USF (1-10; 0-7 American) vs #25/- UCF (8-3; 5-2 American)
Saturday, Nov. 26 • 7:00 P.M. • Raymond James Stadium (69,457) • Tampa, Fla.
SURFACE: Natural: Bermuda
TV: ESPN2: Taylor Zarzour (PXP), Matt Stinchcomb (Analyst) & Alyssa Lang (sideline)
RADIO: 102.5 FM/102.5 HD 2
AUDIO STREAM: TuneIn - Bulls Unlimited 1
SERIES: UCF leads, 7-6; STREAK: UCF last 5
IN TAMPA: Tied, 3-3
IN ORLANDO: UCF leads, 4-3
LAST YEAR: UCF won, 17-13, in Orlando
AAC GAMES: USF lost last 12
VS RANKED: 11-36, lost last 14; 7-19 at home
USF (PDF) (PDF)GAME NOTES (PDF)
FAN APPRECIATION GAME FEATURES $55K IN PRIZE GIVEAWAYS
When the USF Bulls take the field at Raymond James Stadium for Saturday night's "War On I-4'' rivalry game against the UCF Knights, there will be a special strip across the top of their slime green helmets.
It features the signatures of 17 USF seniors who will be honored before kickoff. They have no bowl appearances and no victories against UCF. But the group has persevered and grown, setting a positive example for the next generation of Bulls.
In the eyes of USF interim head coach Daniel Da Prato, it's a sweet 17.
"It's a great way to showcase these guys,'' Da Prato said. "They've all been doing this a long time and they're going out there one last time to play for their teammates.
"Our approach has been to enjoy every moment, every single second that we're together. Rivalry games are a lot of fun. All the peripheral stuff and fan stuff is part of the buildup all week. But once they put the ball down Saturday night, it's a football game. The focus is on having fun, playing for each other and everybody doing their job.''
There are several keys to the Bulls (1-10, 0-7 AAC) pulling an upset against the Knights (8-3, 5-2 AAC) in the last War On I-4 game for the foreseeable future (UCF heads to the Big 12 Conference next season).
USF must get another high-level performance from true freshman quarterback Byrum Brown, who was lights-out last week at Tulsa (21-for-25, 21 straight completions, 240 yards passing, 76 yards rushing, four total touchdowns).
Running back Brian Battie, the sixth back in USF history with a 1,000-yard rushing season, must play up to his soaring standard.
USF's beleaguered defense must play its best game of the season in order to compete against an outstanding UCF offense (ranked 13th nationally at 481.0 yards per game).
Most of all, the Bulls' seniors must provide leadership, perhaps giving the entire group a larger cause to rally around.
After so much on-field frustration, what would it mean for those seniors to topple the rival Knights in their final college game? Especially with UCF needing a victory to secure a spot in the AAC Championship Game?
"It would mean everything,'' linebacker Dwayne Boyles said.
"We've all gone through a lot of adversity,'' center Brad Cecil said. "To pull together with our teammates, our brothers, and to achieve our goals on the field one last time … it would be a memory for us all to cherish for the rest of our lives.''
Boyles and Cecil are among the 17 seniors featured on the helmet strip, along with Andrew Beardall, Vincent Davis, Jbril Glaze, Darrien Grant, Josh Green, Jatorian Hansford, Demetris Harris, Demontrey Jacobs, Mekhi LaPointe, Colin McCreary, Brock Parry, De'Juan Sease, Alec Valet, Latrell Williams and Rashawn Yates.
"It's a lot deeper than a bunch of names on a strip,'' Cecil said. "There's so much history behind those names, so much love for the game. We have such belief in each other. We all play for the guy next to us.
"If we execute, believe in the system, play to the best of our abilities. There's a lot on the line, but we just need to go out and play our game. We're going to do everything we can in our power to be successful.''
Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night at Ray-Jay and USF fans wearing green and gold could be selected to receive some of the giveaways that are worth an estimated $55,000.
The biggest potential prize? An upset victory against UCF, which would send out the USF seniors in the best possible manner.
"We are working our tails off to give our fans an absolute great product to cheer for,'' Da Prato said. "We thank the fans for their continued support and they get the entire day to enjoy themselves as it builds up to the game. Once they put the ball down, let's get after it.
"One thing about rivalry games: You can kind of put all the records aside, everything that has happened in the past, what's supposed to happen, who's favored and all of that. We're going to do everything possible to put ourselves in a position to get a win.''
Trivia Time
Brian Battie, trying for his fifth consecutive 100-yard rushing game this season, had 15 carries for 102 yards against UCF on Nov. 27, 2020. He could become the second USF back with two 100-yard rushing performances against UCF. Who were the others (answer below).
Looking Ahead
The 2023 Bulls will feature a marquee non-conference home game against the Alabama Crimson Tide next Sept. 16. The season opens with a Sept. 2 trip to Western Kentucky, then the home opener against Florida A&M on Sept. 9, along with a non-conference road date at UConn on Oct. 21. In the reconfigured AAC, the Bulls will host Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Rice and Temple next season, while traveling to Memphis, Navy, UAB and UTSA.
Trivia Answer
USF has twice had backs compile a pair of 100-yard rushing games against UCF — Marlon Mack (102 yards in 2015 and 155 yards in 2016) and quarterback Quinton Flowers (152 yards in 2016 and 102 yards in 2017).
– Go Bulls –
