http://sundaymorningqb.com/story/2007/7/31/1898/87856

Shows that the gap between UC and USF is not as big as most pollsters think.

Good post

great article....Go Bearcats!

Well done, and fair. To date, our series has always been won by the home team, and the game this season is in Tampa, so I like our chances. I'll say this - if USF manages to get to the Cincinnati game with 2 or fewer losses, I REALLY like our chances. If we've lost 4 or more, I won't be stunned if Cincinnati comes in and beats us. If we're sitting at 5-3 when that game arrives, I really don't know what to expect...

USFFan

usffan Wrote:Well done, and fair. To date, our series has always been won by the home team, and the game this season is in Tampa, so I like our chances. I'll say this - if USF manages to get to the Cincinnati game with 2 or fewer losses, I REALLY like our chances. If we've lost 4 or more, I won't be stunned if Cincinnati comes in and beats us. If we're sitting at 5-3 when that game arrives, I really don't know what to expect...

USFFan

I agree. I hate the fact the game is in Tampa this year. You guys are like most southern teams, get north after September and you chances go way down.
The point of this definitely isn't that UC will beat USF this year, or that UC is the better team, just the fact that UC is being underestimated by most of the national media. We have over achieved what most thought we were capable of the past 2 years, but yet they still rank us anywhere between 50 and 90.
If we can beat Oregon State, we have a very good chance of walking into Rutgers undefeated in OOC play.

BTW, UC has now sold close to a thousand more season tickets than last year with about a month of sales left (about 7400 right now with a goal of 8500-10000). Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely headed in the right direction. It appears as we have a good chance of selling out Louisville, WVU, and Marshall (they are bringing over 10,000 into UC and renting our soccer stadium for a pregame party). Oregon State seems to be the game most casual fans want to go to, so that should have high attendance as well. We could average close to 30,000 this year, once again a step in the right direction.

I think the USF and UC game will be a battle this year. That's a swing game that can make a huge difference in the rest of UC's season.

If UC had a very strong following and finished with the same results as last year, many of the "experts" would be picking the Cats to finish higher and giving them more respect. Hopefully UC fans can fill up the stadium this year and help the team out.

bearcats23 Wrote:I think the USF and UC game will be a battle this year. That's a swing game that can make a huge difference in the rest of UC's season.

If UC had a very strong following and finished with the same results as last year, many of the "experts" would be picking the Cats to finish higher and giving them more respect. Hopefully UC fans can fill up the stadium this year and help the team out.

If by "swing game" you mean that it could go either way, I agree with you 100%.

If, however, you mean that it could be a game that changes the way the rest of the season plays out, I tend to disagree. Following our matchup on November 3, your remaining schedule is hosting UConn, hosting West Virginia and going to Syracuse. I fully expect you guys to be favored in both the UConn and 'Cuse games regardless of what happens in Tampa. Likewise, I don't expect you to be favored against the Mountaineers regardless of the outcome of our game. Therefore, our game will likely be the last "toss-up" game on your schedule.

Now, I do notice that you have a bye week prior to coming to Tampa, which I think sets up nicely for you. As it stands right now, I expect USF to be about a 6-7 point favorite in our game, but of course that's barring injuries on either side. We sure won't know for some time...

USFFan

The UC/USF games are always wild affairs. It's usually a blowout on the other teams field save for the game when UC lost to USF in overtime in Tampa because our coach (Rick Minter) is a dumb***.