Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 118

AX TIMES SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2005 COLLEGE FOOTBALL to thetasEc lyls'detfe us grows i By MIKE CAMUNAS Tlmoa Corteapondwrt i our corners are playing much better." V' Last season saw the departure of Lee Roy Selmon Jr. Javan Camon, but, Leavitt said, returning linebackers Moffitt and juniors Stephen Nicholas and Patrick St Louis, as well as Johnnie Jones in the secondary, "really hold together back there." Also back is defensive end Terrence Royal, who has combined with Tim Jones to rack up 20 tackles and 2xh sacks. "It's not just about me and Johnnie said Jones, who redshirted last season. "But I think a lot of the guys matured a lot more. We had a very young team.

They matured and that's why they seem like a different defense." The Big East opener against No. 11 Louisville this week will bring about a new test Louisville brings a potent offense carried by Michael Bush and Brian Brohm (18-for-22 passing with 368 yards and five touchdowns Saturday against Oregon State). GAME BALLS ANDRE HALL, RB, USF: Piled up yards by making the Knights keep missing him, getting 189 total yards and two touchdowns. RICKY PONTON, RB, USF: Riled in superbly when Hall was sidelined with injury, coming up with key runs and scoring a second-quarter THED WATSON, FRANK DAVIS. JOHN MILLER, CHRIS CAROTHERS, WALTER WALKER, USF OFFENSIVE LINE: They dominated the line of scrimmage, clearing huge holes for the Bulls in the most lopsided aspect of a lopsided game.

BY THE NUMBERS 32: First-half carries for USF, for 180 yards 88: USF record for rushes in a game 8: First-half passes for USF, completing four for 62 yards 1 1 USF record for fewest pass attempts in a game -2: First-half rushing yards for UCF on 13 attempts 67: Length of USF punter Brandon Baker's first attempt GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer STATISTICS TAMPA USFs defense was written off before the season began. But the Bulls came into Saturday's game with Central Florida with the No. 1 passing defense in the nation. They were eighth in total defense. South Florida had allowed 26 points and 439 yards in two games, having held Penn State's Michael Robinson to 85 passing yards, then FAMU to 85 total.

On Saturday, the Bulls limited the Golden Knights to 253 yards (45 rushing and 208 passing). This is essentially the same unit a9 last year, which was ranked 77th in nation, giving up an average of 398 yards a game and 4,383 yards for the 2004 season. "Last year was last year," said sophomore linebacker Ben Moffitt, who had four tackles against UCF, for a season total of 15. "We really don't want to worry about that We learned from our mistakes last year, and we made a lot of them. "We've been really focused this year, and really try to come out and do 'If 0 AP South Florida linebacker Stephen Nicholas, right, tackles UCF tailback Kevin Smith.

7 The Bulls kept UCFs running game "We're really seeing some different throttled through three quarters as Golden things." coach Jim Leavitt said. "Last year Knights running backs Kevin Smith and sometimes, I really just wanted to kick, Dontavius Wilcox together had Just 4 yards, myself. All the linebackers are back, and "Thaf just another team coming in," Tim Jones said. Sheltcn from IX1 U8f 24 1 I 0 421 53 5.1 325 100 11-17 0 4-471 2-33 2-5 00 M0 30:46 UCF 14 2 12 0 253 eo 12 45 2N 1W0 0 7-424 2-77 S-79 4-27 1Mt 1-1 20:15 Total Ant downa BytwNng By promo. By parity Total nat yarda Total oflanaiva playa Avg.

gain par play Nat yarda mahing Nat yarda patting Post como -arttmpta had intaroaptod Puita no. and avg. yda punt rat yarda Mar rat Tanaa aackaoVyda (ott PanaroaNa, yarda FumWet-No. end tott Tana of poaaaaaion I. IMP! II.

f. jpilUlilWIIIIIIIIl.il- II tt -t) A ing through the Knights as if he were running a cone drill, there was hope this would be a next-tier version of Florida-FSU. There is nothing better in college football than a rivalry, and a map of Florida being what it is, this seems like the best hope for both teams. Rut a rivalry? On the list of USF 00 7 7-14 7 1 7 S-31 UCF toutri Florida FlntOuartar SFHal 1 run (Bronaon kick), 7:22 Second Quartar SF Ponton 3 run (Bronaon kickl, 3:02. Sf-Htl 25 paaa from Julmiata IBronaon Idea), :60.

