Clock ticking on Bulls' bid to get passports in time for International Bowl

The Hillsborough County Clerk's Office threw a heck of a Hail Mary pass Thursday in attempts to get the University of South Florida football team to the International Bowl in Toronto on Jan. 2.

Now all the Bulls can do is hold their breath.

USF is rushing to expedite passports for nearly 200 people, from players to band members, so the outfit can make it to the not-so-frozen tundra of the Rogers Centre.

Coach Jim Leavitt got word Sunday afternoon they were heading to the International Bowl in Toronto and had to have his team's applications out by Thursday at the latest in order to cross the border.

That hiccup meant the U.S. passport office at the Hillsborough County courthouse was one busy location Wednesday and Thursday while clerk's office officials processed 178 passport applications for USF players, coaches, cheerleaders and band members. From Tampa the passports go to the Miami passport office for final processing.

"It's a process, but it is exciting knowing why they are getting a passport,'' said Leavitt, who already has a passport. "South Florida is going International. How about that? That's good stuff."

However, in this case, due to the volume and backlog in Miami, the south Florida office will send them to New Hampshire for help.

"It's not a normal situation and it's the first time that we're going," said Chris Freet, USF assistant director of athletics. "We tried our best to be as thorough as possible and we hope that nothing gets turned around in Miami."

The average turnaround time to process a passport is eight weeks, Circuit Court Clerk Pat Frank said. Expedited passports can take up to four weeks to process.

"I just hope they get their passports and win that game," said Frank. "We were so happy to do it. They're excited and nervous. When you take off the padding, they really looked liked fragile kids."

With applications in town, clerk's office officials attended a USF team meeting on Tuesday to get the ball rolling. USF Players were then bused downtown on Wednesday to have their photos taken and provide documents, with a second batch of students sent through on Thursday. Finally the applications were hand delivered the Post Office at the airport to be overnighted to Miami for official processing.

Although the applications are in the mail, there is no guarantee that the players will have them in time, Frank said.

"We're not showing favoritism, we're doing customer service," said Frank, and added that her office has never processed the volume of passports they did over the last two days. "This is a unique situation and if its legal and we can help, that's what we'll do."

The Bulls made their first bowl trip in 2005, losing to N.C. State in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in their first season in the Big East. USF has been to a bowl every year since, winning 41-14 against Memphis in the St. Petersburg Bowl last season.

UConn defeated Buffalo in last season's game, which drew a bowl-record 40,184.