2008 South Florida Bulls - Recruiting Class

2008 South Florida Bulls Head Coach: Jim Leavitt

South Florida Bulls

2008 Recruiting Class

Star of the Class

Kion Wilson LB 6-1 225 Poplarville, MS
Wilson had 98 tackles, seven tackles for loss and one sack during in nine games as a sophomore at Pearl River.  He accounted for 117 tackles, two interceptions and six sacks as a freshman. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Potential Instant Impact Players

David Bedford DE 6-5 240 Independence, KS
Played in 2007 after redshirting at ICC in 2006... Will have three years of eligibility remaining... Had a monster year for ICC in 2007, recording 13 ½ sacks (school record) and 15 tackles for loss among his 63 tackles overall... Had a total of 15 tackles for loss and also forced three fumbles, recovered three fumbles, and batted down four passes ... Chose USF over Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, West Virginia and Oklahoma State ... Coached by Dan Sanso at Palm Beach Lake High School and David Ward at ICC.

Craig Marshall DE 6-5 255 Poplarville, MS
One of two Pearl River teammates to sign with Bulls in 2008, along with Kion Wilson... Speedy and strong defensive end, who should push for time opposite of All-American George Selvie...Rated as the 30th best Finished year with 41 tackles, 4.5 TFL’s, 3.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception... Redshirted is first season at Pearl River and will have three years of eligibility remaining...All Northwest Florida as a sophomore, junior and senior this season.

Rest of the Class

George Baker	ATH	5-11	167	Miami, FL
Maikon Bonani	K	5-9	170	Lake Wales, FL
Justin Brockhaus-Kann	K	6-3	235	Winter Springs, FL
Daniel Bryant	WR	6-2	185	Tallahassee, FL
B.J. Daniels	QB	6-1	203	Tallahassee, FL
Donnel Engram	DE	6-3	265	Tarpon Springs, FL
Danas Estenor	OL	6-3	345	Wellington, FL
Josh Garvin	OL	6-2	263	Lakeland, FL
Corey Grissom	DT	6-2	275	Lagrange, GA
Jeff Hawkins	TE	6-4	232	Ocala, FL
Jatavious Jackson	OL	6-4	280	Belle Glades, FL
Mike Lanaris	LB	6-0	217	Lake Mary, FL
Evan Landi	DB	6-3	193	Coral Springs, FL
Jon Lejiste	DB	6-0	176	Delray Beach, FL
Demetris Murray	RB	5-11	192	Buford, GA
Mark Popek	OL	6-7	300	Plant City, FL
Armando Sanchez	ATH	6-0	210	Saint Petersburg, FL
Andreas Shields	TE	6-6	210	Tampa, FL
Quavon Taylor	LB	6-0	190	Miami, FL

- 2007 USF Season
- 2007 USF Preview
- 2006 USF Season

2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 7-5
2007 Record: 9-4

Sept. 1 Elon W 28-13
Sept. 8 at Auburn W 26-23 OT
Sept. 22 North Carolina W 37-10
Sept. 28 West Virginia W 21-13
Oct. 6 at Florida Atlantic W 35-23
Oct. 13 UCF W 64-12
Oct. 18 at Rutgers L 30-27
Oct. 27 at Connecticut L 22-15
Nov. 3 Cincinnati L 38-33
Nov. 10 at Syracuse W 41-10
Nov. 17 Louisville W 55-17
Nov. 24 at Pitt W 48-37
Sun Bowl
Dec. 31 Oregon L 56-21

2008 Early Lookahead
Why to get excited: OT Walt Walker. He's the only starter gone off the offense that averaged 414 yards and 35 points per game. Matt Grothe should be among the nation's best all-around quarterbacks with a slew of good, unsung weapons to work with. The defense gets pass rushing terror George Selvie back along with just enough talent to not slip too much.  The non-conference schedule is more than manageable against UT Martin, at UCF, Kansas, at FIU, at NC State.
Why to be grouchy: The defense might have a few great players back, but it loses a ton including big tackling/no studying LB Ben Moffitt and, arguably, the best corner pair in America in Trae Williams and Mike Jenkins. For all the good things the Bulls did last year, it got ripped apart in their final two games.
The number one thing to work on is: Playing on the road when it's not warm out. Weather can't necessarily be blamed, but the team didn't play nearly as well out of the tropics of Tampa and the South after September losing at Rutgers and Connecticut, beating Pitt 48-37 and getting blasted by Oregon in the Sun Bowl.
Biggest offensive loss: OT Walt Walker
Biggest defensive loss: CBs Mike Jenkins & Trae Williams
Best returning offensive player: QB Matt Grothe, Jr.
Best returning defensive player: DE George Selvie, Jr.

