South Florida’s lopsided defeat to Miami on Saturday cost the Bulls a spot in the Associated Press Top 25.
USF (2-1) came into the game ranked 18th after consecutive victories against then-ranked Boise State and Florida. But a 49-12 loss to the fifth-ranked Hurricanes pushed the Bulls down nine spots after one week among college football’s elite.
ALSO READ: A 'humbling' defeat for USF: Miami takes charge early in 49-12 rout
“I think the biggest part of when you fail is the growth opportunity with it,” third-year USF coach Alex Golesh said after getting blown out by UM for the second straight year.
“My hope is that at whatever point we’re ready as a program, that is the expectation, that we’re going to go win that game. I said it two years ago. I said it last year. I’m saying it again. At whatever point we’re ready as a program to go win that game, we will.”
It was the first time the Bulls reached the Top 25 since 2018 and gave them a week of praise from national analysts, including ESPN’s Nick Saban.
The Bulls didn’t vanish completely, showing up at No. 27 among teams receiving votes. And UM climbing from fifth to fourth underscored their level of competition.
“I like to give them credit because they are good,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of USF. “I think our guys did not want to be a part of the narrative, you know, somebody else’s success, steppingstone kind of season.”
This week’s home game with South Carolina State (2-1), a Football Championship Subdivision team, won’t boost USF’s national profile. But a win would provide a reset before the American Conference schedule begins Oct. 3 against Charlotte.
The target remains winning the American and being the Group of Five team in the College Football Playoff.
ALSO READ: USF, at No. 18, cracks the AP Top 25 for the first time in seven seasons
“We’ve got to regroup,” Golesh said. “It’s been a physical, physical, physical three weeks.”
USF wasn’t the only team to tumble. Previously ranked No. 8 Notre Dame, former No. 11 South Carolina and former No. 12 Clemson all dropped. The Gamecocks and Tigers fell out of the rankings altogether, while the Irish hung in at No. 24.
Ohio State remained No.1 and Penn State was No. 2.
Louisiana State, which handed Florida its second straight loss, was third. The Gators, ranked 13th before losing to USF, received no votes from AP’s panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Following Miami were Georgia, Oregon and Florida State.
AP uses a 1-25 point system, with a team at No. 1 receiving 25 points down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
AP Top 25
(First-place votes in parentheses)
- Ohio St. (55)
- Penn St. (5)
- LSU (2)
- Miami (3)
- Georgia
- Oregon (1)
- Florida St.
- Texas
- Illinois
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Iowa St.
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Texas Tech
- Georgia Tech
- Indiana
- Vanderbilt
- Michigan
- Auburn
- Missouri
- Notre Dame
- Southern Cal
Others receiving votes: BYU 94, South Florida 83, South Carolina 82, Mississippi St. 69, TCU 67, Arizona St. 57, Tulane 33, Louisville 25, Nebraska 9, Baylor 6, Clemson 6, SMU 4, NC State 4, UNLV 2, Navy 1.
