Leavitt HeadButting after the game (Trib Story)

[E.T.]

Bulls Scale Their Highest Mountain

By BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune

Published: Nov 26, 2006

MORGANTOWN, W.VA. - Almost heaven.

In West Virginia, in the heart of mining country, the University of South Florida dug deeper than many could have imagined.

And struck gold.

The next stop is Birmingham, Ala., for the Papajohns.com Bowl, but the Bulls will travel there by way of euphoria after Saturday's stunning 24-19 upset at No. 7 West Virginia.

"It was a great victory to beat the No. 7 team in the country," USF defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. "Well, they were the No. 7 team in the country."

While the win ended any BCS bowl hopes for West Virginia (and cost the league $4.5 million), it also ended USF's hopes to move up the Big East bowl ladder and all but locked up USF's bid to the Papajohns.com Bowl on Dec. 23 against a Conference USA opponent.

Birmingham doesn't seem so bad after beating the highest ranked team in program history.

"We just did what we were supposed to do," USF cornerback Trae Williams said. "What [the coaches] told us to do in practice."

The 21 1/2 -point underdog Bulls (8-4, 4-3 Big East) held the Mountaineers (9-2, 4-2) to season lows in total offense (310) and rushing yards (132). Running back Steve Slaton, the nation's second-leading rusher, was limited to 43 yards on 18 carries - 114 yards below his average. Quarterback Pat White, averaging 106 yards rushing, had 17 yards on 15 carries.

"I believed all week we could do it," USF defensive tackle Allen Cray said. "Speed kills. They hadn't seen a defensive line as quick as we have."

USF athletic director Doug Woolard put the victory in perspective. "It's significant to beat the No. 7 team in the nation in front of 89 million homes on ESPN2," Woolard said.

Added USF coach Jim Leavitt: "This probably was the biggest [win] because we won here and it's so hard to win here. It's hard to beat these guys anywhere."

WVU had won eight consecutive home games at Mountaineer Field, but never got untracked before an announced crowd of 52,790.

"We just messed around this game," WVU coach Rich Rodriguez said. "Some of our best runs, we're losing yards."

After holding WVU to two second-quarter field goals, the Bulls took the lead for good on George Selvie's 9-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Matt Grothe's 10-yard TD run 35 seconds before halftime gave USF a 14-6 lead, but Leavitt wasn't satisfied.

[highlight]In the locker room, Leavitt relied on an old standby - headbutting the helmeted players. "I thought he was going to knock himself out as hard as he was hitting some people," Grothe said. [/highlight]

In the third quarter, White's 15-yard TD pass to Brandon Myles pulled WVU within 14-12, but the 2-point conversion failed. USF immediately answered with a nine-play, 70-yard drive, capped by Grothe's 21-yard TD pass to Ean Randolph.

Delbert Alvarado's 18-yard field goal gave USF a 24-12 lead with 6:38 remaining in the contest. But WVU made one last run.

White hit Myles for a 44-yard TD pass with 5:16 remaining and forced USF to punt on its next possession. However, Williams sealed the victory with 1:54 left, intercepting a pass tipped by Myles.

"It was like a real easy one to catch, but it was the hardest one," Williams said. "I was just like 'Don't drop it, don't drop it.'"

USF's defensive effort was even more impressive considering senior linebacker Pat St. Louis missed the final three quarters with an ankle injury. "That was the worst thing ever having to watch," St. Louis said.

Selvie led the defense with eight tackles, 3 1/2 for losses, a forced fumble and a fumble return. Ben Moffitt had seven tackles, and Stephen Nicholas and Josh Julmiste had six tackles each.

"We all played hard," Nicholas said. "That's all it took."

Grothe had 326 yards of total offense - throwing for 279 yards and rushing for 47 yards. Randolph had seven catches for 65 yards and Marcus Edwards five for 57 yards.

"I guess we ruined it for them," said free safety Danny Verpaele, who forced a WVU fumble at the goal line. "We had nothing to lose."

[Matt]

i guess brett is pretty sure that we will be in alabama

[South_Florida_Flip]

i guess brett is pretty sure that we will be in alabama

With the way this season has unfolded that could be premature. The chances are certainly in favor of us going to B'Ham, but there is still a week left.