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Bulls' Goal In Louisville Return: Less Horn, More Scores

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 23, 2008

TAMPA - University of South Florida defensive end George Selvie remembers the horn. Quarterback Matt Grothe can't forget the hit.

Those are most vivid memories from the Bulls' last visit to Louisville in 2006, a 31-8 loss.

"Basically, we just got 'whupped,' " safety Carlton Williams said.

The Cardinals celebrate every score with a blast of a loud train horn. It's a sound that still rattles inside Selvie's head.

"They threw a lot of stuff at us; they beat us pretty bad," Selvie said. "All I kept hearing was the horn going off – 'Uhhhhhhh! Uhhhhhhh!' It was horrible. They kept scoring on our defense, and it was pretty cold.

"Every time they scored, it got colder and colder; the stadium got darker and darker."

The Bulls' Big East title hopes will fade to black Saturday with a loss at Louisville (4-2, 0-1 Big East). With both teams having a loss in league play, Grothe said the loser is probably out of the Big East race.

The Bulls (6-1, 1-1) are looking for their first win at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The Bulls have never won in two trips there – heck, they've never been competitive – also losing 41-9 in 2004.

Grothe said he got a preview of what awaited the Bulls in 2006, when he was sacked on the first play.

"Honestly, I knew it was gong to be a long day after the first play of the game," Grothe said. "We had a rollout to the left, and I got the living crap knocked out of me. That's not a very good way to start the game and that kind of set the tone throughout the whole game.

"It was miserable. We didn't play well. It showed on the scoreboard."

USF's goal Saturday is pretty simple.

"I hate that horn," tight end Cedric Hill said. "We want to silence that horn."

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

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