Box Score
 |
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Final |
| NIU |
0 |
7 |
0 |
10 |
17 |
| USF |
14 |
13 |
14 |
7 |
48 |
|
| |
TAMPA, SEPT. 10, 2016 – Record-breaking USF improved to 2-0 for the first time in the Willie Taggart era with a 48-17 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium.
USF is 2-0 for the first time since 2012, the ninth time overall, and has set a new program record with 104 points through the first two games of the season. The Bulls' high-powered Gulf Coast Offense racked up 658 total yards, the second-highest total in school history, with several players finishing with career-high numbers.
Quarterback Quinton Flowers (Miami) reached a new career milestone with 350 passing yards and matched his top total of four touchdown passes after completing 21 of 33 pass attempts with no interceptions. Flowers' 403 total yards were good for eighth place in USF's single-game history books. Flowers also rushed for 53 yards and moved into 10th place on USF's career rushing list with 1,285 yards.
With Marlon Mack out with an injury, Darius Tice (Miami) rushed for a career high of 120 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. D'Ernest Johnson (Immokalee) also rushed for a career-high 87 yards on 16 carries and his 13-yard touchdown catch helped spot USF a 34-7 lead midway through the third quarter. USF rushed for 293 yards and was a perfect 6-for-6 inside the red zone.
Ryeshene Bronson (Fort Myers) hauled in a 73-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and finished with a career-high 113 yards on three receptions. Rodney Adams (St. Petersburg) started the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run and added a 26-yard scoring catch to help USF build a 24-0 lead in early in the second quarter.
USF's swarming 4-2-5 defense limited NIU (0-2) to 5-for-18 on third-down conversions and kept the Huskies scoreless until 1:36 was remaining in the first half. Linebacker Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg) led the way with 13 total tackles, one off his career high, and a sack.
Quotable:
“It's fun to see so many guys get involved in that game and contribute to that win. Out of all that, there is still room for improvement. We still can be better than what we showed tonight. I'm really proud of our guys, how they went out and executed in all phases of the game.” – Head coach Willie Taggart.
Key Stat:
658 – USF's total yards on the night, good for second place on the program's all-time list for a single game. The school record for total yards is 745 set on Sept. 17, 2011 against Florida A&M.
Notables:
- USF has scored 104 points in its first two games to set a program record for the most points scored in the season's first two games.
- For the ninth time, USF has begun 2-0. Six of those seasons finished with a winning record — 1998 (8-3), 2002 (9-2), 2006 (9-4), 2007 (9-4), 2008 (8-5) and 2009 (8-5). Only the inaugural 1997 campaign (5-6), 2011 (5-7) and 2012 (3-9) produced losing seasons after a 2-0 start.
- USF had five touchdown drives of 74 yards or greater, including a season-high 92-yarder.
- USF is averaging 545.2 yards and 48.7 points over its last six games, dating to 2015.
- USF has won nine of its last 11 games, dating to 2015.
- QB Quinton Flowers had a career-best 350 passing yards, the eighth-highest single-game total in USF history. He's the seventh different USF quarterback to have a 300-yard passing game.
- Flowers had four touchdown passes, tying a career high giving him 28 for his career, passing Chad Barnhardt for fourth place on USF's all-time list.
- Flowers had 403 all-purpose yards, good for eighth place in a single game and putting him at 4,098 for his career, good for fifth place on USF's all-time list.
- Flowers had a 73-yard completion and moved into a fourth-place tie with Matt Grothe for most 50-plus-yard completions (eight).
- Flowers rushed for 53 yards and moved into 10th place on USF's career rushing list with 1,285. He's third among quarterbacks, trailing Grothe (2,206) and B.J. Daniels (2,068).
- WR Rodney Adams has scored at least one touchdown in nine of USF's last 11 games. In that 11-game span, he has 12 total touchdowns (nine receiving, two rushing, one kickoff return).
- WR Ryeshene Bronson had a 73-yard touchdown reception, the second longest of his USF career. He had a 75-yard touchdown reception as a freshman on Sept. 13, 2014 against N.C. State. Bronson also set his single-game record for receiving yards.
- RB Darius Tice had his first career 100-yard game with 120 yards on 19 carries.
- RB D'Ernest Johnson had a career-high 87 yards rushing on 16 carries.
- LB Auggie Sanchez had 13 tackles — one off his career high — for the eighth double-digit tackle performance of his career.
Up Next:
USF hits the road for the first time this season to take on Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m.
The Bulls return to Raymond James Stadium to host No. 3 Florida State on Saturday, Sept. 24. Game time has yet to be announced. Season, three-game flex plan, single game and group tickets are available by visiting USFBullsTix.com or calling 1-800-GoBulls.
The USF Football program is in its 20th season overall and 17th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made seven bowl appearances, including every season between 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 25 NFL Draft picks and reached the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Poll in 2007.
Follow @USFFootball on Twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.
