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The bowl-game history of USF football has resembled a long and winding road — filled with diverse locales and experiences.
From the freezing temperatures and snow of Toronto … to the mountainous terrain and Mexican backdrop of El Paso, Texas … to the Southern-fried outposts of Birmingham, Ala., and Charlotte, N.C. … to three different venues in Florida, there are stories to tell about USF's postseason journey.
The latest chapter will be written on Dec. 21, when ESPN's cameras chronicle the Bulls (6-6) tangling with the ACC's Syracuse Orange (6-6) in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl.
"Most of our guys have not been to a bowl game, so it's going to be us (coaching staff) guiding the way,'' head coach Alex Golesh said. "They have been awesome in terms of buying into what we're setting as the standard. We'll have a blast. But we're going to be ready to go play.''
Who will have the plays to remember?
Which players will etch their names into USF football history?
Here are the top five USF bowl-game moments from the Bulls previous 10 appearances:
1. QUINTON'S FINAL ACT
USF 38, Texas Tech 34
Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 23, 2017
In a riveting finish, featuring four lead changes in the fourth quarter alone, Bulls' dynamic quarterback Quinton Flowers provided an appropriate exclamation point to his record-breaking USF career.
With 16 seconds remaining at historic Legion Field, Flowers hit 235-pound wide receiver Tyre McCants on a 26-yard wheel-route touchdown pass, giving the Bulls a 38-34 victory against the Big 12 Conference's Texas Tech Red Raiders.
"He's special,'' Texas Tech safety Jah'Shawn Johnson said afterward. "He can beat you with his feet, beat you in the air. We saw on film all month that he's making guys miss, getting out of the pocket, extending plays for his team. And that's what he did tonight.''
Flowers, who accounted for 417 total yards and five touchdowns in the game, rushed for 106 yards and passed for 311 (17-for-34), to finish his career with a program-record 11,802 total yards and 3,672 rushing yards, along with 34 total school records.
His final play as a USF Bull — the game-winning touchdown toss to McCants — was the perfect walk-off moment and McCants' run along the back of the endzone while joyously windmilling both arms is etched in USF fans memories and several internet memes. The Bulls would secure their second-straight 10-win season and final AP Top 25 ranking.
2. OVERTIME CLUTCH
USF 46, South Carolina 39 (OT)
Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 29, 2016
The Bulls earned a program-record 11th victory, but it wasn't easy. Just when victory seemed secure, a 15-point fourth-quarter blitz by the SEC's South Carolina Gamecocks forced the Bulls to overtime.
Then Flowers went back to work.
The then junior quarterback, who accounted for 266 total yards and five touchdowns, found tight end Elkanah Dillon with a 25-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime at Legion Field.
South Carolina got its shot and USF's defense clinched it when defensive end Mike Love flew into the backfield on fourth down and sacked South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley, forcing a fumble that was recovered by safety Khalid McGee. USF fans and sideline erupted as the Bulls secured their first season-ending AP Top 25 ranking in program history.
3. B.J. TO THE END ZONE
USF 31, Clemson 26
Meineke Car Care Bowl, Charlotte, N.C., Dec. 31, 2010
Bulls' quarterback B.J. Daniels supplied the knockout punch to the ACC's Clemson Tigers with an 8-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, putting USF up 31-13 at Bank of America Stadium
"He did a super job,'' USF head coach Skip Holtz said of Daniels' nifty play. "A little shovel, option pass. Faked the shovel, took off outside, then he faked the option, took the other guy outside and then turned and split it and walked into the end zone. It was just a great individual effort.''
Daniels' decisive score was set up by a 48-yard interception return by redshirt freshman strong safety JaQuez Jenkins. It was one of the big USF defensive highlights. Also notable: The solid hit by linebacker Sam Barrington on Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker, whose afternoon was ended with broken ribs and the first of three USF bowl game victories over an opponent from an autonomy five league.
4. FLIPPING FOR JPP
USF 27, Northern Illinois 3
International Bowl, Toronto, Canada, Jan. 2, 2010
It wasn't even a real football play. But two days before the International Bowl, in the comfortable indoor climate of the Rogers Centre, Bulls' defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul pulled off one of the greatest feats ever witnessed at a bowl-game site
JPP did 14 consecutive backflips.
Repeat: 14.
Following a USF practice, JPP and linebacker Kion Wilson wanted to settle a bet on who could do more backflips. JPP, soon to be named a first-team All-American, already had achieved mythical status as a 6-foot-5, 270-pound pass-rusher with superb agility — and also a player who did a standing backflip in full shoulder pads.
"How big he was, how long he was … it took your breath away,'' said USF assistant Kevin Patrick, who recruited JPP from Fort Scott Community College where the Greyhounds' football squad shared indoor practice space with the school's rodeo team.
After JPP did his 14 consecutive backflips, Wilson managed just seven and that was that … at least until the USF Athletics video of the event went viral. To date, it has been viewed 1.2 million times on Youtube.
As for the game, the JPP-led defense shut down Northern Illinois in a 27-3 victory, which also featured a 207-yard rushing performance by Mike Ford.
5. MAKING A STATEMENT
USF 41, Memphis 14
St. Petersburg Bowl, St. Petersburg, Fla., Dec. 20, 2008
After beginning the season at 5-0 and a No. 10 national ranking — then slumping to a 2-5 regular-season finish — the Bulls needed something positive to happen.
The Bulls broke out white helmets for the first time, and on the third play of the inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field quarterback Matt Grothe hit Taurus Johnson with a 26-yard touchdown pass, jump-starting his team to a rout of the Tigers.
The night before the game, San Diego Chargers' quarterback Phillip Rivers, who had been coached at NC State by USF assistant Mike Canales, visited the USF hotel. Rivers told Grothe to just play his game and everything would be fine.
It was.
Grothe went 17-of-24 passing for 236 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 83 more. Grothe also set the Big East Conference (and then USF program) career total offense record with 10,214 yards in 39 games.
"I just went out there and played and didn't worry about anything,'' Grothe said. "The last few weeks, I've worried about winning ball games and got away from playing football. Once we got that first one (touchdown to Johnson), I feel like we loosened up and just played the way we knew how to play.''
–#GoBulls–
