ESPN College Football

Before South Florida left for the Meineke Car Care Bowl, Bulls players peppered running back Mo Plancher with questions about Charlotte and the experience at the game.

Plancher has been on this trip before -- way back in 2005. In fact, he might be one of college football's foremost experts on postseason travel.

Mo knows bowls.

Win one for the thumb? Nah, Plancher is already on his second hand when it comes to bowl rings. Having been redshirted and granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA, the senior is now attending his sixth straight postseason game. Not many current players can say that.

"I've gotten a ring for every single one," he said. "I let my brother wear one, and I gave one to my dad. I let them sport it."

Plancher has picked up some pretty good swag along the way, too. He got a portable DVD player way back at that first Meineke game -- "that was a pretty good gift at the time," he says -- and later picked up a flip video camera "before they became popular." Yes, Plancher has been at this so long that his high-tech bowl gifts have become outdated.

Or to put it another way, Plancher remembers watching NC State's Mario Williams play in that first bowl game. The future No. 1 NFL draft pick is completing his fifth pro season.

But Plancher hasn't just hung around South Florida. Like a fine wine or Betty White, he's gotten better with age.

He was the team's top running back last year, though quarterback B.J. Daniels was the main ball-carrier. This season, as new coach Skip Holtz went to a more conventional running approach, Plancher split time with sophomore Demetris Murray at tailback. He leads the team with a career-best 743 rushing yards heading into Friday's game against Clemson, averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry. His 162 carries this year are only 40 fewer than his career number of attempts coming into 2010.

"It's definitely better than sitting back as we're throwing the ball 50 times a game," he said. "As a player, you always want the ball in your hands with a chance to help the team win."

After several injuries earlier in his career -- he tore his ACL as a redshirt freshman and dealt with other bumps and bruises along the way -- Plancher has become much more durable, appearing in all 25 of the Bulls' games the past two years. He says he has done a better job of staying on top of the little aches and pains that could lead to something more serious, while also doing a better job managing his nutrition.

"My career has definitely had its ups and downs," he said. "But I felt like the times I was healthy and able to produce, I helped the team as best I could. Looking back on it, it's been a great experience."

Plancher will play an important role for South Florida against Clemson's physical, fast defensive front. He can help slow down the Tigers' pass rush with some effective running, and he'll be needed for extra protection on passing downs against guys like Da'Quan Bowers.

He surely won't be distracted by the setting. After a half-dozen of these things, Mo knows bowls.

The preseason slogan promised "A Holtz new era" at South Florida.

And though the Bulls' 7-5 record may not seem revolutionary, things have definitely changed in Tampa. It's not just Skip Holtz's outgoing, infectious personality that's a 180-degree turn from the crabby Jim Leavitt. This USF team always looked well-coached and prepared despite some major holes on the roster, and after some inevitable bumps in the road early on, it played its best football down the stretch. In other words, also a complete reversal of the last regime.

Holtz and offensive coordinator Todd Fitch committed to remaking the team into a balanced offense and not just one where the quarterback ran around and made plays. That meant converting talented sophomore B.J. Daniels into more of a pocket passer, which did not go smoothly at first. Daniels made far too many mistakes early on and finished with more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (9), but he gradually improved until a quadriceps injury slowed him the final few games. The Bulls didn't have a lot to work with in the receiving corps and often turned to the power running game behind Demetris Murray and Mo Plancher, two solid if not game-breaking backs who combined for more than 1,250 yards.

USF often had to try to stay in the game into the fourth quarter and hope to make a big play on special teams or elsewhere to win. The defense always kept the team in the game with what Holtz called a bunch of no names. Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder transformed the unit from what had been a fast but undisciplined bunch to one that could hold its own against bigger offensive lines.

The Bulls won four of their last six games, broke losing streaks against Rutgers and at Cincinnati and Louisville and notched a signature win over Miami. The Holtz era is just beginning, and there are many reasons to like the direction it's heading.

Offensive MVP: Dontavia Bogan

Despite having so many Florida athletes on the roster, the Bulls were surprisingly thin on offensive difference makers. Bogan was the one guy who could really stretch the field, and the passing game noticeably improved once he healed from an early-season ankle injury. He set career bests with 46 catches for 670 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensive MVP: Terrell McClain

Like West Virginia's Chris Neild, McClain was a force up the middle whose stats don't do his performance justice. The senior whom teammates call "Dancing Bear" was a dominant run stuffer best illustrated by his play to stop Louisville's fourth-down quarterback sneak in overtime.

