USF Not Likely To Play UCF After '08

[achiever1911]

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGBETNB51SE.html

TAMPA - When the University of South Florida ends its football series with Central Florida in 2008, the Bulls will have a very good reason.

USF would rather play home-and-home series with Mid-American teams Buffalo and Ball State and Division I-AA Western Kentucky, which could move to I-A by 2009.

The Bulls also have future home-and-home series with BCS schools Miami, Kansas, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan State and N.C. State and are in discussions with Illinois.

USF also plans to play an annual home game against a I-AA opponent.

Despite USF and UCF being located 98 miles apart, USF has shown no interest in playing UCF. Last year's inaugural game - and the continuation of the series through 2008 - only came about when Conference USA required the Bulls to play UCF as part of USF's C-USA exit agreement.

Last year's game in Tampa drew 45,139, the third-largest home crowd in USF history. It was only 135 less than USF vs. No. 12 West Virginia and nearly 12,000 more than USF's first Big East home game vs. No. 9 Louisville. Both of those were last year.

However, based on USF's discussions with Buffalo, Western Kentucky and Ball State - and current series with Sun Belt members Florida International and Florida Atlantic - the 2008 USF-UCF game will be the last.

"How many Florida schools are you going to play?" USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "We've played Miami, Central Florida, Florida International, and FAU, and where are you going to go with all of it?"

USF athletic director Doug Woolard said he works with Leavitt on the schedule. Woolard wants USF to play seven home games when possible.

"We seek games that seem to fit for us from a balance standpoint competitively home and away," he said.

UCF coach George O'Leary said he welcomes an annual USF series.

"I'd like to continue the series each and every year," O'Leary said in July. "I can't get a 12th game better than South Florida. From a distance and fan base standpoint, I think it's an ideal game to play."

USF's players agree.

"Both cities are off I-4, two teams are trying to get a rivalry like Florida-Florida State, why not play?" USF junior Trae Williams said. "Why it shouldn't be played? I can't think of a reason why."

Added USF junior Mike Jenkins: "It's already like a rivalry. A lot of guys know each other, a lot of trash talking. I would rather play UCF than a Sun Belt or Mid-American team."

CURRY OUT FOR YEAR: USF's men's basketball team lost another player to a season-ending injury when 6-foot-4 freshman shooting guard Dante Curry suffered an Achilles' injury.

Also, senior forward Melvyn Richardson suffered a foot injury and will miss a few weeks. In July, freshman point guard Chris Howard suffered a season-ending torn ACL for a second consecutive season.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached

at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@

tampatrib.com.

[JoeB]

Buffalo, Ball State, and Western Kentucky??  This has got to stop.  

Play UCF already.  Playing MAC teams doesn't help us a bit.  

[Bull Dozer]

If UCF is not replaced by OOC games against top opponents this is a really bad decision.  This game means alot becaues WE RECRUIT ALOT OF THE SAME KIDS!!!  If your not playing top schools to build this program why replace it with a team of similar calibure or in those cases WORSE teams then an instate recruiting rival.  Are people really that asleep at the wheel here?

[achiever1911]

Buffalo, Ball State, and Western Kentucky??  This has got to stop.  

Play UCF already.  Playing MAC teams doesn't help us a bit.  

I'm still scratching my head regarding us wanting to play those 3 teams. Hopefully Doug has something good up his sleeve in the near future. Maybe the I-AA opponent we will play home annually is FAMU which wouldn't be that bad. Only time will tell.

[Economics_Nerd82]

"Why it shouldn't be played? I can't think of a reason why."

This kills me...

[JoeB]

At least UCF brings fans in.  Nothing worse than a half empty stadium for a Buffalo Bulls game.

[achiever1911]

At least UCF brings fans in.  Nothing worse than a half empty stadium for a Buffalo Bulls game.

That will really increase season ticket sales playing Buffalo, Ball State and Western Kentucky. Again, I hope Doug has something good to come out of this atrocious scheduling decision.

[USFan]

Bulls vs. Bulls  :-X

Some one stampede DW... not now... but right now.

ET?

[smazza]

the florida legislature will force this game to be played

and they have a point

it is an economic boon to both cities and schools

[WoolyBully]

I too am at a loss for this one. I fail to see how playing those schools could possibly do anything more for the program. It certainly won't increase the speed of the turnstiles, I can guarantee that. Then again, losses to UCF will definately cut into recruiting as we're basically getting the same level of player. I can see avoiding UCF, but not replacing them with these schools?

My thinking is that it may be easier to ditch those guys should a better deal come along (e.g. another BCS school), and maybe there are some 'tricks up the sleeve' that we don't know about.