BullyPulpit

I think the likeliest changes for 2020 will be to match our conference champ or runner up against that from the MWC. Also the possibility of more higher seeded G5 teams playing bowls against bottom tier P5 teams.

Also, my hatred toward Nick Satan has grown even more. That guy clearly has a problem with our program going back to his asinine and moronic comments concerning Mike Ford.

Another joke of a vote is Harsin of Boise St. Has his team at #18 and us unranked. G5 coaches need to stick together!

Very proud of this team and all they have accomplished. Let's hope they finish strong, 11-2 and a top 20 ranking heading into 2017.

Marquee jobs will be filled before kickoff.

USF and everyone who wanted Leavitt fired got exactly what they wanted and exactly what they deserved. You all go Holtzed and out cost the University over $5 million in tangible dollars and far more in lost revenue.

It's not fair to call them out when they aren't able to defend themselves....

It seems to have been pretty lighthearted banter at this point. I wouldn't take too much offense to it, but that's just me.

USF 48-31 Mack Adams 547

I believe there is a moratorium on new bowl games until 2020. We are contractually locked in to our bowl lineup through 2019. Pretty much all bowl games will be up for grabs beginning in 2020. However, if we don't have improved attendance, then we won't be in a position to get better games. We need to have an AAC rep in the NY6 bowl 3 of the next 4 years so that we can truly make the argument that we are P6. USF will have an excellent opportunity to be that team next season as we return virtually everyone (sans Nigel Harris and Rodney Adams) and our schedule is as weak as Western Michigan and SDSU's schedules are this season. Anything more than 1 loss next year will be a terrible disappointment and I am honestly expecting an undefeated season.

I just can't see the AAC bothering to send a team to the Bahamas while leaving the St. Pete Bowl to deal with 2 at-large teams. The Bahamas Bowl is never going to pull more than 15,000 or so regardless of who is sent there. Aside from maybe 1,000 or 2,000 fans traveling with the school, they draw their crowds locally. The St. Pete Bowl and the Cure Bowl will both need a big boost from USF and UCF this year to drive ticket sales. Last year the AAC didn't have enough teams for the Cure, which led to a San Jose State v. Georgia State and a dismal 18,536 in attendance. Even worse was the St. Pete Bowl with UCONN v. Marshall and their abysmal attendance of 14,652, second to last to only the Bahamas Bowl, and down 45%(26,675) from 2014 when NC State beat UCF.

This argument has always been interesting to me. Why should the public care that there are too many bowl games? Just don't go or don't watch them if you don't care. It provides invaluable practice time for the teams and rewards the players for all their hard work during the season. They usually get to travel, get to eat well, get to participate in fun activities (including community service), get gifts, and get to play in another game. If a couple of 5-7 teams get to benefit because of their school's superior academic performance, then so be it. I will never understand the "too many bowl games" argument.

The MAC is going to barely be able to fill its own bowl tie-ins and that is IF Western Michigan doesn't get the Cotton Bowl bid. The Sun Belt looks like they won't be able to fill their 5 primary bowls with a 6-6 team. Our best hope for a "name" opponent is for there to either be too many bowl eligible teams from a major conference at 6-6 (not very likely) or not enough bowl eligible teams and then we would get one of the following teams that finished 5-7 based upon APR scores. The most likely candidates in order by APR would be: Army (might be 6-6, but would have only 5 FBS wins), Miami of Ohio, NC State, Arizona State, Ole Miss, UTSA, Colorado State, and Akron. The teams that are 5-7 would have their choice of what bowl game to play in based upon APR rank. Last season there were a total of 3 openings in bowl games filled by 5-7 teams. Those teams were Nebraska, Minnesota, and San Jose State. Coincidentally, all 3 of those teams won their bowl games. Nebraska played in the Fosters Farms Bowl, Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl, and SJSU in the Cure Bowl.

