Not many people have suggested USF should be a top 25 program to open the season, but the Bulls showed up in someone's initial rankings, getting four vote-points to rank an unofficial 45th in the preseason USA Today coaches poll released Friday.

Four vote-points could be a single appearance at No. 22 on one ballot, or lower rankings on more ballots -- the Bulls are the fifth Big East team in the poll, with Pittsburgh at No. 15 and West Virginia at No. 22 as the only actual ranked teams. There's nearly a third in Cincinnati, which is the top team in "also receiving votes," with Connecticut unofficially at No. 33. Two more USF opponents this fall are ranked, with Florida at No. 3 and Miami and No. 13.

The coaches who vote in the poll don't make their ballots public until after the regular season.  There are Big East coaches with votes -- Cincinnati's Butch Jones, Syracuse's Doug Marrone, Rutgers' Greg Schiano and Louisville's Charlie Strong. Several coaches from state programs have votes as well -- Florida's Urban Meyer, Florida State's Jimbo Fisher, Central Florida's George O'Leary and Florida Atlantic's Howard Schnellenberger.