TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bulls Romp, End Year On High

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

USF WR Taurus Johnson battles Memphis' DB LeRico Mathis for the ball during the first quarter.

ADVERTISEMENT

By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - As disappointing as the University of South Florida's Big East season was, Saturday's St. Petersburg Bowl reminded the Bulls how far they've come since their days in Conference USA.

USF magicJacked up Memphis 41-14 inside Tropicana Field as the Bulls dominated their former C-USA rivals from the opening kickoff.

"I don't think anything can replace the disappointment we had this year for not fulfilling our potential," USF defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. "I think we came up way short. We underachieved. It the win won't replace that, that's for sure, but it's a good start."

USF started 5-0, but went 2-5 in the Big East. For the second time in three years, the Bulls ended their season by dismantling a C-USA team in an inaugural bowl.

"We just needed a win," said USF junior defensive end George Selvie, who will decide in the next few weeks whether he'll return for his senior year or leave early for the NFL. "We whipped them, dominated the game.

"Sometimes they talk bad about the Big East, compare us to C-USA, we had to make a statement, that's what we did."

Led by St. Pete Bowl MVP Matt Grothe's 319 yards total offense and three passing TDs, the Bulls (8-5) rolled to their 13th consecutive victory against a non-BCS opponent. Memphis (6-7) lost for its eighth consecutive game against a BCS opponent.

Wearing white helmets for the first time, USF scored on seven of its first eight possessions. In its previous three games, USF scored only 40 points - but surpassed that on Moise Plancher's 2-yard TD 2:20 into the fourth quarter.

After that, the Bulls took their foot off the pedal, but still finished with 496 yards of offense.

"Bottom line, you want to know why we scored more points today?" USF offensive coordinator Greg Gregory said. "We hit plays that were open. That wasn't happening the second half of the season.

"We had opportunities, we just weren't making plays. Today we played. It doesn't matter who we played. It matters how we played and we made some plays today."

On USF's third offensive play, Grothe hit senior wide receiver Taurus Johnson on a 26-yard touchdown and the rout was on. Grothe, who had thrown 11 interceptions and three TDs in his last five games, was 17 of 24 for 236 with three TDs and no interceptions. He also rushed for a game-high 83 yards on 15 carries.

"I just went out there and played and didn't worry about anything," Grothe said. "The last few weeks I've worried about winning ball games and got away from playing football."

While the Tigers' defense had no answer for Grothe, their offense didn't fare much better against USF's defense.

The Bulls may have pitched a shutout if not for some costly penalties on defense.

"When you're a non-BCS team playing a BCS team, to play on that stage, you have to match what they do and have to get more physical," Memphis coach Tommy West said. "We can play physical in our league. We stepped out of our league tonight."

The Tigers had only 238 yards offense. Running back Curtis Steele was held to 48 yards, 50 yards below his average.

The win helped take the sting out of a season that began with USF ranked in the Top 25.

"I told the guys last night, you might not remember the seventh game of the season right away, but you'll remember the last game of the season forever," USF senior linebacker Tyrone McKenzie said.

"No matter what happened in the season, this was the most important game."

USF coach Jim Leavitt said it was a historic win.

"In the history of college football, how many teams will be able to say they won the inaugural bowl of two different bowls?" Leavitt said. "Will that ever happen in the history of college football? Probably not. I don't know if they'll keep having inaugural bowls."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT