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Free Fall Continues

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2007

Updated: 11/04/2007 01:11 am

TAMPA - All week, several of the University of South Florida's team leaders said their peace trying to clear the air and turn around the Bulls' once-promising season.

But when USF quarterback Matt Grothe's final pass to Jessie Hester Jr. fell to the end zone turf with no time remaining, the only thing that could be heard was from Coach Jim Leavitt: "Throw the flag! Throw the flag! Throw the flag!"

There was no flag from the officials - only another USF loss.

This one a 38-33 heartbreaker to Cincinnati that likely will complete 20th-ranked USF's free fall from the nation's No. 2 team to unranked. In three weeks, the Bulls (6-3, 1-3 Big East) have gone from the toast of Tampa to toast - and tied for last place in the Big East with Syracuse.

"We could be 9-0, but that's hindsight," Leavitt said. "What are you going to do? Live your life the way it could have been?

"That's what's hard on the players. I hope they don't think about that sometimes. If you live with that memory that can really hurt you."

Despite committing a school-record eight turnovers, including five from Grothe, the Bulls still miraculously had a chance to win when Cincinnati's failed on a fake field goal with 25 seconds remaining.

From USF's 39, Grothe hit Marcus Edwards for 20 yards and Hester for 23 yards to the UC 18 with eight seconds left.

Grothe lofted a pass in the corner of the end zone to Carlton Mitchell, who had it momentarily before UC's Mike Mickens batted it away.

"Me, personally, as a receiver, I thought I should have made the catch," Mitchell said. "But he made a good play."

Two seconds remained. Grothe rolled left and threw to Hester in the back of the end zone. Hester and UC linebacker Anthony Williams battled for position as the ball hit Hester in the chest and fell to the turf.

"There was a lot of stuff going on back there," Leavitt said. "It seems like it wasn't really a clean play."

While Leavitt pleaded with the officials, several fans in the USF's student section in the north end zone hurled water bottles and other objects onto the field.

The loss was USF's third consecutive by a combined 15 points with a chance to win or go to overtime in the final minutes.

"I don't know if I've had a team in 11 years go through three losses like this," Leavitt said.

Added USF senior linebacker Ben Moffitt: "It kills you. It just takes something inside of you."

Moffitt addressed the team Monday to try and shake their losing ways. Then after Thursday's practice several other players talked to the team, trying to save a season in which the bottom has dropped out.

Leavitt even did his part before the game, sprinting from USF's tunnel the entire length of the field to the north end zone to get the students fired up. But none of the talking, none of the motivational tactics could overcome eight turnovers.

"You don't deserve to win," USF offensive coordinator Greg Gregory said. "I don't know how we were still in the game."

Grothe threw a career-high four interceptions and lost a fumble. He also threw for a school-record 382 yards and carried 22 times for 75 yards.

Mitchell had a career-high seven catches for 110 yards as the Bulls rolled up 481 yards of offense. In the opening five minutes, USF had not even run a play on offense - but led 14-7 thanks to Trae Williams' 73-yard interception return and Mike Jenkins' 100-yard kickoff return.

Just four minutes later, Cincinnati took a 17-14 lead.

When Antwaun Giddens recovered Delbert Alvarado's blocked punt in the end zone, the announced crowd of 57,379 in Raymond James Stadium became so quiet you could hear a Papajohns.com Bowl pizza cooking.

Mickens followed up the blocked punt with a 79-yard interception return for a TD - one of four consecutive turnovers by USF - and when the 63-minute first quarter ended, Cincinnati led 31-14.

"It was a crazy first quarter," Moffitt said. "The craziest first quarter I've been involved in."

Said Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly: "It wasn't your typical game. We said it was going to be exciting. We certainly are not cookie cutter when it comes to the game of football."

The Bulls held UC (7-2, 2-2) scoreless in the second half, but fell short - again.

"I'm as proud of this group than any other group I've coached," USF defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. "We fought so hard. We're going into our fourth week of practice without a win. The hard part is you have to win a game to get over a loss."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com.

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