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South Florida seeks breather against Florida International

Sep 20, 2008 - 10:09 AM No. 16 South Florida (3-0) at Florida Int (0-2), 5:00 pm EDT

After striking a blow for the Big East Conference when the league desperately needed a boost, No. 16 South Florida will try to not live so dangerously Saturday when it visits Florida International.

The Bulls (3-0) have posted back-to-back dramatic wins, including last week's 37-34 victory over then 11th-ranked Kansas on freshman Maikon Bonani's 43-yard field goal as time expired, only the third kick of the Brazil native's career.

However, South Florida has squandered 14-point leads in the fourth quarter in each of its last two games.

If that happens again this week, the Bulls will have a major problem as they are facing a team has lost 13 of its last 14 games.

After snapping an 11-game losing streak in last year's finale against North Texas, the Panthers (0-2) have been barely competitive in their first two contests this year. Florida International has been outscored by a combined 82-10 margin, falling at Kansas, 40-10, and at Iowa, 42-0.

Matt Grothe, who was spectacular last week in rallying South Florida from a 20-3 deficit, will look to extend the Panthers' woes. Against Kansas, the senior completed 32-of-45 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns.

Still, South Florida narrowly escaped with in a 21-20 win over Florida International in the first meeting between the schools two years ago. Grothe tossed a 29-yard TD pass to Taurus Johnson with 2:33 remaining as the Bulls rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit. It was the first career TD for Johnson, then a sophomore.

Johnson and Jesse Hester were Grothe's favorite targets last week, each catching seven passes.