Week 8: South Florida at Rutgers

All this game means to South Florida is everything.

If you look at the Bulls’ remaining schedule, it may be their toughest challenge remaining with a shot at a national championship squarely in sight. After USF plays at Piscataway, its remaining toughies – Cincinnati and Louisville – are at home.

In this 1-1 series, each team has won on the other’s home field. Last season, Rutgers took a 22-20 decision in Tampa. And Scarlet Knight standout Ray Rice stood out. He carried the ball 35 times for 202 yards. It was the last time USF has allowed a runner to reach 100 yards.

“He is tremendous,” said South Florida coach Jim Leavitt of Rice. “He can bounce outside, inside... He is strong and they have awfully good blocking. It’s going to be a really tough challenge for us. We know that.”

What’s on the line, though, is USF’s No. 2 ranking in the initial Bowl Championship Series standings. One of the two all-important spots to get into the national title game.

“I think it’s something everybody in the South Florida family should be proud of,” said Bulls running backs coach Carl Franks. “But when you get those kinds of accolades... you have to treat it like a bottle of poison. It’s not going to hurt you unless you swallow it.”

In order to reverse last year’s score, though, USF will have to swallow the rushing attack Rice is able to unleash. He ran for 158 yards against the Bulls two years ago. This season, however, Rice needed a 196-yard, three-touchdown performance against woeful Syracuse last weekend to push his rushing average to 136.3 yards. The back expects special attention Thursday.

“[South Florida] has great athletes, just as we do,” said Rice. “Everybody has to come and play their best football.”

The polls and computers certainly agree. The No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press poll is the highest for a Big East school since Miami, Fla., was No. 2 back in 2003. The Bulls are the highest rated team in the computer segment of the BCS.

Offensively, quarterback Matt Grothe will look to continue his fine play from last weekend’s 64-12 win over rival Central Florida. Grothe had 312 yards of offense (212 passing, 100 rushing) and ranks third in the Big East in total offense.

George Selvie, meanwhile, continues to lead the USF defense, which has forced three or more turnovers four times this season. Selvie has set school records with 11.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss this season. The defensive end leads the nation in both categories. USF held Central Florida’s Kevin Smith, who entered last week’s game as the nation’s leading rusher, to 55 yards.

If the Bulls have similar success against Rutgers, the onus will fall onto Scarlet Knights’ quarterback Mike Teel. In the 38-14 win over Syracuse, Teel threw for 310 yards, including six completions to Kenny Britt for 176 yards.

Some of RU’s success against the Orange was attributed to a change along the Knights’ offensive line. Highly touted freshman Anthony Davis, 6-6, 350 pounds, was inserted into the starting right guard slot ahead of Kevin Haslam.

Expect Rice to have trouble running the ball. If Teel can avoid interceptions, he should have some success against the Big East’s No. 5 pass defense. If not, South Florida could win comfortably.

South Florida by 6