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The Bulls are headed to Rutgers this weekend.

There will be some weather there. 

The Bulls will play in it.

It didn't take very long this week for me to get my first "will the cold weather affect the Bulls?" question.  The very nice radio folks at Rutgers had it on their minds when we spoke a couple of days ago.

It's a popular question; one I seem to get before every road game this time of year.  I am holding out hope that next week no one from Syracuse says "I know the game is actually indoors, but do you think......"

For the record, I can't really recall a time that cold weather has hurt the Bulls on the playing field.  They were just a few seconds away from pulling off a win in the snow at UConn in 2009, and also played well in the snow at West Virginia in 2008.

USF owns late November wins at Memphis (2003), at West Virginia (2006) and at Pittsburgh (2007), so to me it's not an issue at all.

Next season I'm going to remind myself to ask every broadcaster that has a team visiting Tampa in September if he thinks the heat will hurt his team.

Just for spite.

At any rate, we are bound for northern New Jersey on Friday, and for what it's worth the weather is expected to be nice and clear, if a little on the cool side.

The Bulls won on their first trip to Rutgers in 2005, and this game will fall on the sixth anniversary of that date.  USF raced out to a 21-0 lead, helped by a Terrence Royal defensive score, and held on for a 45-31 decision.  Until last year's thriller at Raymond James, that was the most recent Bulls win against the Scarlet Knights.

As this season progresses, I become more and more convinced that this is the strangest schedule the Bulls have ever played, and one of the most logistically difficult.  Five games in 26 days to start.  Then just two games in the entire month of October.  Now, beginning Saturday, five games in 26 days to finish.  Four of the first five conference games on the road.

That may be more of a challenge than a thermometer reading in the 40's.

But, the Bulls seem refreshed after their bye week.  Focus will be on freshmen wide receivers Deonte Welch and Andre Davis, who will earn starts on Saturday.  The defense must tighten up; the penalties must decrease.

There is still so much football to go.  We still have five more games, four in conference.  The season is barely half over.

Stay with this team.  No one gives more, win or lose, than the guys on the field.  Look at last week's injuries alone to see the type of sacrifices they make.

This game will be on ESPN3, and of course we'll be on 970 WFLA and the USF-IMG network throughout Florida.  Pre-game starts at 5 with the kick at 7. A special thanks to our Gainesville/Ocala affiliate WYKE-FM 104.3 for inviting me on their morning show each Wednesday, and to 620 WDAE's Dan Sileo for the chance to visit on air as well.

It's always fun to talk about the Bulls.  Looking forward to Saturday night.

GO BULLS!