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USF (2-1; 0-0 American) vs. #8 Miami (3-0; 0-0 ACC)
Saturday, Sept. 21 • 7:00 P.M. • Raymond James Stadium (65,000) • Tampa, Fla.
SURFACE: Natural, Bermuda
TV: ESPN: Bob Wischusen (P-by-P), Louis Riddick (analyst) & Kris Budden (sideline)
AUDIO: 102.5 FM, 102.5-HD2 The Strike; TuneIn (Bulls Unlimited);
SERIES: Miami Leads, 5-1
IN TAMPA: Miami leads, 3-0
IN MIAMI: Miami Leads, 2-1
LAST TIME: Miami won, 49-21, in '13 in Tampa
VS RANKED: 11-39, lost last 17 Last: L, 42-16 at #4 Alabama, '24 Home: 7-21;
LAST RANKED WIN: 2016, 52-45 vs. #22 Navy
USF GAME NOTES
For the USF Bulls, it's shaping up as a momentous Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium. There's prime-time coverage from ESPN. The crowd is expected to reach 60,000 — including a record 15,000 students or more. There's a brand-name opponent, a state rival, as big of a challenge as you could imagine from the No. 8-ranked Miami Hurricanes, the Bulls second top-10 ranked opponent in three weeks.
All the elements are converging in perfect fashion.
Which leads us to the mystery question:
Are the Bulls ready for their close-up?
USF head coach Alex Golesh much prefers his standard approach — it's a big game because it's the next game — but come on, can't you feel that buzz in the air? This is probably as special of a USF occasion at Ray-Jay as there has been since 2007, when the Bulls manhandled an Uber-talented, No. 5-ranked West Virginia club on a Friday night, fueled by the emotion of an off-the-chains sellout crowd.
The chance to upset Miami is a massive opportunity — and the gateway to so much more. If the Bulls defeat the Hurricanes, then find success with their front-loaded American Athletic Conference schedule (a trip to Tulane on Sept. 28, then an Oct. 11, Friday night ESPN home matchup against Memphis), all things could be possible.
These are the things that run through your mind on the eve of a big game. The possibilities are tantalizing.
Now for the reality check. USF, early in the second season of Golesh's tenure, is looking for its first win against a ranked team since 2016 (17 straight defeats). Miami, even with its pedigree, still has much to prove itself. The five-time national champion Hurricanes still have not won an ACC football title since entering the league in 2004. Many of those seasons have started fast, only to crumble, so there's definitely a wait-and-see element to any Hurricane resurgence. As The Who once sung, "Won't Get Fooled Again.''
Miami (3-0) at USF (2-1) has dozens of cool subplots. But the assignment here is to imagine a Bulls' victory, a breakthrough for Golesh's squad, a stairway to the next level.
Here are some keys that can help make it a reality:
Running Of The Bulls
We all know USF's preferred method of attack — an up-tempo, go-go offense that puts opponents on the defensive. USF's tempo maintained a high pace at Southern Miss, but we also saw a new, effective wrinkle.
Supreme ball control.
USF scored seven touchdowns, including drives of 14, 12, 11 and eight plays, while winning the time-of-possession battle as well. Kelley Joiner (10 carries for 117 yards, touchdowns of 43 and 50 yards), Nay'Quan Wright (15 carries for 105 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown) and Ta'Ron Keith (eight carries for 54 yards and a 3-yard score) controlled the game.
The Bulls now stand as the only team in FBS football with four different players with at least 100 yards rushing and multiple rushing touchdowns this season.
Attacking Miami is a much more rigorous task than attacking Southern Miss, but if the Bulls can mount a similarly effective running game, they could pose major problems for the Hurricanes.
Playing keep away from Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward — and keeping the Miami defense on the field — is exactly what USF needs. Conversely, an up-tempo three-and-out would play into Miami's hands and put lots of pressure on USF's defense.
If USF can run — and if you see third-and-2 a lot more than third-and-8 — it's a very good sign.
Weather The Storms
When hurricanes approach, every Floridian knows the drill. You've got to minimize the potential damage.
