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Okay, it's not a gem, but it's still the home opener

USF hosts North Texas as Bulls begin mishmash part of schedule.

By PETE YOUNG

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 29, 2001

TAMPA -- South Florida's home opener is at 7 tonight at Raymond James Stadium against North Texas.

So why aren't you excited?

We know, North Texas doesn't exactly kindle your college football-craving embers like, say, Texas does. Or even Southern Miss or East Carolina or Louisville, all future Conference USA rivals.

With the Bulls not starting conference play until 2003, North Texas is part of a mishmash schedule this season and next.

But what will it look like in the future, 2003 and beyond? Will the Bulls' nonconference slate -- typically three games a year -- feature I-A bantamweights like North Texas, or teams like defending national champion Oklahoma, which USF plays next season?

Athletic director Lee Roy Selmon said it likely will be some combination of good, bad and in between.

"We might want to play high-profile teams, we might want to play competitive opponents in a home-and-home," said Selmon, who added that C-USA likely will have input into USF's nonconference schedule. "There are a lot of factors involved and (the scheduling philosophy) can vary.

"We're going to take a little time soon to come up with a strategy."

Coach Jim Leavitt has one request for nonconference games: play them at Raymond James Stadium.

"I'd want them all home games," Leavitt said. "Whoever wants to come in here and play, because I think we owe that to the community.

"You figure you have eight games in the conference: four away, four home. So you want to (add the three nonconference games to) have seven games at home so the people in Tampa can watch you play."

USF has seven home games this season. To get seven on an annual basis, the Bulls would have to sacrifice quality because, like Leavitt, almost everyone wants to play at home for the obvious reasons: comfort, familiarity, revenue, etc.

USF could secure home-and-home series with mid-tier opponents such as North Carolina or Missouri (Leavitt's alma mater), which would mean playing fewer than seven home games some seasons.

Top-shelf programs such as Oklahoma hold the power and would be unlikely to do a home-and-home, though USF's warm locale is a lure. The Bulls might be willing to travel for one-shot deals to the power-and-tradition schools, such as Ohio State and Tennessee, for the exposure and because teams like the Buckeyes and Volunteers can offer nonconference foes an appearance fee.

Selmon's ties to Oklahoma -- he was an All-American for the Sooners -- and Leavitt's relationship with OU coach Bob Stoops, from when they were co-defensive coordinators at Kansas State, helped the Bulls secure a trip to Norman.

Would Oklahoma ever come here?

"Well, we don't have anything in writing, but as we continue to grow there might be an opportunity to reciprocate," Selmon said. "A lot of schools like to recruit in this area, so playing here helps them."

North Texas (0-3) isn't one of those schools; the Mean Green has no Floridians on its roster. The Bulls (1-2) are favored for the first time this season, by 12 points, but don't expect North Texas to blanch: USF is the weakest opponent it has played.

The Mean Green has lost at TCU, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, the closest defeat being 14 points (TCU). North Texas tasted a spread offense similar to USF's in its 42-14 loss to Texas Tech as Red Raiders quarterback Kliff Kingsbury threw 46 times.

"It's going to be one heck of a ballgame. I've said that for the first three weeks and I don't think I've been wrong," said Leavitt, whose team has lost two games that came down to the final play. "It very well could come down to the last play again."

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