TAMPA – The University of South Florida entered their game against FAU with three sacks through the first three games of the season, but by the time the clock hit 0:00, the Bulls had sacked the Owls seven times, holding them to just three points in the 31-3 victory.

The Bulls brought down the FAU quarterbacks seven times in the win, tying the school record, for a total of 65 yards lost. The seven sacks is the most in a single game in program history, which the Bulls have done on four separate occasions with the most recent coming in 2006 against Syracuse.

Seven different Bulls contributed to the sack parade, while the defense as a whole held the Owls to just 208 yards offensively, 136 in the air and 72 on the ground.

It wasn't just the USF defense that had success in the 31-3 thumping of in-state foe FAU, as the Bulls' offense collected 291 total yards, 136 on the ground and 155 on the arm of quarterback B.J. Daniels.

Daniels had an efficient night in the pocket, completing 14 of 19 pass attempts on the night for 155 yards and a touchdown, while adding 27 yards on the ground.

For the second consecutive game, the USF offense did most of their work on the ground, combining to run for 136 yards as a team including a pair of scores.

Senior running back Moise Plancher got a majority of the carries, rushing 20 times for 93 yards and a pair of scores. The 93-yard game is the most in a single game this season for the senior from Naples, Fla., who was granted a sixth year of eligibility for the 2010 season.

The Bulls got a much-needed jolt to their receiving corps, as senior wideout Dontavia Bogan, returned after missing one game with an ankle injury. Bogan hauled in five passes for a team high 66 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception on a flea-flicker from QB B.J. Daniels.

After collecting 226 rushing yards as a team in the 24-12 win over Western Kentucky a week ago, the Bulls stuck with their ground attack from the get-go.

On second and seven from their own 35, FAU quarterback Jeff Van Camp dropped back to pass and was intercepted off a deflected pass by USF safety Jerrell Young, his first his career, to give the Bulls outstanding field position to begin the game.

USF stuck with their bread and butter from a week ago, handing the ball to Plancher five times on the opening drive, along with a five-yard offsides penalty to set up a five-yard touchdown scamper by Plancher, putting USF up 7-0 and giving them a lead they would not relinquish.

Both teams would then exchange possessions, and after a five-yard sack by Terrell McClain ended the next FAU drive, Quenton Washington sped around the edge of the line to block the Owl punt. The blocked punt was scooped linebacker Armando Sanchez who rumbled 11 yards into the end zone for the score.

The touchdown was the first of Sanchez' career, and extended the USF lead to 14-0 with under two minutes to play in the opening quarter.

On their very next drive, the Bulls marched down the field 69 yards in 15 plays, but was eventually derailed by penalties in the red zone, before kicker Eric Schwartz pushed a 35-yard field goal wide right.

The Owls responded, by putting together a 15 play 68-yard drive of their own to set up a Ross Gornall 29-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining in the half.

The Bulls opened the second half with a long pass to Bogan, which fell to the ground, but the Owls were called for defensive pass interference, to give USF good field position at the FAU 48. After a 10-yard run by Plancher, offensive coordinator Todd Fitch dialed up a flea-flicker from Daniels to Bogan for the 38-yard touchdown.

After the Bulls' defense forced another three and out, Daniels and the offense strung together a 13 play, 51-yard drive which ate up 5:29 off of the clock resulting in a Maikon Bonani 46-yard field goal to put the Bulls up 24-3.

The Bulls forced their first fumble of the 2010 season, as linebacker Sam Barrington jarred the ball loose from David Muniz, which was recovered by safety Jaquez Jenkins to give the Bulls' offense the ball at the FAU 45.

After a pass to Evan Landi, and a personal foul penalty, the Bulls ran the ball five straight times, leading to a one-yard touchdown by Plancher, his second of the night.

With 12:00 remaining in the fourth quarter, trailing 31-3, the Owls got a 49-yard scamper from Willie Floyd, but could not capitalize with points, as linebacker Mike Lanaris picked off a Graham Wilbert pass at the USF five to all but seal the game.

The Bulls were able to run out the remainder of the clock on a pair of drives, to improve to 3-1 on the season heading into conference play.

USF will host Syracuse at home on Saturday, Oct. 9 at noon to begin BIG EAST play. The home meeting will serve as USF's homecoming game, and will be head coach Skip Holtz' first conference game with the Bulls.

USF Football Post Game Notes
USF 31 (3-1) vs. FAU 3 (1-3)
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010, 7:05 p.m.
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla. 