2007 Recap
Recap: The streaky nature of South Florida’s 2007 season was a reminder that this is still a neophyte program that lacks the consistency of schools that have been at this for more than just a decade.  The Bulls rose to No. 2 in the country with a 6-0 start, but lost three consecutive games to fall completely out of the Top 25.  After seemingly regrouping with lopsided wins over Syracuse, Louisville, and Pittsburgh, USF got bombed by Oregon and rookie QB Justin Roper in one of the worst performances of the postseason.  Such is life at a school that’s clearly headed in the right direction, yet still has some growing up to do.       

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Matt Grothe

Defensive Player of the Year: DE George Selvie

Biggest Surprise: Everyone pointed to South Florida as a possible landmine for Auburn, but few really expected the Bulls to win this game on the road.  Grothe’s touchdown pass to Jessie Hester in overtime gave USF its biggest win in school history and a level of national attention that’s usually reserved for Florida, Miami, and Florida State.

Biggest Disappointment: Playing a Pac-10 team in the Sun Bowl was actually a pretty big deal for a South Florida program that’s only played in the less prestigious Meineke Car Care and Papajohns.com Bowls.  The heralded Bull defense, however, got shredded by Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart in a 56-21 loss that set the program back a bit.         

Looking Ahead: It’ll be interesting to see how South Florida reacts in 2008 to such a disappointing conclusion to 2007.  While a number of key losses on defense will make the unit more vulnerable, the offense returns enough starters to make a quantum leap next fall.

Dec. 31
2007 Sun Bowl
Oregon 56 ... South Florida 21
Oregon ran for 353 yards on the supposedly stout USF defense with Jonathan Stewart running for 243 with a 71-yard touchdown dash and an eight-yard scoring catch. USF hung tough in the first half with a 35-yard Delbert Alvarado field goal making it 18-14 Ducks at halftime, and then the Oregon attack blew up with 31 straight points on three of Justin Roper's four touchdown passes and a 25-yard interception return for a score form Walter Thurmond. USF's Matt Grothe came up with a miraculous 21-yard touchdown pass to Taurus Johnson in the second quarter after spinning out of a defender's grasp, but he got banged up in the third quarter and gave way to Grant Gregory, who led the team with 42 yards on four carries.
Offensive Player of the Game: Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart ran 23 times for 253 yards and a touchdown with two catches for 29 yards and a score
Defensive Player of the Game: Oregon CB Jairus Byrd led the Ducks with eight tackles with two interceptions, four broken up passes, and a forced fumble,
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 18-35, 197 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Grant Gregory, 4-42. Receiving: Taurus Johnson, 4-51, 1 TD
Oregon - Passing: Justin Roper, 17-30, 180 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Jonathan Stewart, 23-253, 1 TD. Receiving: Jaison Williams, 4-40, 1 TD
Thoughts & Notes ... Oregon apparently needed a time out. After the disappointment following the Dennis Dixon injury, and the ugly three-game losing streak to end the season, the team got some time off to regroup and played like the Oregon that was in the national title hunt deep into the season. It started with the lines with tackle Geoff Schwartz and center Max Unger dominated USF front four. ... Where were the South Florida linebackers? Ben Moffitt was non-existent with a mere four tackles and Tyrone McKenzie made ten stops, but not enough meaningful ones. Jonathan Stewart and the Duck runners spent way too much time in the Bull secondary. ... Oregon's only problem was with penalties committing 13 for 138 yards. South Florida committed eight for 64 yards. ... Justin Roper might not be Dixon running the ball, but he showed a little bit of mobility and threw extremely well. It helped that he got time, and it really helped that the Duck running game took away all the attention, but he turned the game into a rout in the third quarter.