Turning point: The 38-30 win at Cincinnati on Oct. 22 doesn't look impressive in retrospect, given the Bearcats' struggles. But that game served as a major confidence boost after an 0-2 conference start and got Daniels and the offense finally moving forward. It was also the start of a three-game winning streak at the time of year the Bulls traditionally wilted.

What's next: Holtz returns to North Carolina as the Bulls take on Clemson in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. There could be a quarterback controversy between Daniels and walk-on Bobby Eveld, who shined in the Miami game and late against UConn in the finale. Holtz needs to recruit more offensive playmakers, and he could have a hard time holding onto Snyder beyond this season.

One last regular-season stock report:

Stock up

1. Revolution No. 9: Whether the Big East does anything else after this, adding TCU as its ninth football member was a bold stroke that instantly enhances the league's reputation while concurrently crippling the Mountain West. The conference has forever been changed.

2. Bobby Eveld: How about a true freshman walk-on quarterback leading South Florida to victory at Miami? Amazing story, and I'll have more on Eveld later Wednesday.

3. Shawne Alston: The West Virginia running back is becoming more prominent as Noel Devine can't stay healthy, and Alston -- who had 71 yards on 16 carries at Pitt last week -- could be the featured ball-carrier for the Mountaineers next season.

4. Connecticut's turnover margin: The Huskies struggled with giving the ball away earlier in the season, but now they've flipped the script. In conference play, they lead the league with a plus-7 margin, including a Big East-best 14 takeaways. That's a major reason why the Huskies are in position to make a BCS game.

5. USF's tailbacks: Mo Plancher and Demetris Murray combined for 143 yards against Miami, and in three of the last four games one of them has eclipsed 100 yards. The Bulls' running game still doesn't blow you away, but it's vastly improved over last year. As a tandem, Plancher and Murray have combined for 1,153 yards this season.

6. Kick returners : Connecticut's Nick Williams got enough attempts to qualify for national rankings this week and took over as the No. 1 returner in the FBS. He's averaging an absurd 42.1 yards per attempt, aided by two long touchdowns. The Big East also has two other players in the top 13: Louisville's Victor Anderson (fifth) and South Florida's Lindsey Lamar (13th)

Stock down

1. Villanova's heel-dragging: Moving up to the FBS is a large undertaking and a difficult decision. But if Villanova doesn't make a call until April, that means the school will have taken seven months to give the league an answer. Throw in the three years before the Wildcats could actually join the Big East, and that's a long time to wait for a team that may or may not even be competitive right away.

2. Vidal Hazelton's Cincinnati contributions: You can't help but feel bad for Hazelton, the former USC transfer who had one year of eligibility with the Bearcats. The school has determined that he won't get a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, so the receiver who tore his ACL in the opener will try to play this Saturday against Pitt. (He dressed but did not play at UConn). Hazelton's entire on-the-field contribution at Cincinnati could wind up being little more than half a game.

3. Pittsburgh's cornerbacks: Pitt's corners seemed to have regressed late in the year Antwuan Reed and Ricky Gary were called for four penalties in the South Florida game, and West Virginia decided to test them last week. It worked, as Geno Smith threw three touchdown passes and three completions of more than 35 yards on just 12 attempts.

4. Rutgers' sacks allowed: The Scarlet Knights have already given up 55 sacks on the season, and that's before facing the powerful West Virginia defense this week. The most sacks any team has allowed in a season the last five years is 59 by Miami of Ohio in 2009. Rutgers could shatter that this weekend.

Major development in Miami, as South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels began the second half on the sideline. True freshman Bobby Eveld is under center for the Bulls, who lead 3-0.

We don't know yet whether this is injury-related -- Daniels was really struggling to move late in the first half -- or performance-based. Either way, what a big spot for Eveld to come in, as he has barely played since Big East play began. And remember he was a walk-on.

The Bulls drove to the Miami 10 on the first series with Eveld, but Mo Plancher then fumbled. Still, this might be the right move at quarterback.