Team Notes

• Following tonight's win over FAU, USF improved its record against Sun Belt Conference schools to 12-4 and has won nine straight games against team's currently in the league dating back to the 2001 season ... The Bulls last loss to a Sun Belt member was a 45-9 setback to Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 11, 2000 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. ... USF has faced FAU three times in program history, with the Bulls coming out on top in 2002, 2007 and again this season ... USF has also faced Sun Belt foes: WKU (2-0), FIU (2-0), Middle Tennessee State (0-1), North Texas (2-0) and Troy (1-1) ... The Bulls defeated another Sun Belt team, WKU, 24-12, on Sept. 25.
• USF improves its all-time record to 98-58 with its win over FAU ... The Bulls are now 62-14 all-time at Raymond James Stadium, since moving into the venue in 1998, and 68-18 all-time at home (Tampa Stadium and Raymond James Stadium).
• USF improved its record in night games to 68-37.
• With tonight's win, USF improves its record to 13-8 after regular season bye weeks in the 13-year history of the program ... Bulls head coach Skip Holts also raised his record in games following regular season bye weeks to 6-3.
• USF wore its popular white helmets for just the seventh time ever tonight against FAU ... The Bulls improved their record to 5-2 all-time when wearing the white helmet with tonight's win ... USF donned the white helmet for the first time in the St. Petersburg Bowl against Memphis - a 41-14 win - on Dec. 20, 2008 at Tropicana Field ... The Bulls also wore them at home against Cincinnati (34-17 loss) on Oct. 15, 2009, in the International Bowl against Northern Illinois (27-3 win) on Jan. 2, 2009 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ont., and this season against Stony Brook (59-14 win) on Sept. 4, at Florida (38-14 loss) on Sept. 11 and against WKU (24-12 win) on Sept. 25.
• The blocked punt turned TD by USF in the opening quarter against FAU marks the second time this season the Bulls'special teams have scored a touchdown. The first came against Stony Brook when Chris Lane scored on a blocked punt in the end zone.
• USF's seven sacks tied the school record. The Bulls recorded seven sacks against Syracuse in 2006, FAU in 2002 and Kentucky Wesleyan in 1997.

Individual Notes

• OC Sampson Genus, S Mistral Raymond, LB Jacquian Williams and CB/KR Terrence Mitchell were USF's captains for tonight's game against FAU.
• Tonight's offensive starters were: WR Dontavia Bogan, LT Mark Popek, LG Jeremiah Warren, C Sampson Genus, RG Chaz Hine, RT Jacob Sims, TE Kevin Gidrey, FL Evan Landy, QB B.J. Daniels, FB Richard Kelly, RB Mo Plancher.
• Tonight's defensive starters were: LE Craig Marshall, NT Cory Grissom, DT Terrell McClain, RE David Bedford, SLB Jacquian Williams, MLB Sam Barrington, WLB DeDe Lattimore, LC Mistral Raymond, SS Jon Lejiste, FS Jerrell Young, RC Quenton Washington.
• Senior wideout Dontavia Bogan returned after missing one game with an ankle injury. Bogan hauled in five passes for a team-high 66 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception on a flea-flicker from QB B.J. Daniels.
• Mo Plancher posted 93 yards rushing and two TDs on 20 carries (4.7 ypc). The 93-yard output is the second-highest total of his career behind his 115-yard performance against WKU in 2009.
• With two rushing TDs on the night, Plancher now has 15 for his career, which is tied for eighth on USF's all-time list.
• B.J. Daniels finished 14-of-19 (73.7) for 155 yards and a TD (no INTs) for a passer efficiency rating of 159.6.
• On third down of the Owls' opening drive, USF S Jerrell Young intercepted a deflected pass and returned it to the FAU 31-yard line. The pick was the first of Young's career.
• USF safety Jon Lejiste sacked FAU quarterback Jeff Van Camp on the Owl's second drive of the game for a six-yard loss. Lejiste has compiled a team-high 3.0 sacks on the season, has recorded a sack in each of the Bulls' last three games.
• USF defensive lineman Terrell McClain collected his first sack of the season in the 31-3 win against Florida Atlantic. McClain has recorded 13.5 sacks in his four year career at USF.
• With just under two minutes remaining in the opening quarter against Florida Atlantic, Quenton Washington came around the edge, and blocked a Mickey Groody punt, which Armando Sanchez scooped at the 11 yard line and returned for his the first touchdown of his career.
• USF defensive lineman Cory Grissom picked up the first sack of his career in the second quarter against FAU. Grissom dropped Owl QB Jeff Van Camp for a five yard loss.
• USF DE David Bedford recorded his first sack of the 2010 season, as he dropped Van Camp for a 10-yard loss on the final drive of the first half. The senior has picked up 2.5 sacks during his career.
• DE Craig Marshall recorded his sixth sack of the season in the third quarter for a 20 yard loss.
• DE Patrick Hampton sacked FAU QB Jeff Van Camp for a 10-yard loss in the third quarter, his first of the year, and the fisrt solo sack of his career.
• Redshirt freshman Ryne Giddens picked up his first sack of the season and the third of his career for a nine yard loss in the third quarter on the win over FAU.
• K Maikon Bonani's 46-yard field goal was his 17th career field goal in 23 attempts with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter. The field goal was Bonani's second in as many games this season , and was his longest of the 2010 season.
• LB Mike Lanaris put a hault to an FAU fourth quarter drive by intercepting FAU QB Graham Wilbert at the USF 5-yard line. The pick was his second of the season, with the first coming in the win over Stony Brook.
• Attendance 38,434