Nov. 24
South Florida 48 ... Pitt 37
South Florida got an 80-yard touchdown run from Matt Grothe and two interception returns four touchdowns as part of a 34 points second half to pull away from the Panthers. Pitt got three scoring runs from LeSean McCoy and two Pat Bostick touchdown passes, but they weren't nearly enough to overcome a 37-yard Nate Allen pick six in the third and a 21-yard Trae Williams interception for a touchdown in the fourth. USF's Tyrone McKenzie and Pitt's Scott McKillop each made 18 tackles.
Player of the game: South Florida QB Matt Grothe completed 17 of 23 passes for 159 yards and ran 12 times for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 17-23, 159 yds
Rushing: Matt Grothe, 12-67, 1 TD. Receiving: Carlton Mitchell, 5-32
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 24-37, 298 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 18-55, 3 TD. Receiving: T.J. Porter, 7-74
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The defense might not have been as stellar as the team is used to in the win over Pitt, allowing 393 yards and 37 points, but it came up with several big plays including the two game-changing interception returns for scores to make up for the lack of consistent offense. Matt Grothe was efficient and the running game cranked out 193 yards, but the offensive line didn't have a good day needing the defense to set the tone. This might not have sealed a Big East title, but it ended the regular season 9-3 on a nice three-game winning streak going into the bowls. This might be an even better team than the record indicates, but it needs to be tighter. 11 penalties are way too many.

Nov. 17
South Florida 55 ... Louisville 17
Louisville fumbled away the opening kickoff for a score, and things would only go downhill from there with seven turnovers while allowing USF to jump out to an early 27-3 lead. Matt Grothe connected with Marcus Edwards for a seven-yard touchdown and Carlton Williams for a 30-yard score with things getting ugly on a 28-poiunt run. Trae Williams picked off a pass for a 64-yard score and Mike Ford ran for two scores. Brian Brohm threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Harry Douglas, but he also threw three interceptions and way replaced. In all, the Bulls had three defensive scores.
Player of the game: South Florida QB Matt Grothe completed 17 of 23 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 12 times for 67 yards and a score
Stat Leaders: Louisville - Passing: Brian Brohm, 18-37, 213 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Bilal Powell, 6-70, 1 TD. Receiving: Harry Douglas, 8-136, 1 TD
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 17-23, 194 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mike Ford, 24-140, 2 TD. Receiving: Carlton Mitchell, 4-54, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The Bulls have turned up the defensive intensity forcing mistake after mistake against Louisville, while Mike Ford and the running game have been dominant taking the heat off Matt Grothe. After the midseason lull, now USF can keep hope for a ten-win season alive with a win over Pitt. As long as the offense isn't screwing up, and as long as the penalties slow down, after committing 11 for 95 yards, beating the Panthers won't be a problem.

Nov. 10
South Florida 41 ... Syracuse 10
South Florida outrushed Syracuse 346 yards to 15, and held on to the ball for almost 46 minutes, as Mike Ford ran for 134 yards with two one-yard scores, and Matt Grothe ran for a five-yard touchdown and threw for scores to Carlton Mitchell from 15 yards out and Taurus Johnson from nine yards away. Syracuse was down 20-0 before getting a 50-yard Patrick Shadle field goal with three seconds to play. The Orange only got into the end zone on a three-yard Mike Williams touchdown catch.
Player of the game: South Florida RB Mike Ford ran 28 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Syracuse - Passing: Cameron Dantley, 21-38, 276 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Max Suter, 3-11. Receiving: Mike Williams, 8-99, 1 TD
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 15-22, 181 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mike Ford, 28-134, 2 TD. Receiving: Carlton Mitchell, 6-61, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... South Florida finally limited the turnovers, giving away just one to Syracuse, but it committed 16 penalties for 144 yards. That's fine against SU, especially when you run for 346 yards and average 6.2 yards per carry. Matt Grothe appeared to play more relaxed than he did in the past few weeks, didn't force as many passes, and the result was a blowout. Now it's on to Louisville and Pitt to close out, and even after all the ugliness of the last few weeks, a ten-win season (needing a win in a bowl) is still possible.