1. South Florida is on the rise: The Bulls looked bad in losing their first two Big East games with pathetic offensive production. Since then, quarterback B.J. Daniels has cut down on his turnovers and made better decisions, and South Florida has won two straight while averaging 33 points. Seniors like Mo Plancher, Jacquain Williams and Terrell McClain are leading the way. Skip Holtz's 5-3 team is sitting pretty for a bowl game now and is still alive in the Big East hunt.

2. Louisville is on the rise, too: The Cardinals stopped their 11-game conference road losing streak and stopped Syracuse's momentum with a 28-20 win at the Carrier Dome. They did what most teams haven't been able to do in picking up the Orange pressure and scoring multiple touchdowns. They also did it with backups starting at quarterback and running back. Charlie Strong might overtake Doug Marrone for Big East coach of the year honors, and he's got his 5-4 Louisville team on the verge of returning to a bowl for the first time since the 2006 season. The Cardinals actually have a case as the league's second-best team.

3. Pitt is really in the driver's seat: The Panthers didn't play this week, but have to be smiling after the results. With Syracuse's loss, every team in the Big East has two conference losses except for Pitt, which is 3-0. While Dave Wannstedt's team still has to play three of its final four games on the road, starting this Thursday at Connecticut, it has an enviable cushion with which to work.

Mo Plancher, RB, South Florida: The sixth-year senior carried 21 times for 135 yards in the Bulls' 28-27 victory over Rutgers on Wednesday night. Plancher also had three catches for 45 yards.

Jacquain Williams, LB, South Florida: The senior had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks against Rutgers.

Jeremy Wright, RB, Louisville: The redshirt freshman stepped in for Bilal Powell and career highs of 19 carries, 98 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-20 win over Syracuse.

Starting off with some Thursday morning quarterbacking ...

• Seniors led the charge as South Florida broke another streak. Mo Plancher had the game of his -- very long -- career. Nothing is easy for the Bulls, but their fortunes are looking up.

• Rutgers' true freshman Jeremy Deering had his best game just days after his mother died.

• Louisville's backups are ready in case quarterback Adam Froman and running back Bilal Powell can't go against Syracuse.

• Some players have made sacrifices to contribute to Syracuse's success.

• Pitt is trying to keep from getting rusty during its bye week. And Greg Romeus is back at practice.

• Jeff Casteel says the West Virginia defense has to take some blame, too. A late hit on Noel Devine may have changed the Mountaineers' season.

• UConn's Marcus Campbell, already out for the season with a knee injury, is now suspended again.

• Should the Big East go to 12 instead of 10?

South Florida finally got past Rutgers after four straight losses to the Scarlet Knights.

The Bulls scored a touchdown with 9:33 left in the fourth quarter and then held on for a 28-27 win in Tampa. That was more points than I expected from two offenses that have struggled much of the season, but special teams helped out. Rutgers scored on a punt return, while the Bulls benefited from a safety and a touchdown set up by a long punt return.

The Scarlet Knights had owned South Florida in part because the Bulls had pretty much stuck to the same game plan the past few years. The new staff under Skip Holtz added a lot of wrinkles, including multiple formations on offense designed to help the running game. Tailback Mo Plancher had his best game of the year, running for 135 yards on 21 carries. He did fumble twice, but both were recovered by teammates -- including the game-winning touchdown that offensive lineman Jacob Sims pounced on.

B.J. Daniels continued his resurgence, throwing for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He did have one interception but played a lot better than he had earlier in the season.

Rutgers looked better on offense but couldn't come up with big plays in the fourth quarter when needed. Chas Dodd completed 19 of 22 passes but only had 139 yards as most of his throws were safe and short. The offensive line got dominated by South Florida's defense in the crucial fourth quarter. The Scarlet Knights finished with just 238 total yards, and they weren't able to pounce on several fumbles that seemed to bounce right into South Florida players' arms.

This was a big game for both teams' bowl hopes. South Florida improved to 5-3 and 2-2 in the Big East and now is in pretty good shape for making the postseason. The Bulls are technically still alive in the conference race, too, as they still get to play Pittsburgh.

Rutgers is basically out of the Big East race as it fell to 4-4, 1-2. The Scarlet Knights would need to win out and have Pitt to lose three times to have a real chance at the league title. A more realistic goal now is just to get to a bowl again. This team has been through a lot with the Eric LeGrand situation, and it would be nice to see a good finish for these players.

