USF Loses Heartbreaker Against UF
USF falls in dramatic fashion at “The Swamp” by a final score of 31-28. The Bulls gave the Gators all they could handle, but a missed field goal in the last minute of the 4th capped the game in a heartbreaking loss for USF. What do the Bulls build off of from here?
The Battle of the Run Games
The run games proved to be a deciding factor for both teams in this close contest. The Bulls ended the game with 286 rushing yards, while the Gators ended with 217 rushing yards. Brian Battie for USF came up big for the guys in white ending with 17 carries for 150 yards. For the Gators, Montrell Johnson capped off his night with six carries for 103 yards.
Offensive Success
The Bulls’ offense in Saturday’s game showed to be heavily one-sided in their loss to the Gators. The run game for USF had a lot of success against a heavy UF defensive line. USF did a great job of mixing up the run plays which had UF confused for most of the game. Gerry Bohanon was able to get in space on some crucial downs which helped USF continue drives.
On the other hand, while the run game had a ton of success, the passing game for the Bulls struggled a lot against the Gators. Gerry Bohanon had a tough go of it completing only 12 of 28 passes for 116 yards including two interceptions. Through week three the Bulls have shown yet again that the passing game is going to be something to improve on.
As the running game played a big part of this week’s close game against the Gators, USF’s passing game must step it up in weeks to come. Getting help from Bohanon’s cannon of an arm might just be the difference maker in games down the stretch.
A Defense on the Horizon
Despite a tough loss to UF, the USF defense proved a lot in their effort. The Bulls managed to hang with a Gators team that is currently ranked #20 in the country after their win against the Bulls. Furthermore, the defense didn’t look amazing, but there were a lot of positives the Bulls can pull from a game like this.
The Bulls’ defense did a really good job of forcing Anthony Richardson into tough situations. Ultimately the USF defense took away the Gators throwing aspect of their offense. USF only gave up 112 passing yards which is the lowest they’ve given up all season. Not to mention, the guys in white were also able to snag two interceptions coming from Aamaris Brown and Dwayne Boyles.
The defense for USF stood out against a strong Gator offense. From a game like this, you can tell the Bulls’ defense has a lot of potential to make plays in big games. After struggling in the first two games, the USF defense was able to bounce back in a big game even though they couldn’t pull out the victory.
Raising The Bar
Following this week, the Bulls can look back at this game as one to learn from. USF’s defense played much better, but still had some mishaps that contributed to the loss. The offense once again struggled to find rhythm early but upped their game in the 2nd half. One thing to look for in the weeks ahead will be a Bulls team that’s only looking to grow from this game.
The Bulls showed a lot of heart in their loss to the Gators which goes to show this team will only improve from here on out. The guys did a great job of raising their level of play to the Gator’s level of play which caused this game to be so close. Some cleanups on the defensive side, as well as the offensive, will enhance this team’s play even more for next week.
Looking Ahead
As the Bulls travel back home, they will now start to prepare for Louisville. Louisville who has started the season a little slow is one team who is not shy of competition. In USF’s last non-conference matchup, the Bulls will hope to snatch a win against a tough ACC opponent.
The Bulls will have to prepare for a dual-threat quarterback yet again in Malik Cunningham. Cunningham who is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country will be one of USF’s toughest tests this season. This game is also on the road which makes this even tougher for the Bulls. Regardless, USF will look to bounce back against the cardinals and end their non-conference schedule with a win.
