ESPN2 Misses USF's Hot Start

AUBURN, Ala. - University of South Florida fans outside Jordan-Hare Stadium missed the Bulls' first touchdown at Auburn because ESPN2 didn't switch to the game until the conclusion of the South Carolina-Georgia contest.

Television viewers missed the opening six minutes, which consisted of USF's opening two drives and Auburn's first drive.

When ESPN2 switched - after interviewing South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, of course - the Tigers were running their first play from scrimmage on their second possession.

BIG PAYDAY: With USF athletic director Doug Woolard's preference for playing home-and-home series with BCS opponents, Saturday's game at Auburn is one of USF's last one-game paydays without a return game.

The Bulls received $650,000 to play at Auburn, a game scheduled before Woolard came to USF. The Bulls' only remaining one-game 'payday' trips are to Florida in 2010 and 2015.

SPECIAL CHANGES: USF coach Jim Leavitt promised some changes after last week's lackluster performance against Elon. The most significant were Delbert Alvarado replacing Justin Teachey at punter, Marcus Edwards returning punts for Amarri Jackson and Jerome Murphy returning kickoffs instead of Trae Williams.

BIG DAY FOR BULLS: Sept. 8 hasn't been a bad day historically for the Bulls. Six years ago, USF shocked the college football world with its 35-26 victory at Pittsburgh in 2001.

Twenty-one years ago on Sept. 8 wasn't such a bad day either for Bulls fans: the day Matt Grothe was born.

BULL NATION: USF sold its entire allotment of 2,500 tickets and was well represented outside Jordan-Hare Stadium before kickoff.

A large group of Bulls fans visited historic Toomer's Corner, while several others concentrated on tailgating.

Marshall Smith, Jay Mize, Santiago and Bill Gramatica were among some of USF's former players in attendance.

CROWDED HOUSE: Saturday's Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd of 82,617, was the second-largest to view a USF game.

Only USF's 2005 opener at Penn State (99,235) was larger.

ALMOST A BULL: Auburn senior WR Prechae Rodriguez, of Jefferson, said he considered coming to USF out of high school, but to play basketball.

'USF wanted me to play basketball when I was in high school,' he said. 'USF was known as a basketball school, not really football. They have a new basketball coaching staff and now they're starting to recruit and get better players.'

Rodriguez said he was 'leaning' toward coming to USF 'but felt like I could dominate the sport of football better so I took that route.'

hAppy STATE: USF safeties coach Troy Douglas showed up to work last Sunday wearing an Appalachian State T-shirt after his alma mater upset Michigan. Douglas left ASU in 1986 as the school's third all-time leading receiver and now ranks No. 10. 'What's great is everyone now knows how good the football is played at 'App' and in the Southern Conference,' Douglas said.

ODDS AND ENDS: USF's captains were DE George Selvie, LB Ben Moffitt, RT Walter Walker and WR Marcus Edwards. ... Walker and Moffitt introduced USF's starting offensive and defensive lineups, respectively, for ESPN2's coverage of the contest. ... Sophomore FS Nate Allen made his second career interception and his first fumble recovery. ... LB Lucas Darr made his USF debut on special teams. ... RB Moise Plancher (ankle) did not make the trip. OL Danny Tolley (groin) made the trip, but did not dress. Freshmen DL Terrell McClain and FB Richard Kelly made the trip. ... This was USF defensive coordinator Wally Burnham's fifth visit to Jordan-Hare Stadium. He was 1-3 as an assistant at South Carolina and Florida State. Offensive coordinator Greg Gregory hadn't coached before at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but lost to the Tigers 32-39 in the 1996 Independence Bowl when he was an Army assistant.

Brett McMurphy