BULLS START BOWL SEASON OFF FOR BIG EAST

December 2008


It was not the season South Florida Bulls' fans might have envisioned, especially when the Bulls began the season 5-0 and ranked in the top 10 of the country.

However, USF ended the season on a positive note with a 41-14 win over former conference USA rival Memphis in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

The win got the Big East off on the right foot in the 2008-2009 NCAA Bowl games schedule. Matt Grothe threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns and ran fot an additional 83 yards as the Bulls dominated the Tigers, outgaining them 496 to 238 in the contest.

For the season, the Bulls went 6-0 on non-Big East games, but were a disappointing 2-5 in Big East action, with wins over Syracuse and Connecticut at home. With a conference schedule of four home games and three on the road, many predicted that USF and WVU would meet in Morgantown on December 6th to settle the conference title. However, that title match-up never materialized as both teams had seasons that missed expectations.

With spring football practice less than three months away, the Bulls can already look forward to next season. The St. Petersburg bowl win over Memphis will leave them with a better taste in their mouths from a season that was disappointing overall.