Getting to #2 in the land was very important

[Guest BasketBull.]

I know many of you were disappointed with how things turned out after our rise to #2 last year.

However, the attention really put USF on the national map with recruits and pollsters. I have no doubt that the preseason attention garnered so far comes from the #2 ranking. Also, many recruits have given the Bulls a stronger look this year because of what happened last year.

Remember, both the Auburn game and the West Virgina game were on national TV, and all those who follow NCAA football knew we were #2 after that. Yeah, the talking heads were debating if we deserved it or not, but they were all talking USF!

We absolutely need to win the Big East Title this year! Anything less and I'm going to be disappointed.

[Matt]

i think its important for the reasons you mentioned but most importantly...i think it was good for the team to GET there and have an understanding what the attention is like. 

its important for a team to get close to understand what that feeling is like when you lose it.  it will make them that much more prepared the next time it comes around (players i know are only here for a certain amount of years but it has a huge effect on the coaching staff as well)

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

Tickets, bus fare and hotel to see the Bulls win in Auburn: $500

Student ticket + companion ticket to watch the Bulls trample the Mountaineers at RayJay: $16

Getting to number 2, then humiliating ourselves on the public stage by losing 3 in a row to inferior competition, then getting violated like we dropped the soap in El Paso: PRICELESS

Our season will be remember more for our epic collapse from the top of the mountain than for our unprecedented climb to get there.

[usfgrad84]

i think its important for the reasons you mentioned but most importantly...i think it was good for the team to GET there and have an understanding what the attention is like. 

its important for a team to get close to understand what that feeling is like when you lose it.  it will make them that much more prepared the next time it comes around (players i know are only here for a certain amount of years but it has a huge effect on the coaching staff as well)

I agree with everything you said.  Getting there and understanding how to deal with the exposure, attention and learning how to win when everyone is getting up for you each week is definitely a big step that will lead to bigger things down the road.

[USFMikeB]

Our season will be remember more for our epic collapse from the top of the mountain than for our unprecedented climb to get there.

Only in the minds of ucIF fans and the most pessimistic of USF fans.  You obviously fall into one of those buckets, I'm just not sure which one...

[Matt]

Only in the minds of ucIF fans and the most pessimistic of USF fans.  You obviously fall into one of those buckets, I'm just not sure which one...

well i can tell you that bully is most definitely not a UCiF fan.  as far as being pessimistic...i think he just likes to get a reaction out of people.  he is a good bulls fan though and like most of us who dont have the deepest of pockets....that trip to el paso was expensive and still leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

[Brad]

Our season will be remember more for our epic collapse from the top of the mountain than for our unprecedented climb to get there.

Only by those who choose to remember it that way.

20 years from now the trivia question will be about reaching a first ever ranking and then #2 in the country, not something like which teams beat USF in consecutive turns, or what happened in the non-BCS Sun Bowl.

To each his own.

[Matt]

there are probably countless programs who have gotten to #2 and gotten their fans excited only to go on a losing streak.  we dont remember them because we arent fans of those programs.  i think that if we won the sun bowl no one would call last year a disappointment.

personally, i loved usf football last year.  yea, those losses were tough and it was a long month of october for me.  but like i said earlier...i th ink it was necessary for us to experience that let down so that next time we know how to react.

[Brad]

Arizona was buzzing about USF Football...#2 did us well despite the following losses.

[hbryan]

to be fair-- the ONLY game we didn't have a shot of winning was the Sun Bowl--- and only the second half of that game. Other than that poor showing in the second half, we were never worked by anyone.

I for one don't consider three straight game significant or losing by 3, 5, and 7 points as a sign of collapse.

I would agree, not a collapse, but we were worked in a few games.  Connecticutt, worked.  Cincinnatti, worked.  Oregon, worked.  I was there (actually in Vegas for UCONN, but you know what I mean) at all three and we were worked at all three.  I don't care which half we ultimately lost, we were worked in all three.  The one loss where I truly think, till my dying day, that we won and that the win was taken from us - - - Rutgers.  That, unfortunately, was the beginning of the Works!  I say we stick it to those New Jersey A_holes this year, BIG TIME!