TAMPA, SEPT. 14, 2019 – Quarterback Jordan McCloud accounted for five touchdowns in his first career start while the USF defense set program records with eight takeaways and five fumble recoveries in a 55-16 rout of South Carolina State at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night.

Redshirt freshman McCloud completed 16 of 27 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. The Tampa native also rushed for two scores and 56 yards (4.7 ypc) in the second-best scoring debut by a USF freshman.

USF (1-2) scored 42 points off takeaways after forcing five turnovers in its 31-point second half. Five different Bulls recovered fumbles to set the record – seniors Greg Reaves (Bradenton, Fla.), Kirk Livingstone (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Devin Studstill (Riviera Beach, Fla.) along with juniors KJ Sails (Tampa) and Tyrik Jones (Plantation, Fla.). Sophomore safety Nick Roberts (Jacksonville, Fla.) had a 62-yard interception return and finished with five tackles.

Sophomore Johnny Ford (Miami), who moved from running back to receiver in the spring, recorded his first 100-yard receiving game with 100 yards on just four catches, including a 42-yard touchdown to start USF's scoring and a career long 52-yarder in the fourth quarter. Ford also had a 32-yard touchdown run and gained 37 yards on three carries (12.3 ypc).

Senior Mitchell Wilcox (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) set USF's new tight end career touchdown receptions record (8) with scoring catches of 20 and 10 yards during USF's 459-yard performance.

In the first half, McCloud threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another while the USF defense totaled three takeaways and six tackles for loss (9.0 total on the night) as the Bulls built a 24-3 advantage.

After a field goal by SC State (2-1) started the scoring, Ford's 42-yard touchdown reception boosted the Bulls into the lead with 5:05 remaining in the opening quarter. Ford has touchdown receptions in back-to-back games, both on passes from McCloud.

McCloud's career long 31-yard run down to the SC State 4 paved the way for Coby Weiss' 20-yard field goal that extended the lead to 10-3 with 14:16 to play in the first half.

Livingstone scooped up a fumble on sophomore cornerback Bentlee Sanders' (Tampa) first career sack before another USF score. Wilcox set the program's new tight end career touchdown receptions record he'd later extend with a 20-yard catch that helped the Bulls up their lead to 17-3 with 9:22 to go before halftime.

USF snuck in one more score before the break on McCloud's first career rushing touchdown from 9 yards out with 32 seconds remaining. The 11-play, 80-yard drive followed sophomore middle linebacker Andrew Mims' first career forced fumble that was recovered by Studstill (Riviera Beach, Fla.). Mims led the Bulls with a career-high six tackles (five solo).

Roberts had a 62-yard interception on the opening drive of the second half and USF's lead grew to 31-3 after Ford's 32-yard touchdown run on the very next play.

Sails (Tampa) 34-yard punt return down to the SC State 24 set the stage for freshman Spencer Shrader's first career field goal, a 34-yarder that extended the advantage to 34-9 with 3:01 to play in the third quarter.

Less than a minute later, Wilcox hauled in his second touchdown catch of the night from 10 yards out after Sails recovered USF's fourth fumble of the game that was caused by Reaves. USF had three takeaways in the third quarter, thanks to the first career interception by sophomore defensive back Vincent Davis (Jacksonville, Fla.).

Four plays after Davis' pick, McCloud marched into the end zone from 3 yards out and USF had a 48-9 lead. Ford sparked the 49-second scoring drive with a career long 52-yard reception the play before McCloud's fifth touchdown accounted for.

Jones recovered USF's record fifth fumble and returned it 20 yards. Three plays later, senior quarterback Blake Barnett (Corona, Calif.) capped off the scoring with a 4-yard pass to redshirt freshman Terrence Horne (Miramar, Fla.) with 6:15 to play.

Key Stats
8 and 42 – USF racked up a program single-game record eight takeaways and scored 42 points off turnovers.
5 – USF set another record with five fumble recoveries, which helped the Bulls finish with another milestone of a plus-8 turnover margin.
5– Quarterback Jordan McCloud accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).

Notables

• USF set the new program record with eight takeaways (five fumble recoveries, three interceptions). The previous record of seven takeaways was set three different times (last vs. Louisville on Nov. 17, 2007).
• USF's defense also set a school single-game record with five fumble recoveries. Five different Bulls recovered fumbles – Greg Reaves, Kirk Livingstone, Devin Studstill and KJ Sails and Tyrik Jones.
• Jordan McCloud accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) in the second-best scoring debut by a USF freshman. QB Marquel Blackwell accounted for six touchdowns (three rushing, three passing) against Southern Utah in 2001.
• McCloud (Tampa) became the 17^th starting quarterback in USF history in his first career start. McCloud is the third starting QB in program history from Hillsborough County, joining Bobby Eveld (Tampa) and Chris Oladokun (Tampa).

 
Quotable
Head coach Charlie Strong on the Bulls' first victory of the season:
"I was so proud to see the way we bounced back. Losing that game last week, a game that you felt like we should have won, we didn't come away with the victory. Then we come back and win this game. Now, everything counts. Now, we've got to get ready for conference play."

Strong on redshirt freshman quarterback Jordan McCloud's performance in his first career start:
"He was able to just give us a different pace there on offense. It was good that Jordan came in and performed the way he performed."

Up Next
Following a bye week, USF opens conference play with home game against SMU on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Raymond James Stadium (kickoff time TBA). Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.
 

ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
Having completed just its 22^nd season of football, and 19^th at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program's 150^th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.
 
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