Expect A Big Night From The Bulls

We'll make the call right now, today.

USF will man-handle the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Saturday night in Bowling Green, Ky.

The reasons are simple: USF is flat out better, is an advanced program compared to Western and watched film of Tennessee flat-out tearing up the Hilltoppers in Knoxville last week.

Defensive coordinator Joe Tresey watched Monte Kiffin's new defense swarm to the ball, squash Hilltopper backs and receivers left and right on a day that saw Western held to 83 yards total offense.

It will be a record-setting night for USF quarterback Matt Grothe. Barring any catastrophic event, Grothe will become the all-time offensive yardage leader in Big East history. He needs less than 100 yards to pass Pat White's record.

Look for USF offensive coordinator Mike Canales to keep most of his playbook under wraps. He said he would and did against Wofford. USF was very vanilla and look for running back Mo Plancher to get the football early and often.

USF showed no vertical passing game last week. Canales was content to have Grothe short-pass his way around Wofford.

USF has been where Western is going. The Hilltoppers are the newest member of the 120-team of the crew known as FBS teams -- Football Bowl Subddivision -- that's division 1-A to most of us.

Talent-wise, USF simply has too many horses on defense as well. Biggest problem for the Bulls is that they have too many talented defensive ends. Their only vacancy comes due to the broken arm suffered last week by strong safety Jerrell Young. Most likely he'll be replaced by committee.

But on Saturday night, this USF team will continue its series of "warm up" games as it tries to get better, find its groove and know that two weeks from now, the huge test against FSU lurks.

But this week, its all Hilltoppers, all the time.

Look for the Bulls to dominate.

They should win easily.

No excuses.