Nov. 3
Cincinnati 38 ... South Florida 33
South Florida kicked off the scoring with a 73-yard interception return for a touchdown from Trae Williams, and then it decided to return the turnover favor. Eight times. Cincinnati went on a 31-7 first quarter run with a 63-yard Antwuan Giddens touchdown catch, answered by a Mike Jenkins kickoff return for a score, a blocked punt for a score, a 79-yard Mike Mickens interception return for a touchdown, and a 16-yard Dominick Goodman catch. And then the Bearcats had to hang on for dear life. South Florida got a nine-yard Jessie Hester touchdown grab with just over two minutes to play to pull within five, and after getting the ball back with 25 seconds to play, it got to the UC 18, but a last gasp pass was incomplete. USF outgained the Bearcats 481 yards to 375.
Player of the game: Cincinnati LB Ryan Manalac made 11 tackles, all solo stops, with two tackles for loss, one broken up pass, and recovered a fumble.
Stat Leaders: Cincinnati - Passing: Ben Mauk, 13-31, 162 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Ben Mauk, 7-75. Receiving: Dominick Goodman, 4-36, 1 TD
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 31-54, 382 yds, 1 TD, 4 INT
Rushing: Matt Grothe, 22-75, 1 TD. Receiving: Benjamin Williams, 8-63
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... No one will believe it anymore, but South Florida really is that good a team. It just can't stop screwing up royally. It made the adjustments to stop Cincinnati's running game, but it kept giving the ball away, got down big, and needed a furious comeback to have a shot late. With a layup against Syracuse ahead, and winnable games against Louisville and Pitt to follow, the opportunity is there to right the ship, but the Bulls have to go back to doing what got them the accolades in the first place. They need to run effectively, play tough defense, and hang on to the ball.

Oct. 27
Connecticut 22 ... South Florida 15
Connecticut took a 16-0 lead with Steve Brouse catching a three-yard touchdown pass and Scott Lutrus picking off a pass for a 23-yard score, and then in the rain and mud, had to hang on for deal life. South Florida roared back in the second half with two Delbert Alvarado field goals and a ten-yard Matt Grothe touchdown run, and then had a chance to win in the final minute getting down to the Husky 12. On fourth and goal, Grothe's final pass was incomplete, and UConn hung on. USF committed ten penalties for 79 yards, while UConn committed six for 39.
Player of the game: Connecticut RB Andre Dixon ran 32 times for 167 yards, and caught three passes for 42 yards
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 16-30, 189 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Matt Grothe, 25-146, 1 TD. Receiving: Jessie Hester, 6-50
Connecticut - Passing: Tyler Lorenzen, 13-25, 194 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Andre Dixon, 32-167. Receiving: D.J. Hernandez, 3-60
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... After losing two in a row, now South Florida gets to show just what kind of a team this is. Two weeks ago it was the nation's darling, and now it's a possible also-ran if it doesn't figure out how to handle a pounding running game in a hurry. Connecticut didn't do anything special; it simply stayed committed to Andre Dixon and the ground game. It was hard to get the passing going in the rain, and Matt Grothe did his best, but this was still an inconsistent all-around game with the offense unable to get anything rolling in the first half. To beat Cincinnati, the defense will have to turn things up a few notches, especially against the run.

Oct. 18
Rutgers 30 ... South Florida 27
Rutgers got 181 yards from Ray Rice, two touchdown catches from Tiquan Underwood, including a catch-and-run from 69 yards out, and a fake field goal for a perfectly placed pass from Andrew DePaola to Kevin Brock from 15 yards out to get ahead, but it was a 51-yard Jeremy Ito field goal, and an aggressive defensive stand that sealed it. Rutgers fought back in the fourth quarter with a 70-yard drive culminating in a one-yard Mike Ford touchdown run, and down three, got great field position for a chance to score late, but a sack, and later an offensive pass interference call on a 32-yard pass on fourth and 22 set up a game-sealing interception for the Scarlet Knights. Matt Grothe ran for a one-yard score and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jessie Hester for the Bulls.
Player of the game: Rutgers RB Ray Rice ran 39 times for 181 yards
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 17-34, 247 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Matt Grothe, 18-58, 1 TD. Receiving: Marcus Edwards, 4-50
Rutgers - Passing: Mike Teel, 11-29, 179 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Ray Rice, 39-181. Receiving: Tiquan Underwood, 5-114, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... South Florida did a great job of overcoming big momentum shifts Rutgers' way, but in the end, Matt Grothe and the rest of the team couldn't overcome the mistakes. A missed field goal, a blocked field goal, no pass protection, allowing seven sacks, and ten penalties for 99 yards all proved to be killers. The lack of any consistent running game also proved to be a killer. Now it's important for USF to remember that the dream season is hardly over. Rutgers already has one Big East loss and still has the other big boys to go. If the Bulls win out, they're almost a lock to win the Big East, and should, at the very least, get into the BCS.

