USF's new role (for next week)... BCS Spoiler

[smazza]

usf can't spoil anything

a usf win won't effect pitt going to a bcs game

[E.T.]

Beat Pitt !

Go BULLS !!!

[Jim Johnson]

Here is how it will work...

The BCS takes the averages of three values... AP Poll, ESPN/USA Today Poll, Average of Computer Polls...

The computers only give values for those in the Top 25 - Pittsburgh and Syracuse were not in the Top 25 of any computer last week.  Both Pitt and Syracuse may break the Top 25... (Pitt won at home and Syracuse won on the road).

Pitt had been receiving votes in both human polls (this week's polls are not out yet)... but we can expect both of them to get some votes.

A Pitt loss next week could change the order... both teams would likely be listed among "others receiving votes"...

Now, get this...  Pittsburgh's coach has a vote in the ESPN/USA Today poll... Syracuse's coach does not.  

Walt Harris's vote could be the deciding factor for the BCS.  Imagine he loses the game, figures he won't get many votes, so he votes Pittsburgh #2 (giving him 24 points), will that be enough to beat Syracuse??

Now that would make for an interesting discussion.

As far as I am concerned, I want USF to win to see what happens with the BCS chaos.

[E.T.]

I want USF to win also ... of course, but as much as I hate the BS of the BCS, I would LOVE for Harris to use the system and VOTE HIGH !!!.

Beat Pitt !

Go BULLS !!!

[smazza]

if we beat pitt i think they would be too embarrassed to go to a bowl

[Guest HowieP1]

USF Game Meaningless For Pitt

By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: Nov 29, 2004

 

TAMPA - South Florida's 31-15 loss to Memphis on Saturday ended the Bulls' bowl hopes and their chance to finish with a winning record for a seventh consecutive season.

Now the Bulls won't even have a chance to play the role of spoiler in Saturday's finale with No. 19 Pittsburgh.

The Panthers are guaranteed a BCS bowl bid - even if they lose to USF, said Jerry Palm of CollegeBCS.com.

Palm even suggests the Big East may award Pittsburgh the BCS bid (expected to be against Utah in the Fiesta Bowl) this week.

``I would not be surprised if the league declared Pitt the champ this week, to subvert any potential voting anomalies next week,'' Palm said. ``After all, you can't trust the coaches to vote the way you expect.''

USF (4-6) could have hoped to knock its future Big East rival out of BCS bowl contention, but even that hope is gone.

Pittsburgh holds such a substantial lead over Syracuse in the BCS rankings that the Panthers will be BCS-bound regardless of Saturday's result.

The Bulls will be facing a Panthers club that has rebounded from a 2-2 start to win five of their past six, including upsets of Notre Dame and West Virginia.

USF enters on a two-game losing streak in which it allowed 577 yards to Cincinnati and 470 to Memphis. The Bulls defense, which has used 21 different starters this season, continues to be plagued by mental mistakes, inexperience and poor tackling.

``Memphis is just a better team than we are right now,'' USF coach Jim Leavitt said. ``I thought some of our guys played hard, but we didn't play like we were fighting for our lives.

``Their running back [DeAngelo Williams] was head and shoulders above our defense and we didn't convert on our fourth downs.''

Williams rushed for a career-high 263 yards, the most gained by an opponent against USF.

``We'll get there, I have no doubt about that,'' Leavitt said. ``I'm 100 percent sure of it. We knew as the year was going we had some weaknesses here and there. We didn't know how we would perform all the way through.

``I'm excited about moving into the Big East and looking forward to the future. I'm very excited about this team.''

ODDS AND ENDS: With USF ending its two-year membership in C-USA against Memphis, Leavitt said the Bulls' biggest C-USA win was last year at Memphis. USF had been eliminated from bowl contention the previous week against UAB and was a 10- point underdog, but upset the Tigers 21-16. ... DT Matt Groelinger (thumb) and OL Frank Davis (ankle), both injured against Louisville on Oct. 22, are doubtful for Saturday. ... USF RB Andre Hall increased his average to 127.2 yards rushing a game, second behind Williams in C-USA and ninth in the nation. Hall also ranks sixth nationally in all- purpose yards.

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGB4XK0X32E.html