College football

What Bulls fans should root for

By GREG AUMAN
Published December 3, 2005

Just where will the Bulls wind up for their first bowl, if anywhere? It's a complicated question, and other teams have more control over USF's future than the Bulls do. Here's what Bulls fans should hope for today to maximize the Bulls' chances of landing the first bowl berth in their nine-year history.

1. PULL FOR LOUISVILLE: If No. 16 Louisville beats Connecticut tonight, the Huskies would have only five wins. With that, the Bulls are the only remaining bowl-eligible Big East team and clinch a spot in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, Dec. 31 in Charlotte. That's the simplest if-then scenario out there.

2. PULL FOR TEXAS: If Connecticut upsets Louisville and is chosen for the Charlotte bowl, the Bulls would be chosen for the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, providing Ohio State is picked as an at-large BCS selection. (That would leave the Big Ten unable to provide a bowl-eligible team for the Motor City, leaving an opening for USF.) Ohio State seems to be a safe bet to edge Oregon for the final at-large selection, but if Texas were to lose to Colorado in today's Big 12 Championship, the Longhorns would likely be chosen for an at-large berth ahead of the Buckeyes, taking away the Detroit option.

3. PULL FOR THE BULLS: If the Meineke and Motor City both fall through, a big upset of another ranked team - and a seventh win - would be a major help as the Bulls try to scramble and find an at-large spot in another bowl game. Other bowls expected to have openings include the Music City and Emerald, but both are projected to select ACC schools such as Georgia Tech (7-4) and Virginia (6-5).

4. PULL FOR THE FANS: Because USF hasn't played in a bowl, there's uncertainty as to how many fans would travel, especially to a faraway location such as Detroit. After a lackluster attendance for the Cincinnati game two weeks ago, the Bulls need a big crowd - say, 40,000 and then some - to answer questions as to how strong a following USF has built.

[Last modified December 3, 2005, 01:22:20]