The Bulls are ranked No. 41, receiving 11 votes from the coaches in 2009 preseason coaches’ poll.  USF, 8-5 with a bowl win over Memphis a year ago, was ranked No. 21 in last year’s preseason coaches’ poll and climbed as high as No. 10 in the country after their win over Kansas.

In case anyone’s forgot, USF climbed as high as No. 2 in the country in 2007.

“I’ll be real honest, it doesn’t matter to me where we’re ranked in the beginning of the year,” said USF coach Jim Leavitt.  “What does matter to me is how we haven’t been able to finish in the top 25 the last couple of years after we’ve been up there.”

-Phil Neary