Even if the Bulls play superbly, they will face adversity. How they handle those bad patches will help to define their level of success. If Miami strikes, the Bulls can't afford an immediate turnover that could make matters worse. Instead, USF must find ways to strike back.
USF played it in near-perfect fashion on Sept. 7 at No. 4-ranked Alabama. The Bulls entered the fourth quarter trailing 14-13 and the Alabama lead was just 21-16 with about six minutes remaining. They were in a position to win.
From there, though, one bad thing led to another. The Crimson Tide smacked USF with a three-touchdown blitz and the Bulls were on the wrong side of a deceptive-sounding 42-16 final.
A similar flurry simply can't be allowed to happen against the Hurricanes.
To win, the Bulls must make plays, of course. Equally important, they must weather the predictable storms of a four-quarter, 60-minute endurance test.
Put Big Pressure On Cam Ward
Ward, including his time at Incarnate Word (where he was a Football Championship Subdivision second-team All-American) and Washington State, has started 47 college games. His big arm and physical skills are complemented by the poise of experience.
USF cannot allow Ward to consistently operate from the pocket with ample time to throw.
"Defensively, it starts with being able to affect the quarterback,'' Golesh said. "That guy (Ward) has answers. He's obviously highly intelligent. In terms of him getting the protection right and getting the ball to his playmakers … 47 (starts) is a lot of games. So stopping the run, making it as one-dimensional as you can, and getting after him (Ward) is what you need to do.''
"The most impressive thing about Ward is he sees the game like a coach does,'' defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. "He sees the rotations and the coverages. In pre-snap, he's lethal in terms of getting them in the checks (changing the play). It's not only his talent. It's his mind.''
Orlando spoke about the cat-and-mouse game that USF's defense normally plays — substituting, employing exotic blitz packages, giving different looks. But Ward, usually without the aid of coaches, can play right along with his own adjustments and disguises.
"Miami beat up Florida pretty good (41-17) and they've beaten up the other teams they've played (Florida A&M and Ball State), but when they put the ball down Saturday night, none of that stuff is going to matter,'' Orlando said. "I know they're saying the same thing over at Miami. Let the two teams go at it and let's see what happens.
"We know we have to find ways to get to that quarterback. That's pretty obvious. You can't allow him time because with his experience and the receivers they have, that would be a tough one. We have to do what we do, play hard, play fast, play fearless, get everybody to the football.''
USF is on a 36-sack pace, which would match the program's best total since 2017, and it's well ahead of last season's pressure totals (23 sacks). On an encouraging note, 10 different players have played a role in USF's sacks and 22 different players have contributed to the 27 tackles for a loss. Clearly, there's more depth and talent across the board.
Flustering Ward is a tall task. But if USF can crash through with pressure at opportune moments, that could be enough to thwart a drive and change the game's momentum.
Through three games at Miami, Ward has been sacked just twice in that small sample size. Last season at Washington State, Ward suffered 38 sacks in 12 games. He also fumbled 12 times.
Make of that what you will.
Protect Byrum Brown At All Costs
These are the names to know:
Left tackle RJ Perry, left guard Jack Wilty, center Mike Lofton, right guard Zane Herring, right tackle Derek Bowman.
USF's offensive line might hold the key to everything.
Brown is obviously elusive and mobile, leading USF in rushing with 254 yards. But he has been sacked nine times (four each at Alabama and Southern Miss) and that's too many.
"Protecting Byrum up front and allowing him to deliver the ball downfield will also feed into our ability to run the football and get in rhythm,'' Golesh said. "Easier said than done because Miami is really, really athletic up front, really athletic on the second level and really athletic on the third level.''
"The play of the offensive line is always going to be huge in any single game … and this week (against Miami), it's as important as it will ever be,'' offensive coordinator Joel Gordon said. "Miami has always done a good job of harassing quarterbacks and getting them off their spot, just being chaotic. We have to match that execution, no doubt. Obviously, it starts up front. Our guys on the offensive line are well aware of what the challenge is going to be.''
–#GoBulls–