The stock report is kind of like Kenny Powers' career. One week you're on top of the sports world with a hit motivational audiobook. The next week, you're waving a gun around a disinterested crowd in Mexico.

Let's see who's hot and not in Week 8:

Stock up

1. Keith Tandy: Remember last year at South Florida, when Tandy got repeatedly burned by the Bulls' Carlton Mitchell? What a turnaround for the West Virginia cornerback, who was named Big East defensive player of the week for his 10-tackle performance on Thursday against the Bulls that included an interception and a fumble recovery. Tandy is one of the most improved players in the league.

2. Antonio Lowery: The Rutgers linebacker had a whopping 19 tackles against Army and is now leading the league with 10.8 stops per game.

3. Pittsburgh's linebackers: The Pitt linebackers did not play well much of the first half of the season, especially in pass coverage. Well, on Saturday at Syracuse, Tristan Roberts and Greg Williams both played as well as they had in their careers. Add in Dom DeCicco's contributions when he's not playing safety and this position could turn into a strength if they can keep it up.

4. Louisville crowds: Some doubted whether Louisville could consistently fill up an expanded Papa John's Cardinal Stadium as crowds dwindled at the end of the Steve Kragthorpe era. Charlie Strong asked fans to get in their seats earlier last week before the Cincinnati game. Well, fans delivered by contributing to a big-time atmosphere, and despite the loss, Louisville has already announced a sell out this week against UConn. Louisville is second in the Big East in home attendance behind West Virginia.

5. Goodwill: If there's anything good to come out of Eric LeGrand's injury, it's the goodwill shown by other conference schools in their support for the Rutgers players. It's reminiscent of how the league came together last year following the Jasper Howard killing. Let's hope the positive energy and support can help LeGrand in his recovery efforts.

Stock down

1. West Virginia's running game: The Mountaineers are just seventh in the league in rushing at 149 yards per game and have been held to under 100 yards rushing twice this season. That's unusual for a team that was once used to regular 200- and even 300-yard running days. Blame some of it on Noel Devine's foot injury and part of it on the renewed passing game. Either way, some big plays in the running game will be needed during Big East play.

2. Rutgers O-line: I didn't think the stock could get any lower on the Scarlet Knights' offensive front. Eight sacks allowed against Army proved me wrong. Greg Schiano called the problem "an epidemic." Is there any cure?

3. Syracuse's pass defense: The Orange like to bring pressure, but on Saturday they paid for it by being torched by the Pittsburgh passing game in a 45-14 loss. Syracuse got away with it in the South Florida game because B.J. Daniels couldn't make the right reads. If they continue to put their secondary in difficult positions, they're going to get burned again.

4. South Florida's late first-half offense: Daniels threw an interception against Florida late in the first half that helped turn the tide. He threw another one in the final minute before intermission at West Virginia that led to a Mountaineers score and a 17-3 deficit. It could have been worse against Syracuse, when Mo Plancher fumbled deep in his own territory in the final 90 seconds of the first half, but Plancher managed to get the ball back. Perhaps taking a knee before the first-half horn sounds would be a good idea in the future.

5. Cincinnati's turnovers: Turnovers kept the Bearcats from beating now No. 1 Oklahoma, and Cincinnati lost the turnover battle 3-0 at Louisville, nearly losing the game because of it. Butch Jones' team is minus-6 and last in the Big East in turnover margin after last year's team rarely coughed it up. That is no way to succeed in league play going forward.

South Florida Bulls

Record: 3-2 (0-1 Big East)

South Florida has made a lot of progress in its first year under Skip Holtz and looks solid in many areas. Unfortunately, one of the places where that is not true is at the most important spot: quarterback.

Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder has fashioned a strong defense devoid of stars after five starters from last season ended up in the NFL. The Bulls are playing with discipline on that side of the ball, and there's been no dropoff on the defensive line despite the loss of George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul. The running game, all but abandoned under Jim Leavitt the past few years, has resurrected behind the tandem of Demetris Murray and Mo Plancher to the point that the Bulls now can line up in a power-I formation and get the job done.