Oct. 13
South Florida 64 ... UCF 12
UCF hung around for the first 27 minutes, helped by a two-yard Kyle Israel touchdown run, and then USF closed strong with a 33-yard field goal and a nine-yard Taurus Johnson scoring grab in the final 1:30 of the first half. Those ten points sparked a 31-point run as Johnson caught another touchdown pass from nine yards out, and Matt Grothe ran foe a score and threw for another. The blowout got out of hand late as Carlton Mitchell scored on a 75-yard touchdown and Jessie Hester scored on a 28-yard touchdown catch. USC outgained UCF 543 yards to 145.
Player of the game: South Florida QB Matt Grothe completed 15 of 28 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 16 times for 100 yards and two scores
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 15-28, 212 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Matt Grothe, 16-100, 2 TD. Receiving: Taurus Johnson, 6-83, 2 TD
UCF - Passing: Michael Greco, 6-616, 71 yds
Rushing: Kevin Smith, 18-55. Receiving: Kevin Smith, 3-45
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... That's how you're supposed to act if you're a top five team. The Florida Atlantic win appeared to be a case of a slight letdown after the West Virginia upset, and now the destruction of UCF showed that the Bulls are fully focused again. George Selvie led the defense with a dominant performance that should solidify him as the nation's top end over the first half of the year, while Matt Grothe and the offense was balanced and efficient. The confidence should be sky-high going into road games against Rutgers and Connecticut.

Oct. 6
South Florida 35 ... Florida Atlantic 23
The final score wasn't quite indicative of how close USF came to blowing it. The Bulls turned it over four times, but got a huge day from RB Benjamin Williams, who scored from five, nine, and 54 yards out before finally putting it away with a nine-yard run with 29 seconds to play. FAU hung tough with Rusty Smith throwing three touchdown passes, highlighted by a 47-yard play to DiIvory Edgecomb late in the fourth to pull within five. USF outgained FAU 302 yards to 152 on the ground, but only 424 yards to 411 overall.
Player of the game: South Florida RB Benjamin Williams ran for 186 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries, catching a pass for nine yards.
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 17-27, 122 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Benjamin Williams, 25-186, 4 TDs. Receiving: Amari Jackson, 6-60
Florida Atlantic - Passing: Rusty Smith, 23-47, 259 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Willie Rose, 10-59. Receiving: Jason Harmon, 7-82, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... As much as everyone doesn't want to say there was a letdown after the West Virginia win, there was a letdown. Florida Atlantic almost outUSFed, USF, forcing the turnovers, getting the timely offense when needed, and playing good, aggressive defense, but the Bulls were able to overcome the problems to run wild and get the drives and the plays needed late in the game to put it away. Now the team has to act like it belongs in the top five in America and blow out UCF.

Sept. 28
South Florida 21 ... West Virginia 13
The USF defense stuffed West Virginia's running game, and started off the scoring when LB Ben Moffitt picked off a Pat White pass for a 26-yard touchdown, in the seminal win in the young program's history. The Bulls took a 14-0 lead in the first half on a 55-yard Carlton Mitchell touchdown catch, and padded the lead on the opening drive of the second half, finishing with a 19-yard Jamar Taylor rushing score. The Mountaineer offense only managed two Pat McAfee field goals until late. With Pat White out with a leg injury, Jarrett Brown had to take over the West Virginia offense, and he came through with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Darius Reynaud with just under six minutes to play. The Mountaineers had one final shot, but Brown couldn't connect on a fourth down pass to keep the final drive going, and USF was able to run out the clock. The two teams combined for ten turnovers.
Player of the game ... South Florida LB Ben Moffitt made eight tackles, two tackles for loss, broke up a pass, and picked off two passes, taking one for a touchdown
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Jarrett Brown, 11-20, 149 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Steve Slaton, 13-54  Receiving: Dorrell Jalloh, 5-87
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 9-17, 120 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jamar Taylor, 15-58, 1 TD  Receiving: Benjamin Williams, 3-23
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... South Florida appears to know how to slow down the West Virginia, with quick, disciplined linebackers who don't miss tackles, and a defensive line that didn't allow too many holes. The Mountaineer running game got a few yards, but Steve Slaton, Pat White, and Jarrett Brown weren't able to get to the next level with their carries. To nitpick in such a huge win for the program, QB Matt Grothe has to be far more careful on his deep passes down the middle. He seemed to have problems locating the deep safety, and it cost him with two key interceptions and a few other near misses. It was like he was trying to make something happen that wasn't there. Now the key will be to avoid the letdown before the road date at Rutgers in three weeks.

