I'm bullish on USF!

Okay, so if 3-4 is taking it on the chin, then I took it on the chin last Saturday. Still, at 12-8 overall for the year, we're hitting at a 60 percent clip.

And, after tonight and tomorrow, we'll be better off still.

Remember, it's all about the next game, and, right now, the next game is:

Kansas Jayhawks (2-0) at South Florida Bulls (2-0), 7 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla. (ESPN2)

Last week, Kansas shut out Louisiana Tech, 29-0; Next week, the Jayhawks entertain Sam Houston State.
South Florida held off rival Central Florida, 31-24, last week in overtime; USF travels to play Florida International next week.

Vegas Line: South Florida -3.5

This is a mighty compelling game for a Friday nighter. Two ranked, unbeaten (albeit early) teams tangling under the Friday night bulbs that normally illuminate high schoolers on Sunbelters. But this one has Matt Grothe vs. Todd Reesing. This one has The Fat Man (Mark Mangino) vs. The Intense Dude (Jim Leavitt). This one has USF's All-World defensive end George Selvie still looking for his first sack of '08 and Kansas hitting the road instead of feasting on inferior opponents (Florida International was a 40-10 sac lamb to KU in its opener) in the friendly confines of Lawrence, Kansas. Speaking of which ...

Remember two weeks ago when Tennessee traveled to UCLA and lost to a pumped, but inferior Bruin club? Think UCLA had been looking forward to that one for a while? Well, USF opened with UT-Martin and then traveled to play a UCF club that it shellacked last season. Think there eyes have been on the Jayhawks for a while? Think maybe this nationally televised Friday night clash with a ballyhooed Big 12 team might have distracted them a bit last week?

I do.

I know Kansas has weapons in Reesing and receivers Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe and running back --- and I love this name! --- Angus Quigley. I know Mangino can coach almost as well as he can eat and that KU has had its sights on this one for a while, too.

But I also know that USF is at home and it has more to prove. And Jim Leavitt will have his bunch foaming at its collective mouth when the clock strikes 7 p.m. tonight in Tampa, Fla.

Call it a gut pick if you want. But if you take USF and lay the points at about 10:30 p.m. tonight, you'll be calling it a winner!