.

It's make or break time.

Do or die.

And this version of the Bulls, armed with new coordinators who've injected intensity into the offense (Mike Canales) and defense (Joe Tresey), may have the best chance yet in Leavitt's tenuure.

And this team is also armed with new heroes: B.J. Daniels, the Matt Grothe replacement and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Both have added spark and excitement.

And that's something USF been missing down the stretch the past two seasons.

This year just might be different.