But the passing game has not come along as well. Hindered early by injuries at receiver, now it needs quarterback B.J. Daniels to gain a better grasp of this offense. Daniels has thrown six interceptions in USF's losses to Florida and Syracuse, games the Bulls could have won if not for the mistakes. If Daniels improves his decision making, South Florida will be a handful for Big East opponents the rest of the way. If not, his team might not make a bowl game.

Offensive MVP: Dontavia Bogan, WR

Bogan basically missed two games after suffering an early ankle injury against Florida, but he still leads the team's receiving crew in catches, yards and touchdowns. The Bulls are simply a different team offensively when he's healthy and in the lineup.

Defensive MVP: Craig Marshall, DE

Holtz calls this a "no-name defense," but players are starting to emerge as known entities through their performance. Marshall has had a nice season in helping to replace the stars from last year at defensive end with his 22 tackles, four sacks and an interception. He and David Bedford have kept the end spot dangerous for the Bulls.

Both Louisville and South Florida are leading at halftime of their games. Of the two, the Cardinals are in more control.

Despite some issues at receiver, Louisville is dominating Arkansas State 31-7 on the road. Adam Froman has already tossed three touchdown passes, and Bilal Powell has run for 97 yards and caught a 57-yard touchdown pass. Remember this is the same Arkansas State team that gave Louisville trouble at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium last year. But Louisville is obviously much better coached right now with Charlie Strong and really taking care of business.

South Florida leads only 14-3 at half over Florida Atlantic. The Bulls have scored on a punt block and a Mo Plancher touchdown. Demetris Murray, who hurt his ankle early last week but still rushed for 115 yards, has not played. Donatavia Bogan is back and has three catches for 24 yards.

This is what USF is right now: a team that does enough on offense to beat bad opponents. We'll see what the Bulls really are next week against Syracuse. Meanwhile, Louisville is looking like a team that could cause some noise.

This is probably the least exciting weekend, on paper, of the Big East season thus far. Maybe the games will surprise us and be really interesting, though. Thankfully, there's always plenty to talk about.

Adam from Tampa writes: Hey, Brian, what do you think about the Big East's reported interest in TCU? Personally, I think it would be a huge get for the conference, probably just about the best addition the league could hope to make as far as quality of the football team, but I just don't see why TCU would be interested. Sure, it's an auto-bid conference, but TCU went to a BCS game last year, and is in good position to go to one this year if they can go undefeated. Sure, it would be nice to not have to go unbeaten every year to get in, but I'd imagine TCU feels like it can wait a year or two and see if the Pac-10 or a regrouped Big XII come calling.

Brian Bennett: While this remains in the early stages, I think it's a good option for the Big East to explore. As you wrote, Adam, TCU is probably the best available team out there. The Horned Frogs would have to weigh whether an automatic bid is worth the geographic weirdness of joining the Big East, but the program is used to doing it from its C-USA days (and even now in the spread-out Mountain West). TCU also must decide what the impact of losing BYU and Utah will do to the Mountain West. It doesn't look like the Horned Frogs are getting invited to the Big 12 or Pac-12 anytime soon. So the Big East is wise to at least put out feelers to what would almost immediately become one of the league's top football teams.

---

G. from Houston writes: My question is why? The Big 10 is most likely NOT done with expansion. The main target is Big East schools. So why go to a conference that will be a target for plucking? If that happens, TCU would be left looking for its sixth conference affiliation.

Brian Bennett: That's certainly another consideration for the Horned Frogs. At least they're used to moving around. They might feel that a couple of years of having an automatic bid and extra TV money will be worth it, and that they can always find a new home again if needed as long as they keep winning.

---

Matt from Cincinnati writes: As a lifelong Bearcat fan I was overwhelmed by the turnout at the UC vs. OU game last weekend with 58,000+ gathering at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincy. Bearcat fans turned out in large numbers in comparision to what they usually pull, proving that the program is truly going in the right direction. With that said and now the university looking at the possibility of moving some of the games down to PBS every year now, do you think this helps the program bring in the money they need to help build the program to a more elite status and thus will help recruit those higher caliber players? It just seems to me that if UC moved their games to PBS for awhile they could bring in the funds needed to expand Nippert and build the program as a whole. What are your thoughts?

