Bulls check in at No. 24 as they head to unbeaten North Texas for Friday night clash

TAMPA, FLA., OCT. 5, 2025 – South Florida football returned to the Associated Press Top 25 Poll following a 54-26 rout of Charlotte in USF's American Conference opener that moved the Bulls to 4-1 on the year.

The Bulls checked in at No. 24 in the AP Poll after posting 631 yards – 407 on the ground – against the 49ers. Quarterback Byrum Brown accounted for five touchdowns on the night as he threw for 211 yards and four touchdowns and ran for a career-best 162 yards and a touchdown – his sixth career 100-yard rushing game.  Brown now ranks No. 24 in the nation accounting for 15.6 points per game.
 
The Bulls defense looked like vintage USF teams, forcing the Charlotte offense off the field in three plays or less in six of the 49ers' first eight possessions, blocking a punt for a safety and getting an interception. Charlotte totaled just 13 yards in its first eight possessions. The defense went on to force four turnovers on the night and extend a string of 13 straight games gaining a turnover. USF now ranks No. 7 in the nation in turnovers gained.

After an historic start to the season that saw South Florida knock off ranked opponents in back-to-back games for the first time in program history, the Bulls were ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll following Week 2. The Bulls opened the season with a dominant 34-7 victory over No. 25 Boise State in Raymond James Stadium before securing an 18-16 upset of No. 13 Florida in The Swamp in Week 2. Florida downed No. 9 Texas in Gainesville on Saturday.

The return to the national rankings continues a tradition of success for USF and marks the Bulls' 50^th week in the poll. The Bulls one loss on the season came on the road at Miami, now ranked No. 2 in the latest AP Poll.

UP NEXT
USF hits the road for another Friday night primetime clash as the Bulls take on North Texas in Denton, Texas on Oct. 10. The game is set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2. North Texas will be coming off a bye week and will enter the game unbeaten at 5-0 (1-0 American) on the year.  
 
Tickets:
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.