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Bulls Run Over Heels

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 23, 2007

Updated: 09/23/2007 12:11 am

TAMPA - How easy was No. 23 South Florida's 37-10 romp against North Carolina on Saturday?

About the only thing in doubt was whether USF coach Jim Leavitt would defeat Florida Highway Patrolman Ryan Brescia in their weekly 60-yard pregame sprint from the Bulls' tunnel to midfield.

'He won this time,' said the 29-year-old Brescia.

With the 50-year-old Leavitt edging Brescia - 'He's really 50?' Brescia said - the only other unknown was how long before the Bulls turned their attention to Friday's Big East battle with No. 5 West Virginia.

USF cornerback Mike Jenkins said Leavitt admitted he started looking to West Virginia in the fourth quarter.

'Coach Leavitt's exact words: 'I don't want to lie, but in the back of my mind I was thinking about West Virginia,'' Jenkins said. 'But then again, everybody was.'

With Carolina no longer on their minds, the Bulls (3-0) have set the stage for one of the biggest college football games to be played in Tampa. It could be a matchup of top-20 teams depending on how far USF moves up the polls today.

Playing its first game since achieving its first ranking in school history and with West Virginia on deck, Leavitt said he was concerned USF might be distracted. However, the Bulls quickly dismissed those worries by putting together touchdown drives of 78 and 83 yards on their first two possessions.

'You don't win games because you're ranked,' USF defensive end George Selvie said. 'You're ranked because you win games. So we keep on winning, we go up in the rankings.'

In the first quarter, Mike Ford's 5-yard run and Matt Grothe's 12-yard touchdown pass to Amarri Jackson gave USF a 14-0 lead before most of the announced crowd of 37,693 settled into their seats at Raymond James Stadium.

'We were talking about this whole week how we needed to come out fast, start putting up points and helping our defenses out more,' USF wide receiver Taurus Johnson said. 'And we did.

'We started scoring and scoring, and a couple minutes later we scored again.'

With a two-TD lead, North Carolina's offense was no match for USF's defense. The Bulls intercepted T.J. Yates four times - he had only three interceptions in the first three games - and held the Tar Heels to 164 yards, 62 of those coming on a garbage-time TD in the final minute.

'We held them to three points until the end of the game,' said Selvie, who had three sacks, giving him a national-best 8.5 this season. 'I think this was the best defensive performance we've had.'

After a Connor Barth field goal pulled North Carolina within 14-3 early in the second quarter, USF sophomore kicker Delbert Alvarado, who struggled two weeks ago at Auburn, bounced back nicely and hit three consecutive field goals from 32, 23 and 40 yards in the second and third quarters.

Late in the third quarter, Ben Williams' 5-yard touchdown increased USF's lead to 30-3. Williams finished with a game-high 64 yards on 15 carries.

After watching their Bulls bully the Tar Heels (1-3) for three quarters, USF's fans took over in the fourth quarter. Because of the crowd noise, most of it coming from the north end-zone student section, the Tar Heels had two motion penalties.

'I was yelling as loud as I could to get that signal called, but those fans were really loud down there,' Yates said. 'They did a heck of a job. I couldn't hear anything. It made a difference.'

Yates, who was averaging 301 yards passing, was limited to 85 yards and was intercepted by linebackers Ben Moffitt and Brouce Mompremier, safety Louis Gachette and cornerback Trae Williams. He also was sacked four times.

'That was the most physical game I've been in,' Yates said. 'I took some shots.'

While Yates was harassed all day, Grothe was an efficient 17-for-30 for 230 yards before retiring to the bench after three quarters. It was there on the bench, as the fourth quarter dragged on, Grothe said he started thinking ahead to Friday's game with the Mountaineers.

'As loud as it got today with 38,000 fans, just imagine when there is 60,000-plus filled to the rafters,' Grothe said. 'We're real excited about this Friday coming up.'

Leavitt said he is expecting even more from the fans Friday.

'I thought our student section certainly helped us, as loud as they were,' Leavitt said. 'The stadium got pretty loud, as loud as I've heard it.

'I imagine it will be a little bit louder Friday night.'

Reporter Brett McMurphy can

be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com.

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