WTVT_Emily's Blog

It's already started.

This morning, as I'm perusing the various sports websites for more details about how my Bulls got their hearts broken last night at Rutgers, I'm reading headlines (and stories for that matter) that would make you think their world had ended. '2nd to None'. 'Bull-ied out of Jersey'. 'USF won't get second chance like the big boys'.

Did these folks miss the REST of our season?

The Bulls are 6-1. So are SEVEN OTHER top ten teams. Have they all lost to an unranked opponent? Oklahoma and Cal have. Yet somehow, some say the Bulls 6-1 run was a fluke, and they never belonged to begin with.

Yeah, that makes sense. It's only a coincidence that in 11 years, USF has gone from having no team to a nationally-ranked team with a stellar coach and a standout quarterback. It's just pure luck that George Selvie is the leading sacker in the country. When the Bulls beat two ranked opponents in Auburn and West Virginia, it was all just a matter of luck.

If you ask me, it's nice to have 'those fans' off the bandwagon.

I think if you ask true, die-hard Bulls fans, you'll find out that there's still plenty to be proud of. A three-point loss to Rutgers, in the bigger picture, isn't the end of the world. It's not a ticket back to CUSA, it's not even a ticket out of the top 25. Depending on who else falls this week (and surely someone will), USF will drop to somewhere between number 10 and number 15. They've got plenty of season left to change that, and they've got a Big East title to play for. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

Here's the point: the Bulls lost by three after missing two field goals, and dealing with a couple of questionable, crucial, arguably momentum-changing calls. No, I'm not blaming the refs... the Bulls' defense looked hot early, but they didn't bring their A-game. Grothe was pressured constantly in the second half, and he couldn't have done any more than what he did with the ball. Three points, folks. Not 30.

So, despite what you might hear and read, the Bulls are still for real, and they've got the rest of the season to prove it.