^[1]TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Five years after soaring into the limelight as one of the nation’s fastest growing college football programs, the South Florida Bulls are struggling to become relevant again.

An uncharacteristic 2-3 start has drawn attention to a shaky won-loss record that suggests USF’s meteoric rise not only has leveled off, but is in gradual decline.

The Bulls have yet to win a Big East title, much less flirt again with the level of success they achieved while climbing to No. 2 in the country in October 2007.

Skip Holtz’s team dropped its conference opener to Rutgers last month and returns to league play Saturday at Temple hoping to end a three-game skid that includes a road slipup at Ball State and last week’s 13-point home loss to then fourth-ranked Florida State.

Source: Associated Press