Back in its run as king-slayers, the USF football team had quite a few moments to savor.
They beat Auburn, and it was wonderful.
They beat Miami, and it was terrific.
They beat Notre Dame, and it was sublime.
They beat Louisville and West Virginia and Kansas and North Carolina. Back in the day, it was hardly a surprise if USF beat anyone on its schedule.
But this would be the best one. Above all others, this would be the keeper.
After all, the last time that USF beat FSU, it may have been the final nail in the coffin of Bobby Bowden’s career. USF, with a freshman quarterback, in Tallahassee, pulled off what some consider to be the Bulls’ finest moment.
But this time, with a 3-0 record of its own, flirting with a top 25 ranking, would be the Bulls best-ever.
After all, it was just a year ago that FSU looked like the proverbial big-brother program. Dalvin Cook rushed for 266 yards, and the Seminoles won going away.
But FSU is coming off a humbling loss to Louisville (by 43), and USF is coming off a come-from-behind win over Syracuse (45-20). Still, the Seminoles are favored by 5 ½ points.
How does USF pull off the upset? It does so if Quinton Flowers is sharp; if Marlon Mack can find holes; if Rodney Adams can find space in the FSU secondary. If does so if the Bulls can keep Cook from having his breakout game, if the line can keep Demarcus Walker at bay, if Deondre Francois doesn’t find room in the secondary.
In other words, a lot of things have to go right for USF. And wrong for FSU.
Isn’t that why they call it an upset?