Sep 21, 2005
Familiar Foe Returns To Play Rubber Match
TAMPA - After opening the season against three teams it had never played before, the University of South Florida (2-1) faces a familiar foe Saturday when No. 9 Louisville (2-0) comes to Raymond James Stadium.
The teams split their first two meetings with the home team winning each time -- USF 31-28 in double overtime in 2003 and the Cardinals 41-9 in 2004.
Bulls coach Jim Leavitt said the fact USF beat Louisville two years ago means nothing to this year's game.
"Well, we had that 2003 game to look at a year ago and we didn't do much now did we?" he said. "It sure didn't help us much last year because they beat the dog out of us."
RUBBER GAME: Saturday's game will mark just the third time in school history the Bulls have played a team a third time after splitting their first two meetings. USF is 1-1 in the two previous "rubber games."
ODDS AND ENDS: Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese will attend Saturday's Big East opener. … DE Terrence Royal, SS Johnnie Jones, C John Miller and RB Andre Hall were named captains for this week's game. Jones and Miller have served as captains in each game this season, while this will be Hall's second consecutive week he's been named. … Louisville is providing three or four buses for UL students to make the trip. UL officials estimate the Cardinals will have about 5,000 fans. Tampa is Louisville's most active alumni group.
Gregg Becnel
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