Had to believe the South Florida jinx was still in effect as a 69-yard drive stalls on the USF 11-yard line, capped by Chris Philpott bonking the football off a goal post.
The final football game, like all those that preceded it, unpredictable. No lead safe, no telling what happens next.
So many freshmen and sophomores in the University of Louisville lineup. Gaining confidence, making huge plays between big mistakes. Needing every break, taking advantage of the few that come their way.
The spectre of the jinx rearing its ugly head with the bizarre sequent of U of L of shuffling defensive and offensive units, meeting themselves going and coming on a fourth-and three, South Florida promptly burning Louisville with a 34-yard touchdown pass.
And that memorable Jarel McGriff-Culver debut, fumbling his first carry on offense, USF recovering, scoring quickly, pushing the deficit to two touchdowns, 17-3.
But that was not going dissuade Teddy Bridgewater. Been playing football his entire life in the southern part of Florida, playing against acquaintances in this particular game. He and his 27 teammates from Florida weren’t throwing in the towel.
Not when DaVante Parker is available, performing that magic in the end zone, not when Josh Chichester can still make an occasional catch, not when Dominique Brown is able to bounce and move forward, not when Victor Anderson is healthy again. And those offensive and defensive lines, they’re coming along nicely.
Anything can happen with this team, maturing nicely, worthy of any bowl, hopefully in south Florida again.
Give it up for Charlie Strong! He has resurrected the football program from the phoenix ashes of Kragthorpe, got the Cards in a position to get the Cards a possible BCS Bowl Bid and done it with class, skill and a bunch of youngsters. Raise your hand if you predicted 7-5 this year? Not many of you. Who predicted a BCS Bowl game? ( I see more hands dropping.)
Now, we wait and see how many “big schools” come after him with lucrative contracts in better conferences.
Something tells me Charlie will stick with the horse he rode in on. Money isn’t everything.
West Virginia beat Pitt, so now all we need is for Cincinnati to lose one game and we are headed for a BCS Bowl!
Lots of folks felt Charlie Strong was the right guy to reverse three years of decline under the previous regime, but I’m betting there were not many, if any, who would have predicted he would not only get the Cards to a bowl game his first two years, but grab a share of the Big East title the second time around. Now we need to start thinking about how to keep this guy around for a good long while.