Associated Press
RALEIGH ó As the Big East’s only ranked team, No. 13 South Florida might be the closest thing to a national power that the beaten-down conference has this year.
Quarterback Matt Grothe figures it’s about time the Bulls started playing like it again, starting tonight at injury-depleted North Carolina State.
“I think we need to make a statement,” Grothe said. “It is an ACC team. Everyone has been saying the Big East is down this year. So if we can come out and play well, and do like I know we can, it will help us as a team and help us nationally with everybody.”
The inconsistent Bulls (4-0) are leaving the state of Florida for the first time this season for their nonconference finale, and they’re looking for any signs of encouragement they can find. Three victories against Bowl Subdivision teams have come by an average of six points, knocking off nationally ranked Kansas one week and struggling to get by lowly Florida International the next.
The up-and-coming Bulls also are dealing with their new status as the Big East’s flagship program, at least this year, following their breakthrough 2007 ó in which they started 6-0 and reached No. 2 in the Top 25 poll before fading.
The Wolfpack (2-2) finally seemed like a team that had things figured out in Tom O’Brien’s second season, stunning then-No. 15 East Carolina in overtime last week. But the buzz didn’t seem to last long. Quarterback Russell Wilson and top defender Nate Irving will miss this week’s game.