TAMPA, FLA., OCT. 10, 2025 – The No. 24-ranked South Florida Bulls (5-1, 2-0 American) used a 35-point third quarter and a 28-0 run to break open a tie game and hand previously unbeaten North Texas (5-1, 1-1 American) its first loss of the season, 63-36, at a sold-out DATCU Stadium in Denton, Texas.
 
It was the Bulls first game outside of the state of Florida on the season and their first at UNT since 2002 as South Florida improved to 3-0 against UNT and won its sixth conference game in its last eight outings. USF improved to 2-0 in conference play for just the seventh time in program history and the second time under head coach Alex Golesh, who led the Bulls to a 2-0 start in The American in 2023.
 
The Bulls found themselves in a 14-7 hole at the end of the first quarter after committing three turnovers in the opening 15 minutes. USF rebounded to tie the game at 21 at the half and used an explosive third quarter in which South Florida outscored UNT 35-7, the Bulls most points in a quarter vs. an FBS opponent, to take command of the game and cruise to victory.
 
With the game tied at 21 at the half, South Florida reeled off 21 unanswered points out of the locker room, part of a 28-0 run that saw the Bulls go from trailing 21-14 to leading 42-21 just 3 minutes and 25 seconds into the third quarter.
 
USF took the opening second half kickoff and went 75 yards in just four plays, scoring a trick play when wide receiver Christian Neptune hit Keshaun Singleton with a 29-yard touchdown pass.
 
Fred Gaskin intercepted UNT quarterback Drew Mestemaker on UNT's next possession and returned it 27 yards to the UNT15. Two plays later, running back Sam Franklin scored on an 11-yard run.
 
On UNT's next possession, Jarvis Lee forced a fumble and Jhalyn Shuler scooped it up and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown that gave the Bulls a 42-21 lead with 11:35 to play in the third quarter.
 
The Mean Green gained their footing with a 68-yard drive for a touchdown, but the Bulls responded immediately going 86 yards in five plays and scoring on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jeremiah Koger, his second of the game, to shut down any comeback.
 
UNT took the ball to start the game, and the Bulls defense quickly forced a three-and-out. But, after the Bulls offense moved the ball 31 yards, Brown was hit in the pocket and a strip sack gave the Mean Green the ball at the UNT47. Seven plays later Mestemaker ran right for a 2-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead.
 
The Bulls moved 34 yards on their next possession before Brown fumbled an exchange in the backfield and the Mean Green took over on the UNT43. This time the USF defense rose to the occasion and Shuler intercepted Mestemaker at the USF10 and returned it 31 yards.
 
USF leaned heavily on Brown's legs as the quarterback ran four times for 44 yards, capping a 59-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7.
 
UNT answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive capped by 23-yard touchdown run by Makenzie McGill to take a 14-7 lead.
 
Brown was intercepted on the first play of the Bulls next possession and UNT had the ball at the USF46.
 
Again, the defense rose to the occasion, forcing UNT to lose five yards in three plays and punt. The Bulls took the ball and drove 76 yards in 12 plays to tie the game when Brown hit Koger with a beautiful 14-yard over the shoulder pass in the back corner of the endzone to tie the game at 14.
 
UNT regained a 21-14 lead when Wyatt Young ran in from 11 yards out to cap an 8-play, 60-yard drive.
 
Jonas Duclona picked Mestemaker off at the USF15 with 1:57 to play in the half. The Bulls failed to move the ball and Chase Leon launched a booming 51-yard punt that was muffed by Miles Coleman and recovered by Cedrick Hawkins at the UNT17 with 50 seconds to play in the half. The Bulls moved it to the UNT2 and had third-and-goal with 5 seconds to play. Brown faked the handoff and hit wide open tight end Jonathan Echols in the endzone to tie the game at 21 at the half.
 
KEY STATS
• USF scored 28 straight points to take a 42-21 lead.
• USF ran for 306 yards a week after rushing for 407 yards vs. Charlotte and has logged 713 rushing yards in the last two games.
• The Bulls defense collected four turnovers and has created eight turnovers in the last two games.
• USF outscored UNT 35-7 in the third quarter, including running off 21 straight points in the first 3:25 of the quarter.
 
NOTABLES
• QB Byrum Brown – For the second straight game Brown accounted for five touchdowns – throwing for three and running for two. He has accounted for 14 touchdowns over the last three games.
• WR Jeremiah Koger led the Bulls with four catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns, marking his second straight game with a touchdown.
• S Tavin Ward led the Bulls with a career high 14 tackles .
• LB Jhalyn Shuler got an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown while posting eight tackles.
 
UP NEXT
USF returns to Raymond James Stadium for a Homecoming clash with FAU on Saturday. The game will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and can be heard on Q105 FM and Bulls Unlimited. The broadcast outlet for the game has yet be announced.
 
Tickets:
Season tickets for the 2025 USF football season tickets are on sale and may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or visiting this LINK.
 
Single-game tickets for the 2025 USF football season can be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or visiting this LINK.
 
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ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 28th season in 2024 with its second-straight bowl victory in the Hawai'i Bowl. Head coach Alex Golesh posted a program-best six-game turnaround and a Boca Raton Bowl victory in his first season in 2023. USF completed construction on a new $22 million Indoor Performance Facility in 2023 and a $340-million on-campus stadium and football operations center broke ground in the fall of 2024 and is slated for completion by 2027. The Bulls have posted 17 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections (including two consensus selections, the last coming in 2021), as well as 33 first-team all-conference honorees. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and the Bulls have made 12 bowl game appearances (going 8-4), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. USF posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016, while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 campaigns and reached as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press rankings during the 2007 season.