Third Quartar UCF-Moffatt 4 run Pratar kickl, 5:44. SF Jul 1 run IBronaon kickl, 3:00. Fourth Quartar SF-FG Bronaon 21, 11:21. UCF-MerahaU paaa from Moffatt IFratar kick), 2: 1 1. A 46,139.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RU9HIN0 UCF Att Yda TD 10 TD 11 SO 1 il 2 0 0 1 50 0 1 0 7 20 Att 22 10 13 3 1 1 0 1 TD 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 46 Yda 155 75 73 26 11 41 1 4 2 -i- V' 326 30 Ska PASSIM Wilcoi Totala South Florida Hall Ponton Julmeta Danaon Johnaon Balloon taam Simpaon Qraan Totala UCF Moflatt South Florida Julmiata Denton Totala UCF Walkar Thornton Marahal Rota Smith Johneon Yda TD 206 1 Yda TD 1 Ska At fnt 40 0 At bit 16 0 1 0 17 "We're not there yet" Hall said. "I think it will be, but right now, they're just another bump in the road." "In 10 years, it's going to be one of the best rivalries," Terrence Royal said. "If it were up to me, I would definitely play them every year." For now, this isn't a rivalry. This is two neighbors arguing about litter on the curb. Next week, neither team will care what the other does.

You know what a rivalry is? It's FSU running into some NCAA troubles, and Steve Spurrier gleefully suggesting the school be renamed "Free Shoes University." It's the Choke at the Doak. It's the Auburn student body breaking spontaneously into a chant of "Punt Bama, Punt" after two blocked punts ended Alabama's undefeated season. It's former Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler holding up a pop-top from a beer can and suggesting it was an Auburn class ring. It's Michigan's Tim Biakabatuka running for 313 yards against Ohio State, and Clemson's Rod Gardner pushing off on a 50-yard catch against South Carolina to set up a victory, and Navy's Roger Staubach turning Army into a highlight film. It's an Oklahoma fan, back in the days when Jack Mildren was running away from Rich Glover, suggesting the on Nebraska's helmet stood for "knowledge." Saturday night' It was a bunch of guys desperately hoping Hall would slip down.

When you think how close this team came to South Carolina, it might be a bigger indictment of Spurrier than those years in Washington. Out of its past 17 games, it is a wonder UCF has only lost 17. Yeah, yeah. It takes time. FSU begged Florida for years for a game, and when it finally got one, it promptly lost it After a 41-year break, Auburn lost a 55-0 game to Alabama.

After one game, however, the best you can say is "maybe." And maybe that's enough. If you look at the Big East who else is going to be USF's rival? Louisville? West Virginia? Syracuse? There isn't a lot of geography involved there. Not a lot of history 1 96 5 100 RECEIVING Yda. No. LQ 21 16 12 0 1 TD 0 i 0 0 0 1 TD 70 50 39 17 14 11 7 20S Yda.

34 30 14 6 IB No. 11 21 LQ 26 26 10 14 Totala South Florida Hat Payton Hill Chambara Jecxaon HW Cartar Pueooer Totala UCF Homa South Florida 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Avrj. 424 Av. 47.8 opponents, UCF ranks as something less than Louisville, but it's definitely better than Nicholls State. Here, then, is the lesson UCF has waited years to learn: Be careful what you wish for.

Ah, the poor Knights. For years, their fans pleaded for a game with USF, and in return, the Bulls acted as if they didn't quite know what an "Orlando" was. USF had a better conference, a better stadium, a better future. If it was going to associate with anyone else, it was going to be Miami, FSU or Florida. Everybody else was, well, everybody else.

In hindsight, no, USF wasn't chicken. It was just picky. Don't get me wrong. If you treat the turnstiles like voting booths, there are a lot of people willing to let this turn into one of those rivalries where the teams and the fans annoy the diqkens out of each other. That's what a real rivalry does.

It gives a fan two teams to follow, one to love and one to despise. One to make him hope during recruiting season, another to make him chuckle when grade suspensions come down. Wasn't Shrek more interesting when he had to recruit against Farquaad? So, yeah, it would be great if this became a grudge. It would be great to see bumper stickers and Web sites and insulting T-shirts. It would be great to have a USF fan walk up to you and say, "Do you know what you say to a UCF fan? You say, 'But I asked for If this is going to become one of those, however, it is going to need a lot fertilizer.

That's the thing about real rivalries. They have to have high stakes and long histories. They have to have two teams capable of ruining each other's weekend. They need to inspire passion and humor. Geography helps, but it isn't everything.

Right now, however, the Bulls do not regard UCF as a rival. Not a real one. To be a rival, the other team has to be in your mind all the time. That's how it is with FSU and Florida, with Georgia Tech and Georgia, with Michigan and Ohio State. 100 PUNTINQ No Vda 7 297 No Yda 4 191 LQ 45 LQ 67 LO 60 LO 25 PUNT RETURNS Yda 77 Yda UCF Bumott South Florida 2 No 1 33 Chambara KICKOFF RETURNS Yda UCF Francia No 3 2 44 35 79 LO 19 16 IS LO 0 6 Totala Sou Florida No Jacbon 1 Simpaon 1 0 6 6 AP USF running back Ricky Ponton carries for 6 yards through the UCF defense in the second quarter.

