Perhaps the only thing sillier than pregame trash-talking is alleged pregame trash-talking. Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy said Wednesday afternoon that the Hurricanes were told that USF quarterback B.J. Daniels made a score prediction "in the media" for Saturday's Bulls-Hurricanes game, calling for a 24-21 Bulls victory.

I was in attendance for all of Daniels' interviews with reporters Tuesday, and would have certainly written something if Daniels had made such a boast. If such a quote is anywhere online, it's not something that Google's far-reaching eyes can find, but it wouldn't be the first time college coaches have made up bulletin-board material if that's what's happened.

"I guess he wasn't too confident in his defense, giving up 21 points," said McCarthy, who considered USF coming out of Clearwater Central Catholic.

McCarthy said Miami intends to do its talking on the scoreboard Saturday, but that didn't stop him from getting in a jab. Asked if USF's 17-7 win at Florida State in September makes Miami any more concerned about the threat the Bulls posed, McCarthy said that wasn't the case.

"We're not too worried about that," he said. "We watched film of them against Rutgers and it was 30 to nothing. I guess they're saying that week was a fluke. ... We know they're going to be ready to play."

Another Hurricane from CCC, offensive lineman A.J. Trump, had much respect for USF's defense.

"I don't think we've faced a better defense this year," said Trump, noting that defensive ends George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul are "world-class" and that USF's linebackers are "Florida State-like, fast, quick and strong."

Trump said he strongly considered coming to USF out of high school, and is impressed by how far the Bulls have come in the past five years.

"I knew they had something special there, but I didn't think they'd blow up like they did," Trump said.