Now comes the hurt

Well, South Florida Bulls fans have now experienced another emotion that comes with big-time college football – disappointment.

Let’s count the emotions.

There was shock, from the surprise of winning at Auburn in overtime.

There was joy, from the elation of being nationally ranked for the first time in school history.
Then exhilaration, from the excitement of beating West Virginia in what was then the biggest game in school history.

Up next was giddiness, from the tingling sensation you get when you see your team ranked No. 2 in the polls.

That was followed by anticipation, from the expectation of Thursday’s nationally televised game against Rutgers on ESPN and from the expectation that comes with dreaming of a possible trip to the national title game.

Now, it’s disappointment, the frustration from seeing all those hopes and dreams dashed by the 30-27 loss to unranked Rutgers.

Oh well, it was fun.

Now comes a pair of litmus tests for the program.

Can the Bulls bounce back from the tough loss and continue to chase the big East championship? A trip to the Orange Bowl is not a bad way to end the season, you know.

More importantly, how many fans are still on the USF bandwagon?

Interest in the Bulls, not to mention fans attending home games, swelled as the team climbed up the polls.

Can USF fans sustain that enthusiasm? Or were the Bulls nothing more than a college frat party?

This is how we will know this program has arrived:

The Bulls will remain a fixture in the polls and their fans will remain at Raymond James Stadium even when the future isn’t as bright as it was earlier this week.