Bulls fromIX UNOFFICIAL DEFENSIVE 1 I Ml CENTRAL FLORIDA Tacklat-Aatitta Jobnton Cook 5-5, PJcharot 6-2 Parkea 6-1, Sandy 2-5, Shoiogan 3-3, Carrington 3-2, Hoo.ua 2-3, Barr 3-1, Naal 3-1, Burnett 3-1, Raid 04, Okammor 0-4, Watoh 34, Netaon 1-2 Domabla 1-2 EINa 1-1, Vanaon 1-0, Franda 0-1, Dollar 0-1, Watkina 0-1. Paaaaa dafeneed -Ellia. SOUTH FLORIDA Tacklee-Aeelata Willlama 6-3, M. Janklna 4-1, Nlcho-laa 4-1, Royal 44, Moffitt 2-2, Qachatta 34, Jonaa 1-2, Ctaart 2-0, Chambara 2-0, St Louia 1-1, MoCuHough 1-1, Smith 1-1, Wllliama 0-2 Allan 0-2 Jonaa 14, Cray 14, i Taacnay 14, J. Jankint 0-1.

Paaaaa dafeneed M. USF schedule Sep. 3 Penn St. 23, USF 13 Sep. 1 0 USF 37, Florida 3 Sep.17-USF31,UCF14 Sep.

24 Louisville, 6:45 Oct. 1 at Miami, TBA Oct. 15 at Pittsburgh, TBA Oct. 22 West Virginia, 7 Nov. 5 at Rutgers, Noon Nov.

12 at Syracuse, TBA Nov. 19 Cincinnati, Noon Nov. 26 at Connecticut, TBA e-mails about how sorry I was, all this and that I don't eet into that I iust played my heart out and either. If I am USF, I keep this game. I hope it grows into something nasty, something noisy.

I hope it grows into the type of game that matters year round. Jf not, there is only one place for the Knights to turn. Florida Atlantic, I hear has some openings on the schedule. Even when Hall went to the sidelines for six plays with a hand injury, the Knights had no answer for USF's running attack. Redshirt freshman Ricky Ponton broke runs of 12 and 16 yards, and on Hall's first play back in the game, he broke loose for 28 yards, including two 360-de-gree spins to elude Knights defenders.

For all USF's early dominance, it led only 7-0 midway through the second quarter. It took over with two scores in the final 3:02 of the half. With Hall on the sidelines again, the Bulls marched 60 yards in 12 plays, getting a 26-yard pass to Johnny Peyton and steady running by quarterback Pat Julmiste and Ponton, who finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown. USF linebacker Ben Moffitt sacked UCF quarterback Steven Moffett, forcing a fumble that Tavarious Robinson recovered for the Bulls on the UCF 32. Three plays later Julmiste floated a screen pass to Hall who weaved 26 yards through UCF defenders for a touchdown with 59 seconds left in the half.

Since USF launched its program in 1997, Central Florida has wanted to open a rivalry, but it took until Saturday for the teams to meet The two play again in Orlando next season, but the Bulls had been hesitant to commit to extending the relationship beyond those two dates. "We iust won a name, so I'll iust wait and see USF records FIRST DOWNS Most First Downs 31 Southern Utah 102001 27 Nicholls State 9603 27 at Utah 10601 27 at Pittsburgh 9801 27 Jacksonville State 9200 Fewest First Downs 7 at Southern Miss 10700 8 at Memphis 112903 8 at South Carolina 91804 9 at James Madison 103099 1 love when coach (Jim) Leavitt wants to run the ball like that" The Bulls finished with 66 rushes, 10 more than any game in their history. The same Bulls who rushed for 326 yards were as convincing in stonewalling UCF's running game, holding it to negative yards into the fourth quarter. "I was really pleased with our running game. Andre Hall ran really well," said Leavitt, whose team had the ball for 39:45, breaking the school record by 2:40.

"What was really important is that we didn't allow them to run the ball." For the second week in a row the Bulls defense took a shutout into the second half, holding the Knights to 135 yards in the first three quarters. It's hard to blame the defense for the 14 points USF gave up, as a 60-yard punt return to the USF 4-yard line set up the touchdown that spoiled the shutout and a botched fake punt set up the Knights' final score with 2:11 to play. "This was a big game for us, so it was put up or shut up," said defensive end Terrence Royal, who grabbed one of the "17" signs as a memento as he ran off the field. "We knew if we wanted to win. we had to stop the run." The Bulls (2-1) set out to establish the run, staying on the ground for 19 of their first 23 plays.

UCF (0-2) came into the game with the nation's No. 5 rushing defense, having held South Carolina to 32 rushing yards in its season opener. The Bulls more than doubled that rushing total on their first drive. 1 on all that stuff, let the powers that be (handle it)," Leavitt said. One week after setting their Raymond James Stadium record with 43,122 fans against Florida the Bulls broke that mark by more than 2,000 for another first-time rivalry.

USF will try for an even larger attendance this week when it makes its Big East debut against preseason favorite Louisville. UP NEXT WHO: USF vs Louisville WHEN: 6:45 p.m. Saturday fl WHERE: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa TV: ESPNU AP It's business as usual, with no extra bumps or trash talking that characterize many rivalries, as USF's Allen Cray, left, runs down UCF's Steven Moffett. aaa I a a i i fr i I Vi- "i fcLlnln i.