Sept. 22
South Florida 37 ... North Carolina 10
South Florida suffocated North Carolina's offense all game long, not allowing a touchdown until the final minute, while the Bull offense overcame three turnovers to get three Delbert Alvarado field goals, five-yard touchdown runs from Mike Ford and Benjamin Williams, and a 12-yard Amarri Jackson 12-yard scoring grab. Jamar Taylor added a one-yard touchdown for a 37-3 lead late in the game. The Tar Heels were held to 164 yards of total offense.
Player of the game ... South Florida DE George Selvie made seven tackles and three sacks
Stat Leaders: North Carolina - Passing: T.J. Yates, 11-27, 85 yds, 4 INT
Rushing: Ryan Houston, 11-43, 1 TD  Receiving: Hakeem Nicks, 3-32
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 17-30, 230 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Benjamin Williams, 15-64, 1 TD  Receiving: Taurus Johnson, 3-34
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... So much for worrying about rust after an extra week off. Instead of being rusty, the defense was rejuvenated against North Carolina with a dominate performance in all phases. Matt Grothe wasn't sharp, and turned it over a few times, but he didn't have to be amazing considering the great play of the D. However, he can't fumble the ball, and he has to be better, for the Bulls to get by West Virginia next week. The defense won't be able to do it alone, but it will certainly provide several problems if George Selvie, who's having an All-America start to the season, and the front line can produce like they have to start the year.

Sept. 8
South Florida 26 ... Auburn 23 OT
South Florida forced overtime when Delbert Alvrarado, who had missed three earlier field goals and got one blocked, nailed an 18-yarder, and then answered a 39-yard Wes Byrum field goal with a perfect strike from Matt Grothe to Jessie Hester for a 14-yard touchdown and the upset. USF got up 14-3 in the first quarter on a Grothe one-yard run and a two-yard Mike Ford dash, but Auburn responded with a four-yard Mario Fanin scoring run and a three-yard Gabe McKenzie touchdown catch. However, the Tigers only managed two field goals after halftime and finished with five turnovers. The two teams combined to convert just six of 30 third down chances.
Player of the game ... South Florida DE George Selvie made four tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and had three quarterback hurries.
Stat Leaders: Auburn - Passing: Brandon Cox, 16-35, 165 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Mario Fannin, 14-62, 1 TD  Receiving: Carl Stewart, 3-45
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 18-27, 184 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Mike Ford, 21-74, 1 TD  Receiving: Jessie Hester, 6-64, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... It wasn't pretty, but South Florida isn't exactly going to throw it back. The Bulls got a great defensive performance, overcame a horrific night from the placekicking game, and hung tough when the momentum shifted Auburn's way late to come up with the biggest win in the school's history. Now the program can really start to shine. Beating good Big East teams is one thing, but beating Auburn in Auburn takes things to an entirely new level. The trademark defense, a mistake-free offense, and clutch coaching decisions from the gut, especially late in the game, made this win possible. This is now, officially, one of the big boys in the Big East, and this might turn out to be the league's biggest win, along with West Virginia's Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia, since the ACC defections.

Sept. 1
South Florida 28 ... Elon 13
Mike Ford scored three times and George Selvie came up with four sacks as South Florida had few troubles with the Elon Phoenix after the first half. It took a while for the offense to get going, but Ford was able to come up with a one-yard touchdown catch to start the scoring in the second quarter, a 20-yard dash early in the third, and a one-yard run to put it away in the fourth. Elon only managed two Andrew Wilcox field goals before finally getting into the end zone late in the fourth on a 26-yard Terrell Hudgins catch.
Player of the game ... South Florida RB Mike Ford ran five times for 77 yards and two touchdowns and caught one pass for a one-yard score
Stat Leaders: Elon - Passing: Scott Riddle, 31-52, 204 yds, 1 TD, 1 iNT
Rushing: T.J. Klegg, 15-41  Receiving: Terrell Hudgins, 13-81, 1 TD
South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 22-38, 227 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Mike Ford, 5-77, 2 TD  Receiving: Carlton Mitchell, 5-35
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The Bulls didn't exactly open it up against Elon, mainly because they didn't need to. Several players got involved on both sides of the ball as the coaching staff truly used this as a preseason game before the showdown against Auburn next week. The pass rush kept the Phoenix under pressure all game long, and the secondary almost never allowed anything deep. Getting QB Matt Grothe on the move against the Tigers will be a key next week, but limiting mistakes will be even more important. Grothe was able to manage the game well, but the Bulls had too many penalties.