BULLS in Lakeland Ledger

[E.T.]

Published Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Bulls Try To Stay Focused

By TED BECK

Ledger Correspondent

TAMPA -- Fresh off of a season-saving win at Alabama-Birmingham, South Florida is optimistic that its season is not over yet.

The Bulls (3-4, 2-3 ConferenceUSA) beat UAB, 45-20, a week ago today in front of a national television audience on ESPN2.

Regardless of when it was, the Bulls head coach Jim Leavitt refuses to look back or too far ahead.

"All I've been thinking about today, and this is the truth, is about practice today," he said. "You just think about today. You can't do anything other than that."

Against UAB, the Bulls were led by Andre Hall, who rushed for a school-record 275 yards and scored two touchdowns (35 and 63 yards).

His two touchdowns were part of South Florida's 28-point fourth-quarter surge that put it ahead for good after playing from behind since early in the first quarter.

"It was quite a battle throughout," Leavitt said. "In the fourth quarter, we played some pretty good football."

The win at UAB came after getting blown out by 32 points at Louisville and two seven-point losses to Army and Southern Miss. The up-and-down play all season long is going to have to stop if the Bulls want to have any hope of getting to their first-ever bowl game. USF has to win three of its last four to be eligible for a postseason game.

But with a running back with game-breaking ability, anything is possible. Hall's 822 yards is only 195 shy of Dyral McMillan's 1999 record. His nine rushing touchdowns already have him tied for first with three other former Bulls.

Hall knows that before USF becomes eligible for a bowl game, they will have to win consecutive games for the first time all season.

"The mentality on the team is probably as high as it has been all year," Hall said. "Now we're really hungry for (the next game). We haven't won two games yet."

[ETKbull]

One game at a time boys, one game at a time.  Stay focused on ECU and our first div 1A home victory this year before we start looking towards Cincy.

[E.T.]

One game at a time boys, one game at a time.  Stay focused on ECU and our first div 1A home victory this year before we start looking towards Cincy.

Who mentioned Cincy ?

[smazza]

this next game should be intersting

[The_Reaper]

GO BULLS!!!!!!!

[dabull80]

I'll go out on a limb here and say not only will we beat ECU(two TDs+) but we will beat Cinci.  No predictions past that.

[bulls96go]

if defense plays well we have a chance

hope OC calls a good game

[E.T.]

HALL must run wild ... let's break the 1,000 mark ... now the question: Will the announcer announce it ?