Brian Bennett: It's a difficult decision, because while small, Nippert Stadium is a great setting and has provided a terrific home-field advantage for the Bearcats the past couple of years. Sure, fans came out last week, but that was against a big-name opponent for a game that had been hyped for a long time. Would the same numbers come out to see, say, a game against UConn or Syracuse? I could see moving one big nonconference game a year downtown and perhaps a league contest against somebody like West Virginia or Louisville, who would bring a lot of fans as well.

---

Brandon from Storrs writes: Do you think Cody Endres is the solution to UConn's passing woes or do you think his 2 TD's in 40 fewer passing attempts than Zach Frazer are more a matter of opposition against Buffalo vs. Frazer playing more high-profile teams?

Brian Bennett: Well, Frazer got to play almost a complete half against Buffalo and didn't do much, and he also played Texas Southern and a good-but-not-great Temple team. So any way you slice it, Endres was more impressive. Can he keep it up as the starter now, and with the competition improving? That's what we'll find out. I think he will be an upgrade, however, because Endres just delivers a more accurate ball. UConn doesn't need to be an incredible passing team; it just needs to be able to move the ball through the air to complement its running game.

---

Matt from Tampa writes: Two questions for you: Do you think that Demetris Murray will become the No. 1 back after his performance last week? We've been waiting for Mo Plancher to come around, but he's gotten his chances and hasn't really done anything. Second, do you think B.J. Daniels is on thin ice with back-to-back subpar performances at UF and then home against Western Kentucky? I know he is a great athlete and has a great arm, but I'm just wondering if he has a good head on his shoulders when it comes to making decisions on the field.

Brian Bennett: I think Murray might become the lead back, but this will remain a tandem system for now. Murray has shown potential, but he looks like more of a grinder than a superstar (I mean that in a good way). And, no, B.J. Daniels is not in trouble. Who else would the Bulls play at quarterback? He does need to make better decisions, but remember this is his first year in this offense and he has had very little receiver help.

---

Andrew from Berkeley Heights, N.J., writes: A lot of Rutgers fans have begun grumbling over the use of the Mohammed Sanu run wildcat or "Wild Knight", as some have taken to calling it. Do you see this as an overused gimmick play that throws off Tom Savage's rhythm and confidence, or a way to help out the running game and the young offensive line?

Brian Bennett: I don't buy the argument that the Wildcat throws off Savage's rhythm for two reasons. One, nobody complained about that last year when Rutgers did the same thing. Two, Savage would actually have to have found a rhythm this year for it to get thrown off. I do think it is overused, though. You don't see many teams using it for more than a handful of plays, while Rutgers employs it far more often. Unless Sanu is going to throw more, defenses know a run is coming. I know Rutgers has issues with the line and its young receivers, but sooner or later this offense needs to find an identity and go with it.

---

Lastly, a mini-rant to end things on Friday. Am I the only one who is annoyed by all the teams' "cute" nicknames for their own Wildcat? Rutgers has the Wild Knight, Syracuse has the Stallion package, Louisville goes with Wild Card, Notre Dame calls its the Leprechaun, Kentucky the Wild-Cobb, etc. It might have been fun at first, but they're all variations of basically the same thing. We don't have a hundred different names for the shotgun formation. Let's just all call it the Wildcat and be done with it.

OK, that's the end of my rant. Let's get to some football this weekend, shall we?

1. TCB Weekend: It's a rare week when every Big East team is favored and expected to win, with only UConn's game against Vanderbilt featuring a major-conference opponent. The league has been battered and bruised for its September performance, so this is a time to pick up some wins and confidence -- provided that everybody takes care of business.

2. Endres enters: Cody Endres looked good in relief of Zach Frazer at quarterback for Connecticut last week, and now he gets his first starting assignment since October of last season. Can he keep it up against an SEC defense? And can the Huskies passing game continue to show improvement?

3. UConn's rush to victory: Notice I called Vanderbilt an SEC defense in the last item, and technically that's true. But the Commodores rank 105th in the FBS in rushing defense, allowing 206 yards per game. We don't know yet if Jordan Todman will play after missing last week's game with an arm injury. But clearly there should be some running room for a team that loves to move the ball on the ground.

4. Macho Man Savage?: Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage is dealing with bruised ribs, and if you ever experienced an injury there, you know how painful that can be. It remains to be seen whether Savage, who has gotten off to a rough start while healthy, will play or be able to be effective against Tulane. If he can't go, then true freshman Chas Dodd may be forced into action, or Mohamed Sanu will see a whole lot of Wildcat time. That could make an already scuffling Rutgers offense even more sketchy.

