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Bulls Have Cleared Launch Pad Yet Again

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 13, 2008

TAMPA - It was about this time last season that Jim Leavitt's South Florida Bulls began to crash the big party. They already had an upset win at Auburn in their pockets when they topped fifth-ranked West Virginia on a Friday night at Raymond James Stadium on national TV.

Thus began the road to 6-0, No. 2 and all that attention.

Fast forward to another Friday night - last night, another launching pad.

Raymond James was nearly filled.

National TV was back.

This time it was No. 13 Kansas.

Um, launch ... successful.

The 19th-ranked Bulls rocketed into each other's arms as Ray Jay went mad.

No, Maikon Bonani is not tonight's special at Bonefish Grill.

He's a hero for your time, Bulls fans.

In a blinding flash, USF said it could be another special season.

In a flash, a freshman named Maikon Bonani, just named starting kicker by Leavitt on Wednesday, playing in his first college game, kicked a 43-yard game-winner as time expired for a crazed 37-34 win.

No way, no how.

Yes how.

"The way they battled was remarkable," Leavitt said.

Overtime? No Way

In a blinding flash on Friday, USF was down 20-3.

In an equally blinding flash, they stormed back to a 34-20 lead.

In an equally blinding flash, they blew the lead in the fourth quarter, just like at UCF.

It was 34-34.

Overtime?

No way, no how.

Bulls free safety Nate Allen picked off Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing with 41 seconds left.

A few moments later, on came Bonani, who replaced Delbert Alvarado just two days ago.

His first field-goal try Friday missed wide left - hysterically left, really.

Now he lined up one last time.

Two seconds left.

Bonani swung his right leg.

The clock ran out.

And the Bulls were dancing.

This game was really four different games.

The Bulls won the only one that mattered.

It was wildly exciting - 892 yards of offense - and wildly confusing.

There's no way to tell the story completely.

For the better part of 30 minutes, USF was outplayed, outcoached and outscored by the high-energy Jayhawks.

With three minutes left in the first half, Kansas had 267 yards and USF had 69.

Blink, blink.

USF outgained Kansas 273-9 in the third quarter.

The switch had been flipped.

You knew it as the spectacular Matt Grothe played dueling exclamation points with KU quarterback Todd Reesing. They combined for more than 700 passing yards. Reesing threw for three touchdowns; Grothe threw two and ran for another.

You knew it at the first George Selvie sighting? Stymied for two weeks, USF's star defensive end was all over the place.

You knew it as USF flew past Kansas for that 34-20 lead.

You just knew.

And then you didn't.

Big East Schedule Awaits

Not for nothing was Kansas was a BCS at-large team last season. It won the Orange Bowl. Reesing is a wonder and KU coach Mark Mangino is one of our favorite college football coaches. Heck, he's three of our favorite college football coaches.

Kansas came back.

The Jayhawks tied it.

Then they stopped the Bulls.

They got the ball back.

They converted on a third-and-20 play - on a run.

USF seemed about to lose the game.

The battered Big East seemed about to lose more face, that is, if it had any more face to lose after a rather shattering start to this season. The Mountain West was growing larger in the rear view.

Reesing threw.

Nate Allen was there.

And then so was Maikon Bonani, freshman from Lake Wales.

And there was madness on the field.

We have no idea if this is the start to the same season as last season.

You have no idea which Bulls will show up in a few weeks at North Carolina State.

And there's the Big East schedule after that.

The Bulls were all over the road after reaching No. 2 last season.

They jumped from No. 18 to No. 6 after beating West Virginia last season. They won't climb nearly that high after Friday's win. And who knows where they'll go after that.

But they've cleared the launch pad.

Again.

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