Miami vs. USF: Who Will Emerge as the Second Best Team in Florida?

On this Thanksgiving weekend USF fans better be thankful for all the opportunities Miami, inadvertently or not, have given the insurgent Bulls in their short history. Our exit from the Big East gave them a chance to escape the college football ghetto known as C-USA, and now we've allowed them five chances over the next five years to beat us and possibly change the conversation in Florida college football from "the big three" the "the big four."

USF already turned things backward earlier this season by beating FSU, and assuming Florida doesn't falter tomorrow against the 'Noles, this game is for the conciliation bragging rights of "Second Best Team in Florida!" And USF fans are PUMPED. It's a sell-out game -- only the third in their history (though, it's only a 13 year history.)

Miami fans? Eh, not so much. UM apparently had trouble selling some of their tickets, and returned at least 3,000. Because what does Miami get? Eh, a relatively short drive to an away game, a chance at a little instate attention when all of Florida's eyes will be on the UF-FSU game, relatively little praise if they win, and complete embarrassment if they lose.

It's kind of like an actual bullfight. Everyone expects the bull to lose (this season at least), and it still might be fun to watch, but if he manages to mangle Miami's matador, then that's a spectacle.

Of course, regardless of their opponent, this is still Miami's last game of the season. They'd love a 10-win season, and a win or loss will impact which bowl game the Canes end up in.