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South Florida looks to avoid third straight loss vs. Cincinnati

Nov 3, 2007 - 10:42 AM Cincinnati (6-2) at No. 20 South Florida (6-2) 3:30 pm EDT

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Two weeks ago, South Florida was ranked second in the polls. With a loss this weekend, Jim Leavitt's squad will exit them.

Leavitt's No. 20 Bulls try to avoid a third straight defeat when they host Big East Conference rival Cincinnati on Saturday.

The Bulls (6-2, 1-2 Big East) were ranked second in the land when they fell to Rutgers on October 18, 30-27.

South Florida was unable to return to its winning ways last week, coming up short at Connecticut, 22-15.

Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe was intercepted twice and forced into an incompletion on fourth down in the final minute, sealing the defeat.

Like USF, Cincinnati (6-2, 1-2) got off to a 6-0 start before dropping its next two games, to Louisville and Pittsburgh.

The Bearcats have not played since their 24-17 setback at Pitt on October 20 in which they blew a 10-point first-quarter lead and were blanked in the second half, 14-0.

Cincinnati won last year's meeting, 23-6, but lost here two years ago, 31-16.