The No. 17 USF men’s soccer team puts its undefeated season on the line in its home opener against No. 24 SMU this weekend.

The Bulls (3-0, 2-0 C-USA) will play the Mustangs in the first game of the USF Holiday Inn Invitational.

SMU will be the first ranked team that USF faces this season. The game will showcase two reigning conference defensive players of the week. USF goalkeeper Dane Brenner took the award from Conference USA last week while SMU net minder T.J. Tomasso nabbed the Missouri Valley Conference award.

Tomasso has 10 saves over 95 minutes of play, and recorded his 19th career shutout against No. 4 St. Louis, beating the Billikens 8-0 on Sept. 1st.Brenner doesn’t put much weight on the match-up.

“I just like to go out, and take one game at a time, not worrying about who we’re playing or who’s on the other side of the field,” Brenner said

The Bulls and head coach George Kiefer realize that SMU will be a tough team to play, and won’t take the Mustangs lightly.

The whole team expects this weekend’s tournament to be a real battle.

“(SMU is) a quality team. They play a tough defense, being the first ranked team we play, so it’s a test. Every team is a test, to me. We just have to show up and play,” Brenner said.

Kiefer knows that his players will try to keep their egos in check. It’s making sure they stay out of their own heads that he is weary about.

“I still think they have to prove themselves, and this game against SMU will certainly do that. They (SMU) beat St. Louis at home, and that is no easy task,” Kiefer said.

“Because you can bet that SMU will be a real test. They play hard, because I’m not going by the ranking. The only thing ranking is good for is recruiting, so we’ll play them hard, like we play every team.”