University of South Florida WR Carlton Mitchell (ankle) is probable for Saturday’s game against Louisville.

Mitchell missed last week’s game at Rutgers after suffering a high ankle sprain against West Virginia on Oct. 30.

“He’s going to dress for the game,” Leavitt said. “How much he plays depends on how well he feels. He’s getting close.”

Mitchell, who showed no signs of being limited as he sprinted off the practice field Thursday, leads USF with 29 receptions for 542 yards and four touchdowns. 

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: After starting the season 5-0, USF has lost three of its past four games. And although this is the third consecutive year the Bulls have stumbled after starting strong, no one seems to know why it happens or how to prevent it.

“I have no idea,” WR A.J. Love said. “If I had the answer, we probably wouldn’t have had that happen this year.”

Strong safety Jerrell Young believes the adversity has brought the team closer together.

“We’re all we got right now,” he said. “There’s a lot of doubters, but all we got to do is keep trying to dig and hope to pull through.”

TURNOVERS: The Bulls (6-3, 2-3 Big East) can become bowl eligible with a win against Louisville (4-6, 1-4). On paper, that shouldn’t be a problem as USF is an 11½-point favorite.

Turnovers, however, are the big equalizer. Through nine games, USF has committed 18 turnovers, but half (nine) have come in its three losses.

“You just can’t turn the football over,” offensive coordinator Mike Canales said. “That’s been the demise of us.”

USF has won only once since Oct. 3, but in that game (a 30-19 win against WVU), the Bulls were turnover-free.