arty: 
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Andre Hall rushed for a career-high 222 yards and three touchdowns, and South Florida beat Syracuse 27-0 Saturday to remain in the hunt for a BCS bowl bid.
The Bulls (5-3, 3-1 Big East), who came into the Bowl Championship Series picture in late September with a stunning 45-14 victory over then-No. 9 Louisville, control where they go from here. If they win their remaining three games - Cincinnati, Connecticut and No. 16 West Virginia - they'll capture the Big East's automatic spot in the BCS.
It was the seventh straight loss for Syracuse (1-8, 0-6), and it came on the day the university retired jersey No. 44, one of the most storied numbers in the annals of college football.
Not even the presence of two of the running backs who helped make 44 famous - Jim Brown and Floyd Little - could help the Orange on this day. Syracuse finished 1-5 in the Carrier Dome, matching its worst record since the building opened in 1980. It also was the Orange's first shutout loss at home since being beaten 26-0 by Miami in 2000.
South Florida outgained Syracuse 427-183 and limited the Orange to 12 first downs.
The Bulls (5-3, 3-1 Big East), who came into the Bowl Championship Series picture in late September with a stunning 45-14 victory over then-No. 9 Louisville, control where they go from here. If they win their remaining three games - Cincinnati, Connecticut and No. 16 West Virginia - they'll capture the Big East's automatic spot in the BCS.
It was the seventh straight loss for Syracuse (1-8, 0-6), and it came on the day the university retired jersey No. 44, one of the most storied numbers in the annals of college football.
Not even the presence of two of the running backs who helped make 44 famous - Jim Brown and Floyd Little - could help the Orange on this day. Syracuse finished 1-5 in the Carrier Dome, matching its worst record since the building opened in 1980. It also was the Orange's first shutout loss at home since being beaten 26-0 by Miami in 2000.
South Florida outgained Syracuse 427-183 and limited the Orange to 12 first downs.
I like em' fish... Good for them! Why can't they win all three?? Wv just barely beat Louisville (had to come from way down), South Florida took them to the woodshed and the game is at S.FL.. They will have my money (probably getting 10 juicy points) that week..
Bulls Enjoying Sweet Smell Of Success
MICK ELLIOTT
Published: Nov 13, 2005
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - -- Allow USF to savor its victory Saturday over Syracuse in the cozy, indoor confines of the Carrier Dome. Not only might it be the school's only win in a Big East Conference basketball arena for years to come, it herded the little football team that thinks it can to within one victory of bowl eligibility.
And on the verge of a great beyond.
No longer is it Tampa's little secret that in its ninth season of football existence and first year in the Big East, USF continues to position itself to drop a wrecking ball on the Bowl Championship Series.
Now, just three more wins -- two of those games against Cincinnati and Connecticut as the favorite before getting West Virginia at home on Dec. 3 -- and the school that too many in college football still refer to as Southern Florida most likely will have played itself into the Sugar Bowl.
First New Orleans is terrorized by Hurricane Katrina and the Superdome is damaged beyond use, forcing the Sugar Bowl to be temporarily moved to Atlanta. Now, here come the USF Bulls banging at the door.
Sweet mercy, hasn't the Sugar Bowl already suffered enough?
That's what a jumbo-sized portion of college football is starting to ask, not to mention fear. To anyone with an 813 area code, it's hard to imagine a more warm and fuzzy story. To others, however, the image of nationally unknown 5-3 USF crashing the Big East party as a newcomer threatens to do in one postseason what five years of criticism has not. Namely, render the BCS indefensible.
Like the Bulls care.
"When people don't respect you it makes you go out there and play even harder, with even more motivation," guard Chris Carothers said. "Coming into this game somebody used the metaphor that we were the skunk in the garden. So, I guess that's what we are."
Shocking! Not that someone would think the Bulls' boldness could stink up the BCS' best-laid plans, but that they throw around words like metaphor in conversation. The Bulls are proving to be many things no one expects.
"First of all, they are a better team than I gave them credit for, completely," Syracuse coach Greg Robinson said.
Rally Cry
USF coach Jim Leavitt doesn't have a problem with that.
"Skunks are a very clever animal," Leavitt said. "They have a target. They have great focus. They can hit you right between the eyes. And they can destroy a room in a heartbeat."
To no great shock, the Bulls' coach embraced the skunk comparison like an old friend, preaching to his team that everyone seems to think it would be best kept downwind. To even less of a surprise the Bulls responded.
"Oh, yeah, I love it," running back Andre Hall said after rushing for 222 yards and three scores. "We're the skunk in the garden and we all want to stink as one."
All together now, they certainly had no problem running Syracuse out of the building.
Who Are Those Guys?
