To George O’Leary, playing South Florida seems like a ‘natural game’ to have on the schedule.

Even though Central Florida has been manhandled recently by No. 17 South Florida, the Knights’ head coach is disappointed the UCF-USF series will come to an end Sept. 6, at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The four-year contract between the two teams ends this season, and there has been little indication a new deal is in the works.

‘That is not my decision,’ O’Leary said in reference to the series ending. ‘People just have more interest in a conference game because more is on the line.’

USF head coach Jim Leavitt wants his team to consider the UCF game an important one. However, Leavitt seems somewhat less emotional about the final meeting with UCF (1-0).

‘It’s been talked about a lot why the series will end this season,’ Leavitt said. ‘I’m just focused on playing this Saturday. UCF is the conference champs, and the game will be a challenge.’

This season, South Florida (1-0), was ranked in the preseason polls for the first time in the program’s history at No. 19.

After destroying the Knights last season, 64-12, the Bulls seem to have little to gain from the match up. South Florida has defeated UCF by an average of more than 25 points in the series.

Still, O’Leary praised non-conference games like the ones against USF because ‘those are the games that get you the respect that you want from the country.’ Since South Florida is nationally ranked, playing well against its rival could give O’Leary’s team extra credibility.

Leavitt does not have any doubts about his team playing on the road, in the Knight’s new stadium. South Florida has the potential to sweep the fourth and final game in the series.

‘I would think their students will be fired up, but so will ours,’ Leavitt said. ‘Concern is the not word, as much as excited is. It’s a heck of a challenge. They are going to be ready to play. Our guys are excited. For both teams, it’s a great opportunity.’

O’Leary’s game plan is simple – keep the Bulls’ junior quarterback Matt Grothe in check.

‘I think he is a very good football player who makes good decisions and has good control of what is going on out there,’ O’Leary said. ‘He has hurt us more on key downs running the ball, more so than passing. The key is keeping him in check. Their teams goes as he does, and if he struggles, so do they.’

Grothe completed 15-of-28 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulls’ romp last year. The multi-dimensional quarterback also ran for 100 yards and two more scores.

In South Florida’s 2006 win, Grothe threw for 302 yards as a freshman. It was the last time the teams met in Orlando and was also the Bulls slimmest victory at 24-17.

Both teams won their opening game of the season. South Florida trounced Tennessee-Martin, 56-7, while UCF shut out South Carolina State, 17-0.

The Knights hope it can carry that momentum Saturday when the team faces the Bulls.

‘Jim has done a great job as far as getting them to play to the echo of the whistle. I thought we had not done that,’ O’Leary said. ‘We had an opportunity two years ago and fell short. It is a 60-mintue game, and we have to sustain.’

Cards give one away

Louisville lost its season-opener to Kentucky, 27-2. The Cardinals had five turnovers which Kentucky scored 21 points off of.

‘It was a tale of two teams not running the football well,’ said Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe. ‘We never got our offensive established to get into the plays we wanted.’

It wasn’t all bad. Kragthorpe was happy with the defensive end of the game. The Cardinals started three linebackers who were not around for spring practice and who didn’t see a snap before the opening game against Kentucky. The Wildcats rushed the ball 33 times only for 63 yards.

‘When you don’t score on offense, it’s pretty simple – you didn’t play well,’ Kragthorpe said. ‘We have to run the football better if we are going to be a good offensive team. On the defensive side, the defense controlled the line of scrimmage very well.’

mkgalant@syr.edu

Published on September 2, 2008 at 12:00 pm