USF Rebounds With Blowout Win Against Southern Miss

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The USF Bulls (2-1) defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (1-2), 49-24, on Sept. 14 in Hattiesburg, Miss. The Bulls are coming off a loss at Alabama while the Golden Eagles' last game was against Southeastern Louisiana. Southern Miss won that 35-10.

Game Summary

USF won the game because of coaching. The strategy for the Bulls thus far this season has been to run the ball and attack opposing defenses. However, they don't just do it with one running back. They have three backs and a quarterback, Byrum Brown, who leads the team in rushing yards. While the defensive playmakers get more fatigued as the game goes on, the running backs can rest and be fresh for the next time they are called upon. Importantly, the Golden Eagles' defense couldn't adjust to the Bulls' rushing game, which is why South Florida won this game.

Brown had 19 completed passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns. USF's running backs also had a field day. Kelley Joiner Jr. had 117 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Nay'Quan Wright had 105 yards rushing and a touchdown, in addition to 11 yards receiving. Ta'Ron Keith had 53 rushing yards and a touchdown. The USF receivers were also able to complement the run game. Sean Atkins led all South Florida receivers with 87 yards on 5 catches.

Southern Miss struggled after the first quarter. Quarterback Tate Rodemaker finished with 120 yards while the more dynamic dual-threat quarterback Ethan Crawford finished with 183 yards on just 6 pass completions. Running back Dreke Clark finished with 85 rushing yards. Receiver Ty Mims finished with 6 catches for 128 yards.

Tipping Point for USF

The Golden Eagles came out on the first drive and after getting a first down on a trick play, they drove the rest of the way down to score game's first touchdown. Then, after a USF turnover on downs, Southern Miss scored another touchdown on the second drive. Since the Bulls were massive favorites to win, the game became much more tense after USF fell into a two-touchdown deficit. Fortunately, the Bulls were able to right the ship.

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By the end of the first quarter, a touchdown pass to tight end Payten Singletary and a rush by Joiner Jr. tied the game up for the Bulls. Early in the second quarter, Brown found receiver Josh Hardeman for the third Bulls touchdown, marking 21 unanswered points for South Florida. This rapid turnaround is the tipping point that ultimately led to the Bulls pulling away and securing the victory.

Looking Ahead

Every win is important for playoff-hopeful South Florida, especially when the Bulls are a heavy favorite. The win here gives them some confidence as they head back home to face No. 10 Miami (FL) on Sept. 21. After that, the Bulls will face a tough Tulane squad in New Orleans on Sept. 28 before returning home to face another difficult team in Memphis on Oct. 11.

For Southern Miss, it appears this season will be a challenging one. Up next for them is Jacksonville State on Sept. 21, which could be a very winnable game for the Golden Eagles. After that, they take on the Louisiana Rajun Cajuns at home on Oct. 5 before going on the road to face Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 12. They should be in contention to win all three games.