Bulls open football season with stunner at Notre Dame
Written by Hannah Ulm, Sep 8, 2011, 1 Comment
After B.J. Daniels and our Bulls football team shocked the country by beating FSU in 2009, some started referring to Florida football teams as “The Big 4,” instead of the previous “Big 3,” comparing USF to UF, FSU and UM. That didn’t last long.
Despite his heroics in Tallahassee, Daniels was inconsistent. Then the founding coach of USF football was gone. USF went back to being an underdog.
Against Miami, where we beat the Hurricanes 23-20 at their home field. Against Clemson, where we won 31-26, despite Clemson fans outnumbering ours by the thousands. And against Notre Dame, where our new coach led his new team to a 23-20 victory at his alma mater, against the school that made his family name famous.
The September 3 game was more than a win. It was a statement. Although Daniels had moments of struggle, he has never looked so confident or thrown so accurately. Although the defense missed some tackles, they stopped the Fighting Irish when it mattered.
It must be mentioned that Notre Dame played their part in the Bulls’ win as well. Their five turnovers set up opportunities otherwise unlikely. But USF’s lack of turnovers was crucial too. At UF last season, Daniels threw four interceptions. On Saturday, he didn’t throw any.
It’s impossible to predict a season from one game. But this game showed every USF fan the potential for an amazing season. We might not be an underdog much longer. Go Bulls.
Graphic by Tara McCarty and Hannah Ulm
It is a little editorial to say “our” Bulls team..