Bulls remain out of the top 25

Aaron Oberlin and Marilu Muzzi

TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. – The University of South Florida Bulls remains out of the top 25 in the AP and Coaches Poll after defeating the No. 17 Auburn Tigers Saturday night 26-23.

Auburn still remains ahead of USF in the Coaches Poll. Auburn is No. 26 with 131 points. USF is No. 27 with 115.
USF head coach Jim Leavitt said, “I don’t get caught up in that, because I have no control over it.”

The fans get a chance to vote at the ESPNU Allstate Standings Fan Poll, which has USF at No. 23 with almost 600 first place votes.

USF student Ron Arbisi, an education major, says, “Who do we have to beat to get into the top 20?”

This isn’t the first time USF has upset a ranked team, but it is their first victory over a Southeastern Conference team. In 2005, they beat No. 8 Louisville 45-14 at home. Last year, in Morgantown, they beat No. 7 West Virginia.

Athletics director Doug Woolard said the win gives the program credibility and moves it forward.

Leavitt said he was content with victory. “We made a lot of mistakes against Auburn, and we need to get a lot better.”

The Bulls almost lost the game after Delbert Alvarado missed four field goals in the second half. He kicked a game-tying field goal near the end of the game to send it to overtime. Some of the players on the field seemed like they wanted to go for the win on fourth down.

USF senior Patrick Rodriguez, a biomedical science major, says, “We need a new kicker. It is just luck that we won.”

Cheryl McCoy, a USF library faculty member, said it was a safe move to tie the game.

The Bulls won with a 14-yard touchdown pass by sophomore quarterback Matt Grothe to sophomore wide receiver Jesse Hester Jr.

ESPN will air the USF game against North Carolina on Sept. 22. It starts at noon. They will also air the Bulls against No. 4 West Virginia on Sept. 28.