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Memories of Rutgers linger for Bulls

Staff file photo (2008)

Rutgers thoroughly embarrassed South Florida in their last meeting, a 33-point romp at Raymond James Stadium.

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By SCOTT CARTER

scarter@tampatrib.com

Published: November 12, 2009

Updated: 11/12/2009 02:13 am

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The memories linger for them all, but for different reasons.

South Florida linebacker Kion Wilson remembers Rutgers continuing to throw late in the game with the outcome already determined.

Bulls coach Jim Leavitt recalls the big plays his team gave up and that gnawing feeling in his gut afterward.

USF quarterback B.J. Daniels didn't play in the game, but he still can't shake the memory of the somber mood inside the Bulls' locker room that night.

And senior defensive end George Selvie couldn't believe that it happened again, just like the previous two years, another loss to Rutgers.

The scoreboard at Raymond James Stadium told the story the loudest as Leavitt and his players walked off the field that night a year ago: Rutgers 49, South Florida 16.

The 33-point defeat is the largest conference loss in the five years the Bulls have been in the Big East. The only time the Bulls lost by a wider margin in the past five seasons was a 56-21 loss to Oregon in the 2007 Sun Bowl.

Tonight at a hostile Rutgers Stadium and before a national TV audience, the Bulls are determined to erase those painful memories of a year ago and snap a three-game losing streak to Rutgers.

"Rutgers is a game that we definitely marked on our calendar after how they beat us last year," Daniels said. "This is a game that's important to us.

"We definitely want to come out on point and ready to go."

As if last season's defeat wasn't enough, USF's recent history against Rutgers also includes perhaps the most painful loss in school history, a 30-27 loss at Rutgers Stadium two years ago on a Thursday night on ESPN. USF entered 6-0 and as the nation's No. 2-ranked team.

The loss started a downward spiral that included four Bulls losses in their final seven games.

Wilson wasn't around for the 2007 loss, but he delivered some of the strongest words this week about what last year's loss meant to the Bulls.

"I feel as if they did (run up the score)," Wilson said. "I didn't feel we lost as bad (as the final score) because we played solid defense and would give up the big play."

Since the start of fall camp, Leavitt has tried to motivate the Bulls by reminding them of what happened. Those reminders came fast and furious this past few days during an intense week of practice.

"It's motivating a lot," Wilson said of Leavitt's reminders. "He does a great job with not letting us forget about that game. Since camp he has always mentioned the Rutgers game and how bad we lost and how we were embarrassed and how we have to come out and play."

Neither USF nor Rutgers has a chance to win the Big East title - both teams lost to conference front-runners Cincinnati and Pittsburgh - but at 6-2, both are playing for bowl positioning and seeking a strong finish, something USF has had trouble with the past two seasons.

The Bulls hope they can carry over their performance against West Virginia, a 30-19 win Oct. 30 after back-to-back losses to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The Bulls committed only five penalties and held explosive Mountaineers tailback Noel Devine to 42 yards.

"There are so many keys to this game on how it's going to play out," Leavitt said. "There are a lot of things that will be interesting in this game."

There's the Bulls' spread offense against Rutgers' blitz-happy defense. There is Daniels, making his sixth career start, against Rutgers true freshman quarterback Tom Savage, making his seventh career start. There is Rutgers' big offensive line, led by Anthony Davis, against USF's quick defensive line, anchored by Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul.

But Wilson isn't as concerned about Rutgers' offensive line as much as some.

"Their offensive line had an extremely lot of hype ... but they are second in the Big East in giving up sacks," he said. "They don't handle stunts and pressure very well. So hopefully (USF defensive coordinator Joe Tresey) will be aggressive with the play-calling.

"Everybody knows how important this game is to us on the national level."

Well, sounds like there isn't much else to say. We'll know whether the Bulls got the last word sometime near midnight tonight.

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (813) 731-8135.

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