USF hits No. 18 in football rankings

A week after debuting in the Top 25, the Bulls move up after Saturday's victory.

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 24, 2007

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TAMPA - USF made a sizeable jump in the college football polls after its 37-10 win against North Carolina, moving up to No. 18 in the Associated Press media and coaches' Top 25 released Sunday.

USF, which had been No. 23 in AP and No. 24 in the coaches, would make another big jump if it upsets No. 5 West Virginia on Friday night at Raymond James Stadium. The Bulls made their debut in both major polls Sept. 16, one week after an overtime upset at then-No. 17 Auburn.

"I don't think too many of us pay a lot of attention to the rankings," quarterback Matt Grothe said after Saturday's win. "We were ranked before, just not in the Top 25. I don't let it get to me. We needed to come out and play and put everything behind us. This was a big game, and this was the best thing that could have happened for us going into next Friday."

Coach Jim Leavitt still used the rankings in motivating his players, telling them before the game that if they thought they were a ranked team, they should play like one. Only Kentucky and Georgia, who each moved up seven spots, made bigger leaps in the AP poll.

In the coaches' poll, Kentucky, which picked up eight spots, was the only team moving up more than USF. And as one Big East team, Louisville, dropped out of the polls, another - undefeated Cincinnati - entered the AP poll at No. 24 and just missed the coaches' cut at No. 26.