USF 31, LOUISVILLE 28 (2 OT): The Bulls tie it on fourth down late and win on a field goal.
By PETE YOUNG
Published October 5, 2003
[Times photo: Chris Zuppa]
Santiago Gramatica, right, begins the party with holder Brandon Baker after hitting the winning field goal in overtime.
TAMPA - They bolted out from the stands in waves, fueled by unbridled euphoria.
"USF! USF! USF!" Delirious fans by the hundreds cavorted with South Florida players on the Raymond James Stadium turf.
South Florida 31, Louisville 28, double overtime.
Score another ground-breaking win for the Bulls before a record crowd for a Bulls game at Raymond James Stadium of 36,044. The home winning streak is alive at 21, and USF is 2-0 in Conference USA in its debut season.
"This right here is special," senior cornerback Ron Hemingway said. "It's the first conference home game, it came down to the wire, and big-time players made big plays at the right time."
Players such as receiver/option quarterback Brian Fisher.
All it took for the Bulls to prevail over the previously unbeaten Cardinals (4-1, 0-1) was a 67-yard drive over the final five minutes of regulation, with the tying touchdown coming on fourth and goal from the 1 after the Bulls converted fourth and 6 near midfield. Fisher pitched to Clenton Crossley for the touchdown, and he caught a 15-yard pass from Ronnie Banks (26-of-47, 256 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions) on the fourth and 6.
"You enjoy every win, but to win a close one like this one was nice," Fisher said.
"I can't really describe it," senior safety Kevin Verpaele said. "No one gave up, and the offense came through at the end."
Santiago Gramatica's 26-yard field goal ignited the celebratory eruption and was the last of numerous big plays.
With the score tied at 21 after regulation, USF scored first in overtime on Fisher's 2-yard keeper. Louisville answered with a fourth-and-goal conversion from the 1 by quarterback Stefan LeFors (19-of-39, 267 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions).
In the second overtime, Devon Davis' interception put USF in control - he nearly returned it all the way, which would have ended the game - and set up Gramatica's finisher.
"I was just trying to relax," said Gramatica, who said it was his first winning kick. "I just wanted to relax and get off a good kick."
Louisville, which trailed by seven most of the game, scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the fourth quarter to seize a 21-14 lead.
The Bulls, stifled for much of the game after scoring 14 on their first two possessions, mounted a dramatic drive to send it to overtime. USF converted the fourth down from midfield with 3:34 to go.
Louisville scored on Lionel Gates' 67-yard touchdown run on the third play of the game but the Bulls, buoyed by the boisterous crowd, kept the Cardinals out of the end zone most of the way despite allowing 430 yards in regulation. USF's offense couldn't keep the Cardinals off the field, though, and Louisville finally broke through.
The Cardinals tied it at 14 on a 78-yard, eight-play drive over four minutes at the beginning of the fourth.
They scored in three plays on their next series to take a 21-14 lead with 8:19 left. After USF went three and out and punted, things looked bleak, but the defense got the ball back for the final drive.
After Gates' run put Louisville up 7-0, USF responded with two touchdown drives. Huey Whittaker (nine catches, 94 yards, one touchdown) finished the first drive with a 13-yard reception from Banks. Running back DeJuan Green, who had career highs of 20 carries for 78 yards, capped the second drive with a 5-yard run. Green faked a reverse to Fisher and went in untouched.
Louisville had 247 yards in the first half but just seven points and trailed 14-7 at intermission.
Gaither High product J.R. Russell had a career-high seven catches for the Cardinals.
USF's high attendance at Raymond James Stadium was 32,770 last season vs. Memphis.
The Bulls face short week. Friday on ESPN2, USF hosts No. 20-ranked TCU.
"We've got another big one coming up," Hemingway said. "We've got to put this behind us and get ready."
"The biggest thing we talked about in the locker room was that it was a short week," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "We've got to be real careful about getting too high on this win."
