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Johnston column: As Strange As It Seems, USF Deserves This

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Joey Johnston/The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 15, 2007

Updated: 10/15/2007 12:11 am

TAMPA - If the regular season ended today, the South Florida Bulls would be playing Ohio State for college football's national championship.

USF vs. Ohio State.

Chew on that for a moment.

At USF, it goes down sweet.

So why does everyone else in the sports world seem to be gagging and choking at the prospect of Jim Leavitt's team as national darling? Probably because the Bowl Championship Series, by its very nature, is an exclusive club for brand-name programs. USF isn't supposed to do this. Not this quickly.

Yet here we are. And remember, the season doesn't end today. Essentially, it has just begun. The Bulls (6-0) have earned their spot at No. 2 in the BCS standings. No question. And they must continue earning that status, week by week, win by win, beginning with Thursday night's nationally televised game at Rutgers.

One loss, and you're booted to the curb.

A few weeks ago, before USF had even entered the national rankings, this scenario would have been surreal. Now it's just, well, real. You can see it. You can taste it.

With six more wins, the Bulls from Fowler Avenue could be landing on Bourbon Street. An 11-year-old program might be sprinting onto the Superdome turf with No. 1 at stake.

And the nation's fans thought Boise State was an irresistible story? Just wait until they discover the USF Bulls.

Enjoying The Moment

If the Bulls take care of business, capturing the Big East Conference title with a 12-0 record, what more is there to do? I mean, other than adding some extra Tampa-to-New Orleans flights in January.

The human voters have spoken. The computers have computed. When the national championship conversation begins, USF should be in the opening statement.

Everyone - from USF president Judy Genshaft to Athletic Director Doug Woolard to the players to the fans (and yes, deep down, even Leavitt) - is enjoying this moment.

But there is perspective. Six games remain.

'When this occurs for the first time, it's very special,' Genshaft said. 'It's not something we're used to. But it's something we're aiming for.'

There was a time when people couldn't believe Virginia Tech was a top 10 team. They waited for the unknown Hokies to lose. But they never did, riding the arm and legs of phenomenal freshman Michael Vick, all the way to the Sugar Bowl.

There was a time when people thought Florida State was an upstart, fly-by-night program with a homespun head coach who would soon bolt for the big time. Bobby Bowden's Seminoles kept winning, and winning, and winning - until it wasn't a surprise any longer. In the blink of an eye, Cinderella became a juggernaut.

Even Miami once had no swagger - and almost no football. In the late 1970s, UM trustees wanted to drop the program. It survived. And a few seasons later, Howard Schnellenberger's Hurricanes stunned everyone by defeating the unbeatable Nebraska Cornhuskers to win the national championship.

Just like those teams, USF is creeping into the national consciousness. It's just a start. There may come a time when fans won't blink while mentioning USF in the same breath as LSU, Oklahoma and Ohio State.

That time is not now.

USF Has The Upper Hand

Make no mistake. The Bulls have zero margin for error.

If it loses at Rutgers, USF probably drops like a rock in the rankings.

LSU's supposedly impenetrable defense got undressed at Kentucky. The Tigers (6-1) are still No. 4. Oklahoma blew a safe fourth-quarter lead at Colorado. The Sooners (6-1) are still No. 5.

And now there are rumblings that a high-profile one-loss team, such as LSU or Oklahoma, eventually could jump past an unbeaten Big East team, such as USF.

That would be a travesty.

BCS proponents, fighting off the incessant cries for a playoff, always have a well-prepared comeback. Playoff? We already have one. It's called the regular season. Every game counts.

Good point.

Now let's make it stick.

LSU lost. For now, the Tigers are out.

Oklahoma lost. At the moment, the Sooners are done.

Why do they deserve a second chance? Unbeaten major-conference teams get first crack at a national title. Particularly unbeaten teams such as USF, which went on the road to beat Auburn, then shut down No. 5-ranked West Virginia.

USF bashers point to games against Elon and Florida Atlantic. But do you ever hear about LSU taking on Middle Tennessee and Tulane? Do you ever hear Oklahoma criticized for scheduling North Texas and Utah State?

Nope. It's a double standard. USF is in the BCS club, too. It has earned its place at No. 2. If the Bulls lose, then all bets are off. Then things change.

But if they don't? If they go 12-0? If this thing really happens?

Then it's the best story in college football - ever.

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