TAMPA, SEPT. 2, 2017 – Powered by a 24-point second half, 19^th-ranked USF improved to 20-1 in home openers with a 31-17 victory over Stony Brook on Saturday.

Tyre McCants (Niceville, Fla.) put USF (2-0) ahead for the final time with a 65-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter and led the team with 74 receiving yards. Darius Tice's second touchdown of the day extended the Bulls' nation-leading streak of 30-plus point games to 19.

Senior quarterback Quinton Flowers (Miami) threw two touchdown passes and led the Bulls' rushing attack with 67 yards to move into a tie for second on USF's career rushing list with 2,731 yards. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (St. Petersburg) gave USF its first lead with a 6-yard TD catch in the third quarter and led the Bulls with four receptions.

USF's defense limited Stony Brook to 229 yards (137 passing) and posted five sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss. The Bulls also collected at least two takeaways for the second straight outing. Mazzi Wilkins (Tampa) set up USF's final score with an interception deep in Stony Brook territory and Devin Abraham (Tarpon Springs) hauled in his second pick of the season in the final minute.

Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg) posted a team-high 12 tackles and had one of USF's 12 tackles for loss. Fellow linebacker Nico Sawtelle (Jensen Beach, Fla.) recorded a career-high 10 tackles and registered one of the Bulls' five total sacks.

Down, 7-0, USF evened up the score on its third drive of the game with a 1-yard touchdown run by Tice (Miami). USF's nine-play, 73-yard drive was highlighted by Flowers' 14-yard run and a 17-yard catch by Elkanah Dillon (Ocala, Fla.) that set the Bulls up at the Stony Brook 6-yard line.

Stony Brook (0-1) took a 10-7 lead to the halftime locker room before the Bulls got things rolling on offense late in the third quarter. Valdes-Scantling's acrobatic 6-yard touchdown catch gave USF its first lead with 2:43 left in the quarter and capped an 18-play, 80-play drive. Mitchell Wilcox's 20-yard reception got the Bulls into Seawolves territory and Temi Alaka's 15-yard catch set USF up for the score.

Tajee Fullwood's 46-yard punt return on the ensuing drive put the Bulls back in the red zone, where USF was 4-of-4 on the day, and Emilio Nadelman (Miami) extended the lead to 17-10 with a 33-yard field goal with 32 seconds left in the third quarter. Fullwood (Tampa) finished with a career-high 85 punt return yards and just three returns (28.3 ypr).

After Stony Brook tied things up at 17-17, USF jumped back ahead in explosive fashion with McCants' 65-yard touchdown reception with 11:23 remaining.

Wilkins' second pick of the season set USF up at the Stony Brook 25 and Tice put the game away four plays later with a 14-yard touchdown run with 1:40 remaining.

Quotable
Head coach Charlie Strong on the ranked Bulls' having to prepare for opponents' best shot:
"We're going to get everyone's best because of what we have now, and where we're ranked and everyone has expectations. That's why I tell them it's a one game season. Just focus on the opponent we're playing, and don't worry about what everyone else is saying."

Quarterback Quinton Flowers on USF's ability to step things up in the second half:
"We got off to a slow start, but at the end of the day I had to keep talking to my guys, stay within ourselves and just go out there and play the game of football.  At the end of the day, you're going to have ups and downs. You're going to have rollercoaster rides, but it's about staying together with your team."

Key Stats
2 – Interceptions by Mazzi Wilkins and Devin Abraham helped the Bulls hold off Stony Brook in the second half. USF has intercepted at least two passes in each of the first two games of the season.

12.0 – USF's defense racked up 12.0 tackles for loss and finished with five sacks.

24 – The number of points USF scored in the second half to extend its nation-leading streak of 30-plus point games to 19.

Notables

• USF extended its win streak to seven games, dating back to a victory over No. 22 Navy (52-45) on Oct. 28, 2016. USF's longest winning streak over two seasons is eight, set last in 2006-07.
• USF improved to 20-1 in home openers and 2-0 in its all-time series with Stony Brook.
• USF extended its nation-leading streak to 19 consecutive games with 30-plus points.
• USF has now won 12 of its past 14 home games with 11 wins coming by two touchdowns or more.
• QB Quinton Flowers moved into a tie for second on USF's career rushing list with Andre Hall (2,731 yards, 2004-05).
• LB Nico Sawtelle posted a career-high 10 tackles and a sack after tying his previous career high with six stops in the first half.

 
Up Next
Picked to win the league, USF begins its American Athletic Conference run at UConn on Saturday, Sept. 9 at noon (TV: ESPNews). USF is 3-1 in AAC openers and has won five straight games against the Huskies.

USF's next home game is against Illinois on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. The programs' first-ever clash will be televised nationally on ESPN. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-GoBulls.

ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF finished the 2016 season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll with a school-record 11 wins following the program's fifth-ever bowl victory in the Birmingham Bowl. The Bulls' 11-2 record marked the fifth-best winning percentage in FBS football in 2016 and one of just 11 teams to reach 11 wins. USF set nearly 40 team and individual records in 2016, including team records for total yards (6,650), rushing yards (3,714), touchdowns (77) and scoring (569). Junior quarterback Quinton Flowers was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and led a school-record 10 players named to the all-conference team, six of which, including Flowers, will return in 2017. 

Purchase tickets for the upcoming season by following the USFBullsTix.com link HERE.
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