FanHouse Big East writer Brett McMurphy empties out his reporter's notebook every week.TAMPA, Fla. -- A one-loss team getting selected over an undefeated Big East team for a spot in the BCS national title game?
It isn't going to happen, said ESPN analyst Craig James.
"Cincinnati is so high [ranked No. 9 in the coaches poll], if they run it, they have a real good chance," James told FanHouse. "The Pac-10 [USC or Oregon] is not going to leap frog them. I don't see that. If Cincinnati goes undefeated, they'll play for the national title [over a one-loss team from another conference]. "USF? They have more of a climb."
The Bulls, who are ranked No. 21 in the coaches' poll, host Cincinnati tonight in a matchup of the Big East's only unbeaten teams.
James, who was in Tampa Wednesday speaking at the Outback Bowl's Deloitte Kickoff Luncheon, said the only one-loss team that could threaten keeping a 12-0 Cincinnati or USF out of the BCS title game would be an 11-1 Texas team, presumably if the Longhorns lose to Oklahoma Saturday and then win out.
James will work tonight's game with Chris Fowler, Jesse Palmer and Erin Andrews. He's expecting a good one.
"Cincinnati's for real, I think they are," James said. "This is a great opportunity for USF to show the depth they have with their program. Even without [injured quarterback] Matt Grothe, they still have good players. This would be a major building block in the 2009 season for USF."
The Bulls hope to continue their winning streak against ranked opponents and also end a three-game losing streak to Cincinnati.
Against BCS opponents, USF has won its last five games against ranked teams, but is only 8-9 in its last 17 games against unranked teams.
"I think it's probably human nature, people wanting to go after you, to show how you measure up," said USF coach Jim Leavitt about the Bulls' greater success against tougher competition. "I don't think it's us or anyone else. You look across the country, there's so much parity out there.
"I think people get excited about opportunities. That's it more than anything else. I would think our guys get excited anytime they go out."
The Nation's Longest Current Winning Streaks Against AP Top 25 teams:
1. USC 9
2. Florida 7
3. South Florida 5
4. West Virginia 4
5 (tie). Houston, Iowa, North Carolina, Utah 3
Finger Lickin' Good?
Cincinnati senior wide receiver Mardy Gilyard certainly got USF's attention when he talked about how excited the Bearcats were to return to Big East play tonight.
"The coaches, they're all licking their chops," Gilyard told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "They can't wait to play (USF defensive coordinator Joe) Tresey down there. [Wide receivers] coach [Charley] Molnar, I've never seen that look in his eyes like he has this week. Coach [Brian] Kelly as well. Those guys are really, really ready to get us going for this game.
"Coach Molnar, he's a mad scientist. When he and [offensive coordinator Jeff] Quinn and Coach Kelly put their brains together, that's a dangerous combination."
While Cincinnati's potent offense has been drawing most of the attention, earlier this week USF offensive coordinator Mike Canales said the Bulls' offense is eager to prove what it can do.
"We're not shabby either," Canales said.
Like USF, Gilyard has enjoyed more success against ranked teams.
In the past two seasons, Gilyard is averaging 207 all-purpose yards per game when playing a ranked opponent, compared to 148 yards per game when playing an unranked team.
10th Top 25 Matchup Between Big East Teams
Tonight's Cincinnati-USF contest will be the 10th pitting two league ranked teams since 2005 when Cincinnati, USF and Louisville joined the Big East. The higher-ranked team has won the last five games and six of the nine, while the home team has won six of the nine games. A look at the previous games between ranked Big East teams since 2005.
Nov. 22, 2008 - No. 19 Cincinnati 28, No. 20 Pitt 20
Nov. 24, 2007 - No. 4 WVU 66, No. 20 UConn 21
Nov. 17, 2007 - No. 5 WVU 28, No. 21 Cincinnati 23
Oct. 27, 2007 - No. 6 West Virginia 31, No. 25 Rutgers 3
Oct. 6, 2007 - No 20 Cincinnati 28, No. 21 Rutgers 23
Sept. 28, 2007 - No. 18 USF 21, No. 5 WVU 13
Dec. 2, 2006 - No. 15 WVU 41, No. 13 Rutgers 39 (3 OT)
Nov. 9, 2006 - No. 15 Rutgers 28, No. 3 Louisville 25
Nov. 2, 2006 - No. 5 Louisville 44, No. 3 West Virginia 34
Latest College Football Images
In this photo taken on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, Wyoming's Chris Prosinski, left, holds a Wyoming state flag and Luke Ruff (29) a Special Forces military flag prior to an NCAA college football game against New Mexico at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo. (AP Photo/Laramie Boomerang, Andy Carpenean)
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In this undated photo released by the Southeastern Conference, Georgia's Vance Cuff is shown. Cuff has been suspended for Saturday's NCAA college football game at Vanderbilt following his arrest on misdemeanor charges, including driving with a suspended license. (AP Photo/SEC) ** NO SALES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY **
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KCBS-KCAL television sports director, Jim Hill, left, congratulates University of Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson after a news conference at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson, left, and his uncle, Kreeg Anderson, rear, arrive at a news conference at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson smiles during a news conference at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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University of Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson waves after a news conference at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson, left, listens as his mother, Kim Mallory, thanks his supporters during a news conference at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson smiles during a news conference at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Southern California tailback Stafon Johnson, left, and his uncle, Kreeg Anderson, rear, arrive at a news conference at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. Johnson, who has been hospitalized since Sept. 28 after suffering a serious weightlifting accident when the weight bar fell out of his grasp and crushed his throat and voice box, is expected to be discharged from the hospital Wednesday, to continue his recovery at home. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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In this photo taken on Oct. 13, 2009, Central Florida defensive end Darius Nall is shown during practice for an upcoming NCAA college football game against Miami in Gainesville, Fla. Nall missed last season after doctors removed a malignant lump on the outside of his right lung.(AP Photo/John Raoux)
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Around the League
West Virginia is one of only three teams in the nation that has scored at least 30 points in every game this season. The Mountaineers, who scored 31 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl last season, have scored at least 30 points in six consecutive games dating to last year. That's the second-longest current streak, behind Kansas, which has scored at least 30 in seven consecutive games. ... Last week there was a report on the Internet that Steve Kragthorpe would be gone as Louisville's coach after last week's Southern Miss game. A UL official told FanHouse the report was inaccurate and Kragthorpe downplayed the report on Monday. "You're talking to me, so I'm still employed," Kragthorpe said. "I don't put thought into that. That's the way things [in the media] are today." ... Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was asked the best way to slow down Cincinnati QB Tony Pike and the Bearcats' offense: "I'm not the guy to ask," said Schiano, whose Scarlet Knights lost to the Bearcats 47-15 in their season opener.