5. Pitt's new-look line: Pittsburgh shook things up this week with its offensive line, moving tackle Lucas Nix inside and installing Jordan Gibbs at right tackle. The Panthers are desperately trying to get the line right and open up room for their running game, which is key to everything they want to do. The reshaped line gets its first challenge against Florida International, which gave Rutgers all it could handle in Week 2. FIU likes to blitz from different angles and has Florida athletes, so this will be a good litmus test for Pitt's makeover.

6. Sunseri in the spotlight: Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri did not look good against Miami, and when reserve Pat Bostick came in during the fourth quarter some fans were ready to make the change permanent. Dave Wannstedt isn't ready to make a switch and still believes in Sunseri. But clearly, the first-year starter needs to get on track, because the Panthers don't have much room for error. And they have a veteran in Bostick waiting in the wings.

7. Bulls on the run or in the air?: South Florida escaped Western Kentucky last week by running the ball almost exclusively. Now the Bulls play a Florida Atlantic team that ranks last in the country in rushing defense. So expect some more of the power I-formation look, and potentially a big day for Demetris Murray and Mo Plancher. At the same time, however, receivers Dontavia Bogan and Sterling Griffin could be back from injury, and both could use some work before next week's Big East opener against Syracuse. So USF needs to air it out a bit, too.

8. New Cardinals catchers: Louisville has suffered all kinds of injuries at the receiver position, the latest knocking out leading pass catcher Doug Beaumont. The Cardinals need to find people to make plays in the passing game this week at Arkansas State, and they could look to junior college transfer Josh Bellamy, sophomore Andrell Smith or freshmen Kai Dominguez and Jarrett Davis. None have much experience, and Louisville will likely need to get plays out of them against a Red Wolves team that's averaging 28 points per game.

South Florida running back Demetris Murray turned his ankle during a spring practice and laid on the ground for several seconds.

While Murray was on the turf, head coach Skip Holtz ambled over and said he was looking for backs who could play through bumps and bruises. Murray almost immediately popped up and announced, "I'm your guy."

"Ever since then, I've tried to live by that motto," Murray said. "I want to be an every-down back and not just a guy who lays on the ground."

Murray wasn't about to stay down with the opportunity that arose in front of him. When seniors Mike Ford, Jamar Taylor and Aston Samuels all left the team, it opened the door for the sophomore to rise up the depth chart and earn more carries this season.

So far, he's making the most of the chance. Last week against Western Kentucky, Murray rushed for a career-high 115 yards and a touchdown. Here's what made that performance even more impressive: Murray rolled his ankle on his first play in the game, and it has been swollen all week. But he stayed in and pushed through it.

"It was pretty tough," he said. "But I felt like I didn't want to let my brothers down."

The Bulls have morphed into a team that relies heavily on the running game; they've rushed 115 times this year compared to only 70 passes. That's bad news for this week's opponent, Florida Atlantic. The Owls have the worst rushing defense in the FBS, allowing 275 yards per game on the ground this season.

South Florida is maintaining a tailback tandem approach with Murray and Mo Plancher, who had 17 carries against Western Kentucky. But Murray has given them a nice burst of energy.

"The thing that's impressed me from Game 1 to Game 3 is that he enjoys playing the game and he's passionate about it," offensive coordinator Todd Fitch said. "He plays with excitement and fun. When players play that way, they tend to be successful.

"He's not a blazer by any means, but he does a nice job of seeing things. The first game, I didn't think he made enough people miss. But in the Florida game, he had two really nice runs where he beat a guy to the hole."

The Florida game was Murray's first real exposure to a wide audience. He had 11 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown in that 38-14 loss. Yet, he also lost a key fumble as the Bulls were driving in the second half to slice the Gators' lead. While Murray said he got down on himself as he walked to the sideline after that turnover, Holtz didn't have to say anything to him about that play.

"I think he's just one of those young men who's loving what he's going through right now," Holtz said. "He has waited for his turn since his freshman year, and he has said, 'This is what I've waited for.'"

Murray, a Georgia native who is a cousin to former NFL running back Garrison Hearst, believes he could be an every-down back if the Bulls wanted to go that direction. But he's also happy splitting time with Plancher, a sixth-year senior.

