If you notice an odd assortment of wild-colored blazers on the sidelines at Raymond James Stadium for tonight's USF-West Virginia, relax. There is not a convention of Craig Sager impersonators in town this weekend for Halloween.
No, it's USF's annual "Bulls and Bowls" shindig, which has representatives from 11 bowls visiting Tampa and getting a closer look at the Bulls and USF's athletic administration. All the BCS bowls are scheduled to attend -- Sugar, Orange, Rose, Fiesta and the national championship game -- as well as nearly all the current Big East bowls -- the Gator, the Sun, the Meineke Car Care, the Papajohns.com and the St. Petersburg bowls. (The International Bowl is not here, perhaps in recognition that USF almost certainly won't get paired with a game in Toronto). The conference's bowl affiliations will change after this season, and part of the new lineup will also be in Tampa, with the as-yet-unnamed Yankee Stadium Bowl.
Even with a strong finish, it will be hard for USF to catch Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, which are two games ahead in the standings and both beat the Bulls handily. A win Friday night could keep the Bulls in contention for a trip to Charlotte, though Birmingham remains the most likely destination for USF, presuming they can collect themselves enough to win two of their remaining five games to become bowl-eligible.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Taurean: "We'd have to win out the rest of our games, but that would put us in the position to pick up a BCS bid. It's a long shot, but it's worth hoping for."
Greg: "I don't think Taurean is saying USF will make a BCS game. A two-loss Big East team wouldn't be an at-large BCS pick. Perhaps he's thinking of the Meineke."
I agree with you, Greg, but I think Taurean said otherwise. The only way we're getting in a BCS game is if some weird thing happens in the BE and we end up conference champion, and we're way to far behind Cinc and Pitt to think that's more than a one in a thousand shot.
The the muffler bowl would be nice. I'd sure rather go back to Charlotte--probably spend at least two nights there--rather than Birmingham, where I think we'd try to make arrival and departure as close together as possible.
Posted by: Ken | October 31, 2009 at 09:51 AM
You should remember, that if we make a bowl this year, there would be many a college team that would envy our position.
Posted by: Taurean | October 30, 2009 at 05:04 PM
--------
Exactly right.
FAU, FIU, WKU, Arkansas State, North Texas, New Mexico State, Utah State...
You know...the "who's who" of college football.
Posted by: Turd Ferguson | October 30, 2009 at 05:15 PM
Sheesh guys. I know it's a pipe dream at this point, but someone's gotta bring some optimism out here. It's been so down since our two losses.
You should remember, that if we make a bowl this year, there would be many a college team that would envy our position.
Posted by: Taurean | October 30, 2009 at 05:04 PM
I don't think Taurean is saying USF will make a BCS game. A two-loss Big East team wouldn't be an at-large BCS pick. Perhaps he's thinking of the Meineke.
Posted by: G.A. | October 30, 2009 at 04:22 PM
going to the game from wesley chapel and north?
Vehicle fire blocking all lanes on i-275 north of bearss.
Posted by: Mike | October 30, 2009 at 04:21 PM
Does the St. Pete bowl rep actually have a blazer he wears...or is it like one of those flimsy windbreakers?
Posted by: Turd Ferguson | October 30, 2009 at 03:38 PM
He'll be the one in the Bermuda shorts and with the black dress socks and sandals.
Posted by: bob | October 30, 2009 at 04:19 PM
Dear god Taurean.... If USF makes a BCS game I'm no longer watching college football. Put the drugs down buddy!
Posted by: Chalko | October 30, 2009 at 04:02 PM
Taurean, I love you for it, but that does set new record for optimism--that we'll still make a BCS game with our two losses and winning out from here. Well, I guess it starts tonight. Time to pack.
Posted by: Ken | October 30, 2009 at 04:01 PM
Does the St. Pete bowl rep actually have a blazer he wears...or is it like one of those flimsy windbreakers?
Posted by: Turd Ferguson | October 30, 2009 at 03:38 PM
With any luck, Cincy can make the NC game and Pitt will drop a couple in-conference games-- say, to West Virginia and Cincy. We'd have to win out from here on and it's a long shot, but it's worth hoping for.
Posted by: Taurean | October 30, 2009 at 03:35 PM
With any luck, Cincy can make the NC game and Pitt will drop a couple in-conference games-- say, to West Virginia and Cincy. We'd have to win out the rest of our games, but that would put us in the position to pick up a BCS bid. It's a long shot, but it's worth hoping for.
Posted by: Taurean | October 30, 2009 at 03:32 PM
Birmingham, Charlotte and especially St. Pete would be considered colossal failures. Sick of us playing down to these pizza/car care/toilet bowls.
Posted by: politically incorrect | October 30, 2009 at 03:14 PM