The once-proud Syracuse Orange program is a mess, not to mention 1-8 with a seven-game losing streak.
And Saturday only made things worse for the fightin' Citrus Fruit.
It's bad enough to get beat, but even worse when your fans aren't even sure by who -- and guys like Jim Brown and Floyd Little there watching, invited back to campus for a ceremony to retire the No. 44 they both wore for Syracuse.
"Oh yeah, every time we go on the road, somebody always says something about where's Southern Florida," defensive back Johnnie Jones said. "But like I said to the guys Friday night, you will never be overlooked if you perform great. We like to be overlooked, but then we like to open eyes when we step on the field."
Sweet.
MICK ELLIOTT
Published: Nov 13, 2005
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - -- Allow USF to savor its victory Saturday over Syracuse in the cozy, indoor confines of the Carrier Dome. Not only might it be the school's only win in a Big East Conference basketball arena for years to come, it herded the little football team that thinks it can to within one victory of bowl eligibility.
And on the verge of a great beyond.
No longer is it Tampa's little secret that in its ninth season of football existence and first year in the Big East, USF continues to position itself to drop a wrecking ball on the Bowl Championship Series.
Now, just three more wins -- two of those games against Cincinnati and Connecticut as the favorite before getting West Virginia at home on Dec. 3 -- and the school that too many in college football still refer to as Southern Florida most likely will have played itself into the Sugar Bowl.
First New Orleans is terrorized by Hurricane Katrina and the Superdome is damaged beyond use, forcing the Sugar Bowl to be temporarily moved to Atlanta. Now, here come the USF Bulls banging at the door.
Sweet mercy, hasn't the Sugar Bowl already suffered enough?
That's what a jumbo-sized portion of college football is starting to ask, not to mention fear. To anyone with an 813 area code, it's hard to imagine a more warm and fuzzy story. To others, however, the image of nationally unknown 5-3 USF crashing the Big East party as a newcomer threatens to do in one postseason what five years of criticism has not. Namely, render the BCS indefensible.
Like the Bulls care.
"When people don't respect you it makes you go out there and play even harder, with even more motivation," guard Chris Carothers said. "Coming into this game somebody used the metaphor that we were the skunk in the garden. So, I guess that's what we are."
Shocking! Not that someone would think the Bulls' boldness could stink up the BCS' best-laid plans, but that they throw around words like metaphor in conversation. The Bulls are proving to be many things no one expects.
"First of all, they are a better team than I gave them credit for, completely," Syracuse coach Greg Robinson said.
Rally Cry
USF coach Jim Leavitt doesn't have a problem with that.
"Skunks are a very clever animal," Leavitt said. "They have a target. They have great focus. They can hit you right between the eyes. And they can destroy a room in a heartbeat."
To no great shock, the Bulls' coach embraced the skunk comparison like an old friend, preaching to his team that everyone seems to think it would be best kept downwind. To even less of a surprise the Bulls responded.
"Oh, yeah, I love it," running back Andre Hall said after rushing for 222 yards and three scores. "We're the skunk in the garden and we all want to stink as one."
All together now, they certainly had no problem running Syracuse out of the building.
Who Are Those Guys?
The once-proud Syracuse Orange program is a mess, not to mention 1-8 with a seven-game losing streak.
And Saturday only made things worse for the fightin' Citrus Fruit.
It's bad enough to get beat, but even worse when your fans aren't even sure by who -- and guys like Jim Brown and Floyd Little there watching, invited back to campus for a ceremony to retire the No. 44 they both wore for Syracuse.
"Oh yeah, every time we go on the road, somebody always says something about where's Southern Florida," defensive back Johnnie Jones said. "But like I said to the guys Friday night, you will never be overlooked if you perform great. We like to be overlooked, but then we like to open eyes when we step on the field."
Sweet.
Remember the fiasco of several years ago when this team deserved a bowl bid but didn't get one. Remember how they were delayed entrance into Con USA. I do.
Anything can happen, but today and the UCONN game would have to be major upsets. It is possible to run the table and should be a very sweet bowl should that come to pass. Before you automatically give that Dec 3rd game to West Virginia realize that Raymond James is one of the strongest of all home field advantages. Just ask Petrino.
If everything is on the table on that hurricane delayed Dec 3rd game, I just wonder what the attendance will be. And what would the line be?
Anything can happen, but today and the UCONN game would have to be major upsets. It is possible to run the table and should be a very sweet bowl should that come to pass. Before you automatically give that Dec 3rd game to West Virginia realize that Raymond James is one of the strongest of all home field advantages. Just ask Petrino.
If everything is on the table on that hurricane delayed Dec 3rd game, I just wonder what the attendance will be. And what would the line be?
