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Erin Andrews headed to Tampa; Bulls at bottom of one Top 25

Posted Sep 30, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Sep 30, 2008 at 10:21 PM

Erin Andrews has interviewed virtually every big-time college football coach in every conceivable live situation. However, that’s nothing compared to the pressure she is facing tonight.

“I’ve got to figure where to take the crew out to dinner,” Andrews said.

Andrews returns home to Tampa as part of ESPN’s broadcast crew (Chris Fowler, Craig James and Jesse Palmer) for Thursday’s Pittsburgh-University of South Florida game. It will be USF’s first Thursday night ESPN home game and Andrews’ first in her hometown since joining ESPN as a sideline reporter in 2004.

A Bloomingdale High and University of Florida graduate, Andrews said USF’s 5-0 start proves last year’s success wasn’t a fluke.

“Just the fact to carry over all the success and hype from last year, it’s huge for the program,” Andrews said. “The last thing anyone wanted to see [for USF] was that last year was a fluke.

“When they were No.2 in the nation [last year], I don’t even know where Florida was [the Gators were No.15]. Everyone had a good time with me, ‘Hey, USF is ranked higher than Florida.’ Well, they can say that again this week.”

USF is No.10 and Florida is No.12.

An intern with WFLA, Channel 8 from 1997 to 2000, Andrews remembers covering the early days of USF’s program.

“Back then, when nothing was going on with the Bucs, Lightning, Florida or Florida State, it would be like ‘let’s go see what’s happening with USF’ and we’d head over to the [coaches] trailers,” she said. “I was going to Florida at the time and remember coming back to Tampa and it was strange — no one had any USF football gear.

“But when I came home for Christmas last year, everything had changed. Everyone has the USF gear and there were billboards all over town.”

Arguably the most popular female in sports media — Playboy.com named her America’s Sexiest Sportscaster — Andrews also is the most scrutinized. Columnists have critiqued her outfits and bloggers track her every move. Andrews, 30, said she still loves her job.

“I really enjoy what I’m doing,” Andrews said. “Working last week’s USC-Oregon State game was such a rush. I really enjoy that. People bring up to me about going into entertainment, but it doesn’t have that kind of drama like in sports.

“I’m such a big fan. I love sports.”

Returning home this weekend will allow Andrews to spend time with her family, her golden retriever and, of course, hit a couple of her favorite eateries — La Teresita and Village Inn.

“I always go to Village Inn for breakfast with my dad [Steve],” she said. “I crush the French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. I’m totally excited for that.”

BULLS RANK AT BOTTOM: With the emergence of the academic powers Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Duke and Stanford on the college football scene, ESPN.com’s Pat Forde decided to rank the current AP Poll based on each program’s APR scores.

The Dash re-ranked this week’s AP Top 25 by 2008 APR score (which averages the academic progress of the classes during 2003-07).

1. Georgia. APR score: 965.
2. (tie) Wake Forest. APR: 964.
2. (tie) Penn State. APR: 964.
4. Florida. APR: 962.
5. Vanderbilt. APR: 959.
6. (tie) Boise State. APR: 953.
6. (tie) Auburn. APR: 953.
8. Connecticut. APR: 950.
9. USC. APR: 948.
10. (tie) BYU. APR: 946.
10. (tie) LSU. APR: 946.
10. (tie) Fresno State. APR: 946.
13. (tie) Alabama. APR: 944.
13. (tie) Utah. APR: 944.
13. (tie) Wisconsin. APR: 944.
16. (tie) Oklahoma. APR: 942.
16. (tie) Texas. APR: 942.
16. (tie) Ohio State. APR: 942.
19. Missouri. APR: 939.
20. Oklahoma State. APR: 935.
21. Virginia Tech. APR: 929.
22. Texas Tech. APR: 928.
23. Oregon. APR: 921.
24. Kansas. APR: 919.
25. South Florida. APR: 917.

HILL HEADED TO USF: Pensacola High DT Anthony Hill, who had verbally committed to Florida State last year but didn’t enroll at FSU, told NoleDigest.com that he will enroll at USF in January.

“USF is where I am going to go now,” Hill said. “I feel like they are an up-and-coming and my best friend goes there. It will be cool playing along side him. They showed me a lot of interest throughout this entire process. They always told me how much they wanted me. Even after I initially told them I wasn’t interested they kept in contact with me.

“I talked to Coach [Jim] Leavitt and we’re doing a lot of the technical stuff now like making sure I am able to get admitted there. He wants me to come down for a visit and check out the facilities and everything. I’m set to enroll there in January.”

If admitted into USF in January, Hill (6-4, 301) would be able to participate in spring drills in 2009 and would have four full years of eligibility.

Reader Comments

Por (Allen Brown) on September 30, 2008 (Suggest removal)

More depth for the D-line next year, with Harris, McClain, Genus, and Grissom getting most of the playing time so far, I think. I wonder if he’ll make it on the field next year. Maybe Leavitt and the coaches can give him a workout program to get him ready for spring drills.