By FRANCIS FEDOR
USF was eager, coming off a bye week, to get back on the field in front of a home crowd and move past a tough loss to Memphis. ESPN covered the game nationally and visited the USF campus earlier in the day. The Bulls honored those serving in our community and ended the night with a 55-23 victory over the UTSA Road Runners. The win moved the Bulls back into the AP Top 25 at #25 for the week. The game-day uniforms featured a white helmet with a patriotic Bulls logo to honor those that serve.
Bulls WR Keshaun Singleton hauls in a pass for one of his two TD scores in the win over UTSA on Thursday, Nov. 6.
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Bulls RB Nykahi Davenport eyes up the field as he gets ready to take on tacklers. He scored twice in the win over UTSA on Thursday, Nov. 6
The defense stepped up early, and Tavin Ward ran a passing route better than the UTSA receiver, intercepting the ball and completing the pick-six with a 40-yard dash into the end zone. The Road Runners found some success on the next drive and were on the doorstep of a score. The defense again rose to the occasion and, on a sack of the UTSA QB, popped the ball up into the waiting hands of Fred Gaskin, who raced 85-yards for another defense score. The TD staked USF to an early 14-0 before Byrum Brown stepped onto the field.
UTSA got on the scoreboard with a 33-yard FG before Brown led the Bulls down field and called his number for the final 13-yards to push the lead to 21-3. The Road Runners answered with a TD of their own to stay in the game, but USF answered with the next five scores, extending into early in the third quarter, and the rout was on. Brown found Keshaun Singleton twice, first a 16-yard TD and then a 40-yard pass. Nykahi Davenport also had two scores in that streak, finding room down the sideline for a 59-yard score and capping an eight-play drive with a 7-yard run. Unlike the previous week in Memphis, when a drive stalled near the end zone, coach Golesh called on Nico Gramatica for the three points with a 40-yard FG to close out the first half. Gramatica added a 51-yard FG late in the third quarter.
Francis Fedor Photos
USF QB’s work on a pregame drill prior to the win over UTSA on Thursday, Nov. 6.
The crowd sensed a big night after the two early defensive scores, and USF showed a quick-strike ability all night. The number of plays run favored the Road Runners, 82-50, but the Bulls showed the speed the Road Runners never found. The defense pressured the UTSA QB and sacked him six times, a high for this season. The USF offense won the yardage game 471-381. Brown accounted for 348 yards of total offense from the QB position. Brown continues to use his strength by carrying, leaping over or simply bull rushing through tacklers.
USF QB Byrum Brown jukes a defender in the win over UTSA on Thursday, Nov. 6.
The win was key in regaining momentum after the road loss to Memphis, heading into a conference match up vs Navy in Annapolis on Saturday. Ironically, UTSA, two weeks prior, beat the Tigers in a stunner in Birmingham, Ala., staving off a late Memphis rally to hold onto a 31-24 victory. After the win vs UTSA, USF head coach Golesh offered that “the down is inevitable, but how you respond defines you,” adding, “that you can make it your prison or testimony.” USF continues to define itself as belonging and remaining in the chase for The American Conference Championship and controlling its destiny with three games left in the regular season. Navy is also 7-2 overall and leads the conference at 5-1. However, the Midshipmen lost their first conference game to North Texas on Nov. 1, a team that USF defeated handily, 63-36, on Oct. 10, and will be coming off a 49-10 loss to Notre Dame. Navy defeated the Bulls in a visit at Raymond James Stadium in 2024, and Golesh and the squad will be looking to return the favor.
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