#24 South Florida (4-1; 1-0 American) at North Texas (5-0; 1-0 American)
Friday, October 10 • 7:30 PM ET • DATCU Stadium (30,100) • Denton, Texas
SURFACE: Artificial, PowerBlade HP
TV: ESPN2: Anish Shroff (P-by-P), Andre Ware (Analyst) & Paul Carcaterra (Sideline)
RADIO: Q105 FM/Bulls Unlimited Digital
SERIES: USF leads 2-0
IN TAMPA: USF leads 1-0
IN DENTON: USF leads 1-0
LAST TIME: USF 24, UNT 17, in Denton, 10/5/2002
VS AMERICAN: 39-58, won 5 of last 7
AMERICAN ROAD OPENERS: 7-5, lost last at Tulane (45-10)
WEEKNIGHT GAMES: 24-34, won last vs. Charlotte
FRIDAY GAMES: 13-19, W last vs Charlotte (54-26) in '25
VS RANKED: 13-40
SOUTH FLORIDA GAME NOTES
BULLSEYE COACHES SHOW
HERD HERE FIRST
DENTON, Texas — First things first.
The North Texas Mean Green?
Let's explain: It began as a cheer from the stands in 1966 for the North Texas Eagles' defense. "Come on, Green, get mean!'' Fred Graham, the sports information director, began referring to the "Mean Green'' very casually in his news releases.
When Hayden Fry was hired as head coach and athletic director in 1973, he embraced the distinctive nickname and used it to unveil a new lime green uniform while shuffling "Eagles'' off to a secondary reference.
Strangely, to set the record straight on a common misconception, the Mean Green nickname has nothing to do with the most famous North Texas player, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Steelers great, "Mean'' Joe Greene.
Now every North Texas team is known as the "Mean Green,'' the university's trademark brand, while "Eagles'' remains the official mascot.
With those formalities out of the way, let's talk about the Mean Green-And-Gold.
That's the No. 24-ranked USF Bulls (4-1, 1-0 American). They are rolling and shooting for the program's best six-game start since 2018. Meanwhile, the North Texas Mean Green (5-0, 1-0 American) are shooting for their program's first 6-0 start since 1959.
So, we have a delicious Friday night ESPN2 matchup, the first big chance for the American to sort itself out after eye-catching starts for several front-running league teams in the non-conference slate.
As if it wasn't enough of a big game on its own, North Texas president Harrison Keller canceled Friday afternoon's classes so students, faculty and staff could attend pregame festivities and help to pack the 30,850-seat DATCU Stadium. It's also a "blackout'' game theme with a flood of giveaways, a BOGO ticket offer and a fireworks show at halftime. On Wednesday, the school announced the first sellout in stadium history.
Clearly, it's a road-game challenge of the highest order for the Bulls.
Here are the keys for USF to continue its momentum and make a resounding nationally televised statement with a college-style "Friday Night Lights,'' deep in the heart of Texas:
1. Weather The Storm
Road games are usually about the visiting team's ability to handle adversity. It might be crowd noise. It could be unfavorable calls. Maybe it's the unfamiliar surroundings or the rigors of travel.
It's unlikely the Bulls will face smooth sailing. But even if things don't start well or if it gets tight in the fourth quarter, let's focus on USF's ability to remain composed and concentrate on the next play. Because that's what good teams do in a hostile environment. They remain unaffected.
USF is well-positioned for road success. After all, the Bulls won at The Swamp on Sept. 6, defeating the Florida Gators, 18-16, in Gainesville, and also experienced a Hard Rock Stadium electrified for a highly ranked Miami Hurricanes team. Many USF players were around last season for the deafening din of Tuscaloosa, when the Bulls were ultra-competitive against Alabama until late in the fourth quarter.
"I think the part that I'm really, really confident in is (the fact) we've been battle-tested pretty good on the road at this point,'' head coach Alex Golesh said. "We've played in tough environments. We've executed in tough environments. We've had to learn from a bunch of mistakes in tough environments. That gives you confidence because you've been through these situations before.
"I think if our group can continue to be player-driven, can continue to stick together and play for each other with a high level of confidence, I'm really, really excited to go into Friday night and see where we are. Because I think it'll be an exciting next step for us. I'm excited to be playing in a game like this. Both teams have earned the right to play in a big game.''
2. Pressure The Quarterback
North Texas has found a fascinating quarterback in precocious redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker, who leads the American with a 158.4 passing efficiency rating, including 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. He has excellent escapability skills, getting sacked just five times in five games.
USF must reverse those trends.
"Obviously, with what we do defensively, you've got to be highly alert for him getting the ball out quick, but also for him pulling the ball (back) and doing some things with his feet,'' Golesh said. "You've got to have a plan to keep him contained.
"In any week, the No. 1 objective defensively is to affect the quarterback and make him uncomfortable. I'm pretty confident in our staff's ability to get a plan together and make him uncomfortable. But through these first five games, he has done a lot to tell you this is a high-level quarterback who's really confident and isn't playing like a young guy. So, a lot of credit to him.''
Mestemaker is the latest QB success story for Mean Green head coach Eric Morris, who has continually recruited and developed the diamond-in-the-rough prospects at his various coaching stops, such as Case Keenum (Houston, 2010-11); Baker Mayfield (Texas Tech, 2013); Davis Webb (Texas Tech, 2013-15); Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech, 2014-16) and Cam Ward (Incarnate Word, 2020-21). Mayfield and Ward became No. 1 overall picks in the NFL Draft.
The challenge is clear.
"He (Mestemaker) throws the ball pretty quick, so we're going to have to pick and choose our spots to go after him,'' defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. "But he has been dynamite. He has an incredibly bright future, but it's going to be important to at least get him off his spot and make him a little bit uncomfortable.''
3. Do The Little Things Well
Even though USF dispatched the Charlotte 49ers 54-26 in its American Conference opener, none of the Bulls' coaches were giddy over how that game developed.
The Bulls suffered four turnovers and had six dropped passes in the first half alone, while incurring seven penalties overall.
"It's a lack of detail and a lack of focus,'' offensive coordinator Joel Gordon said. "You've got to take one step at a time and finish each play, do all the little things. When we got back to work, that's what it has been about.''
"It's the practice habits and it's attention to detail,'' Orlando said. "We have a ton of respect for them — obviously, they're an undefeated team — but there's just a certain way we need to do things. We've got to stay in routine. Let's make sure we're the best version of ourselves every day. That gives us an opportunity to win. It doesn't guarantee it. But at least it puts you in position to do it.''
Translation: As the schedule's difficulty ratchets up, the little things become big things. And if USF can't execute the little things properly, it's going to be costly and contribute to defeat.
The Bulls need a crisp, purpose-driven performance.
4. Turn Byrum Loose
Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown is on a roll. For the first time in his career, Brown has back-to-back games with four touchdown passes. Against Charlotte, he rushed for a career-high 162 yards.
In pivotal games, your stars must play like stars.
That's your cue, Mr. Brown.
Gordon said last week's game against Charlotte was one of Brown's best decision-making efforts as he did a nice job of spreading the ball to USF's playmakers.
And his individual numbers spoke volumes.
"Byrum is a phenomenal runner of the ball.'' Golesh said. "Some of that is created on his own. Some of that is off a pull read. Some of that is truly designed quarterback runs. Byrum is at his best when he's able to use his feet and create there as well. He's doing a great job leading. He's making plays and putting other players in position to make plays.''
–#GoBulls–
