Media Relations
University of South Florida
Polytechnic
3433 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 667-7077
Fax (863) 667-7097
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Contact:
Tom Hagerty
(863)
667-7077
LAKELAND,
FL (September 27, 2007) - A herd of more than 250 Bulls fans from Polk County celebrated USF Lakeland Community Day Sept. 22 at Raymond James Stadium. The Polk partisans witnessed history as the Bulls took the field for their first game ever as a nationally ranked team (No. 23 in the AP Poll and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll). Led by Lakeland’s own Matt Grothe as quarterback, the Bulls trounced the North Carolina Tar Heels 37-10.
Tom and Ronda Mayes enjoy the pregame tailgate party.
After making the drive down I-4 to Tampa, the USF Lakeland contingent began tailgating shortly before 10 a.m. A few pregame raindrops failed to dampen fans’ enthusiasm – or their appetites – as they enjoyed food and fellowship up until the noon kickoff. Kids’ activities included a football toss, face painting and an impromptu game of touch football.
Aedan LaFever, son of
Jennifer Beyer,
Student Services,
prepares to follow in
QB Matt Grothe’s footsteps.
The second annual "Goodmania Tailgate Trophy" went to a team led by Dr. Kim Lersch, associate professor of criminology, who pulled together approximately 40 fans under one tent. The tables were loaded with chicken wings and planks, barbeque sandwiches, chips, nacho dip, potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, macaroni salad, cole slaw, fruit salads and some awesome desserts.
In their decision, the judges praised the level of coordination involved in "pulling so many rabid fans together with one coordinated menu" and "the fact that the tailgate was loaded with Bulls pride -- just about everyone had on their USF gear!"
One other element of the tailgate that caught attention from the judges was the featured entrée: barbecued pork prepared by Dr. JoAnne Larsen, assistant professor of industrial engineering. "That stuff was so good, we almost opted to listen to the game from the parking lot," said one judge.
This year's runner up was the defending champ -- a team led by Stephanie McLean, a USF mom and community-activist extraordinaire. According to the judges, "Team McLean threw an awesome tailgate, and they're clearly a force to be reckoned with, and the fresh flowers were a special touch!"
“Every year we get a bigger turnout for USF Lakeland Day,” said Samantha Lane, assistant director of university relations. “It’s great to see this spirit and pride, and it helps bring the USF Lakeland community together around a common passion: the Bulls!”
This sign says it all!
Each season the USF Athletic Dept. designates one game for each of USF's regional campuses. The campus receives an allotment of tickets for the campus community and receives special recognition during the game. So far USF is undefeated on USF Lakeland Day, with wins in 2005 over then-undefeated Louisville, in 2006 over Connecticut in a game that saw Matt Grothe solidify his hold on the starting QB position, and in 2007, when the rapidly rising Bulls validated their first Top 25 ranking with a dominating 37-10 victory over North Carolina before 37,693, the fifth largest home crowd for USF. In that game, fans celebrated the Polk County connection in the second half, when the Bulls got a 5-yard touchdown run by Lake Wales' Ben Williams and a 1-yard touchdown run by Lakeland's Jamar Taylor. For Taylor, it was his first collegiate touchdown. With the victory, USF jumped to No. 18 in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
Sarah Hagerty, daughter of Tom Hagerty, University Advancement,
gives the Bulls a big hand.
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