The biggest issue in getting the Birmingham Bowl is the fact that 4 of our conference's bowl tie-ins this season are located in Florida. UCF will definitely fill one of those spots. Unfortunately, I feel like we will likely fill one as well. The other thing to keep in mind is that Navy is locked in to the Armed Forces Bowl, the Military Bowl is in D.C. and will almost certainly want Temple to fill that spot given the geography. That leaves Birmingham and Bahamas as the only two out-of-state bowl games. Depending on how the season plays out does Birmingham elect to take an 8-4 or 9-3 Houston over a 10-2 or 9-3 USF....I would have to say yes. Also, barring SMU upsetting us or Tulsa in the last two weeks (and Cincy actually scoring another TD and winning both of its last 2) the AAC is going to be one bowl eligible team short. In that scenario, I see the Bahamas Bowl being relegated to select an at-large team. That leaves Boca Raton, Orlando, Miami, and St. Petersburg. I don't see them sending us to Miami again. I think they will have UCF at the Cure Bowl in Orlando and us at the St. Pete Bowl. Here are my predictions for the AAC Bowls: – Armed Forces Bowl (Navy) vs. Big 12– AutoNation Cure Bowl (UCF) vs. Sun Belt– Birmingham Bowl (Houston) vs. SEC– Marmot Boca Raton Bowl (Memphis) vs. Conference USA– Miami Beach Bowl (Tulsa) vs. MAC– Military Bowl (Temple) vs. ACC– Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (At-Large) vs. MAC– St. Petersburg Bowl (USF) vs. ACC The only other question I have is how the ACC decides which of its bowl games it does not fill, assuming they come up a team short. I believe that C-USA is contractually entitled to fill the ACC's spot in the Independence Bowl if the ACC can't fill it, but I don't know whether the ACC can choose not to fill the St. Pete Bowl instead.

Great adjustments by Woodie on that last drive to seal the win.

I agree. The first holding call on Hall was a complete joke.

If someone just looked at the comments on here and wasn't watching the game they would think we were losing by 2 touchdowns.....

UCF played really tough. You can tell that USF had more talent on the pitch, but UCF gave it their all.

I hope so and agree that it shouldn't be much of a factor, but it should be noted that this will be the coldest game in the last 2 years, I believe.

Also, I believe if we were not blocked from joining CUSA in 2002 (by UAB) we would have contended with TCU and Cincy for the conference championship. That season we played and beat would-be conference foes Houston, ECU, Southern Miss, and Memphis in non-conference games and our only loses were to Arkansas and Oklahoma on the road. We were 4-0 in conference and would have only had to go 2-2 over the other 4 conference games in order to be co-conference champions.

I guess it depends on your definition of close, but in 2007 we finished one game out of a tie for the conference championship.

USF 45-30 Mack Adams 524

We beat SMU on the road after a bye week in 2014. We have lost twice after a bye week to Memphis, but 0-5 is not true.

It will be interesting to see how the Gulf Coast Offense performs in the coldest game of the season. Temperature around kickoff will be about 54 degrees and then drop to about 46 degrees or so by the end of the game. By no means frigid, but, considering that we really haven't played in weather below 60 degrees the last two seasons, hoping that it doesn't make a difference.

For those that haven't been following, the USF Men's Soccer team has been on fire as of late and won the regular season AAC Championship. The reward is hosting the conference championship tournament that starts tonight at Corbett Stadium. The first semi is between UCONN and Tulsa at 4:30 with USF v. UCF following at around 7 pm or so (depending on how long the first game takes). It should be a lovely night weather wise, so if you are in the mood, head on down and support the most successful men's sports program over the last 5 years. Tickets are a steal at only $5 and, I believe, covers admission to both games. When USF wins tonight, they will host the championship game Sunday at noon that will be aired on ESPN U. http://www.ticketmaster.com/2016-aac-mens-soccer-semifinals-tampa-florida-11-11-2016/event/0D0051678DBC76FF?DB_OEM_ID=7700&artistid=1385510&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=11&tm_link=artist_msg-0_0D0051678DBC76FF