TAMPA, NOV. 3, 2018 – USF dropped consecutive conference games for the first time since the end of the 2014 season with a 41-15 setback against Tulane on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.

Tulane (4-5, 3-2 in AAC) took control of the game with 34 straight points after USF (7-2, 3-2 in AAC) started with a 3-0 lead. The Bulls' nation-leading streak of consecutive 20-plus point games was snapped at 38.

Quarterback Blake Barnett moved closer to USF's first 3,000-yard passing season, completing 29 of 49 attempts for 332 yards. The junior from Corona, Calif., also led the USF rushing attack with 59 yards and produced his eighth touchdown on the ground this season in the fourth quarter after a career long 39-yard run in the first period of play.

Tyre McCants (Niceville, Fla.) moved up to fourth on USF's career receptions list (119) after registering a game-high nine catches for 85 yards. Stanley Clerveaux (North Miami) matched his career high with five receptions for 50 yards, a new career best.

Freshman Johnny Ford also is tied for the team lead with eight rushing touchdowns after a 5-yard score in the third quarter. The Miami native has rushed for at least one touchdown in each of the past three games with six scores during that stretch.

Tulane headed into halftime with a 27-3 lead after scoring 27 unanswered points, including 20 in the second quarter.

USF started the scoring in the middle of the opening quarter with a 27-yard field goal by Coby Weiss (Gainesville, Fla.). The 65-yard drive was sparked by Barnett's career long 39-yard run on USF's first offensive play of the game.

Following USF's third turnover of the game, Darius Bradwell's 73-yard touchdown run helped extend the Green Wave lead to 34-3 with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter. USF answered back about three minutes later with Ford's eighth rushing touchdown run of the season from 5 yards out.

USF's rally continued with a 1-yard touchdown run by Barnett that cut the deficit to 34-15 with 9:26 remaining. The touchdown was set up by a 32-yard reception by junior Darnell Salomon (Miami), who finished with three catches for 54 yards.

Freshman linebacker Dwayne Boyles recovered a fumble in USF territory on Tulane's next drive, but the Bulls couldn't complete their fourth double-digit fourth quarter comeback of the season.

Boyles (Miami) led the defensive effort with a career-high 10 tackles. Senior Josh Black (Tampa) finished with nine tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and his team-leading fifth sack of the season.


Key Stats
365 – Tulane rushed for 365 yards on 52 attempts (7.0 ypc).
110 – USF's rushing yardage total after posting at least 200 yards on the ground in 31 of the previous 37 games.
34 – Tulane took control of the game with 34 unanswered points after USF took a 3-0 lead.
3 – USF turned the ball over three times, including two lost fumbles.

Notables

• USF lost consecutive games for the first time since a three-game skid from Sept. 12-Oct. 2 in 2015. The Bulls lost back-to-back conference games for the first time since the last two games of 2014.
• USF's nation leading streak of consecutive 20-plus point games was snapped at 38.
• Tyre McCants moved up to fourth on USF's career receptions list (119) after registering nine receptions for 85 yards.

 
Up Next
USF returns to the road for a two-game stretch that begins with a test at Cincinnati on Saturday, Nov. 10. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (TV: ESPNU).

USF's next home game is a War on I-4 clash with rival UCF in the Bulls' regular season finale on Friday, Nov. 23 (time TBA). Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.
 
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF posted its second straight 10-win season in 2017 (10-2) by winning its second straight Birmingham Bowl with a 38-34 victory over Texas Tech. USF is one of just 15 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and posted a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the top 25, reaching as high as No. 13 in Week 8 of the 2017 season. The Bulls have won five of their last six bowl appearances and made nine (6-3) total bowl appearances in 21 seasons, including a current run of three straight bowls. USF won a program-record 11 games in 2016 (11-2) and has posted 14 winning seasons. The USF program, which first took the field in 1997, reached No. 2 in the rankings in 2007 and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 28 first-team all-conference selections.
 
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