"I call him Old Man Wisdom," Murray says. "He talks to me a lot about the ins and outs of the position. He's been a really big influence on me."

South Florida will continue to use both backs as it tries to develop its passing game. But the Bulls already know one thing for sure: it's hard to keep Murray down for long.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- For South Florida, Saturday's game at The Swamp was about measuring up against one college football's gold standards.

For Florida, it was about trying to recapture that standard after a shaky opening week.

Both teams got answers, but not necessarily the ones they were seeking. Florida won 38-14 with a lot of help from the mistake-prone Bulls. South Florida left thinking it might be able to play at Florida's usual level by cleaning some things up. The Gators learned the same.

"Outside of the turnovers, it would have been a great football game that went down to the wire," first-year South Florida coach Skip Holtz said.

The Bulls had five turnovers to none by the Gators. Meanwhile, Florida had one Jeff Demps, which proved just as valuable.

South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels showed what's both tantalizing and maddening about his still-evolving game. The sophomore ran for 107 yards but completed almost as many passes to the defense (four) as he did to his teammates (five). Holtz called him a "tremendous competitor" who's still a "true freshman in this offense."

But Daniels also made mistakes even a rookie should know to avoid. His included a momentum-killing interception with one minute left in the first half with his team up 7-0. He tried to force a screen pass to Mo Plancher even though Florida's defense had busted the play into pieces. Over and over in training camp, Holtz had instructed him to throw the ball in the dirt in that situation. Instead, he let the Gators' still-struggling offense get a tying score before halftime.

Daniels also gave up a second-half pick-six to defensive lineman Justin Trattou on a floater as he escaped from heavy pressure.

"Under duress, the best thing to do is tuck it and take the loss," said Daniels, who finished 5-for-20 for 84 yards and those four interceptions. "It's definitely something I can learn from. I just need to do things to help the team versus just trying to make every play."

But it's understandable why Daniels would feel like he needed to make every play, because he had precious little help. His shiftiness in the zone-read option kept the Bulls in the game, and Holtz said his quarterback put the team on his shoulders early on.

The passing game, though, was virtually nonexistent. South Florida entered the season with one experienced receiver in Dontavia Bogan, and he turned an ankle early in the game. Daniels completed just two passes to receivers all day as Florida's defensive backs simply manhandled them.

"Their corners are better than I thought they were," Holtz said. "We were challenged outside, and those young guys did not respond very well."

The Gators' defense had the passing game locked down, but the Bulls still averaged 6.3 yards per carry. South Florida executed a 17-play, 96-yard scoring drive on its opening series as its offensive line controlled matters. If an also-ran Big East team can do that, shudder to think what Alabama will do.

"We have to get that corrected," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "You don't win SEC games like that."

As for the Florida offense, Tim Tebow was clearly on a plane en route to Jacksonville rather than under center in Gainesville. The bad-snap issue that plagued the Gators in Week 1 against Miami of Ohio disappeared after a botch on the first series. But quarterback John Brantley and his receivers struggled to get in sync for most of the first half.

"It took us a while to get into the game offensively," receiver Deonte Thompson said. "Once we got a feel for the game, we got the offense running."

More specifically, Demps got the offense running. His 62-yard touchdown sprint put Florida ahead for good in the third quarter. He finished with 139 rushing yards and another 95 yards on two kick returns. Even if Florida's offense is scuffling, it can always just keep giving it to Demps and wait for a big play.

"We had a game plan just for Demps," South Florida linebacker DeDe Lattimore said. "But he's a great player. I like how he plays."

The offensive line opened bigger holes in the second half as the South Florida defense seemed to tire on a sweltering day (the heat index on the field soared well past 100). The Gators piled up 251 rushing yards, and their backs are averaging eight yards per carry through two games.

"That's the hardest our running backs have run here in quite a while," Meyer said. "Our receivers aren't where we need to be, but they're better."

The measure of Florida's improvement demanded a measured response from Meyer. Meanwhile, Holtz saw the possibility of his team's potential.

"I think they showed they deserved to be on this field," Holtz said. "As long as we learn from this experience, it may be one of the best things that happens to us this year. Because we can put on the film and say we deserved to be here."

Both the Gators and the Bulls had questions coming into Saturday. Both got the answers they deserved.