MIAMI GARDENS, FLA., SEPT. 13, 2025 –  The No. 18-ranked South Florida Bulls (2-1, American) saw their roll of beating ranked teams come to an end Saturday at a sold-out Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. as No. 5-ranked Miami (3-0; ACC) posted a 49-12 victory.
 
Trailing 14-0 after a hot start from Miami quarterback Carson Beck, the Bulls cut the lead to 14-3 and had the ball and momentum just seconds into the second quarter when lightning cracked and forced an hour and 42-minute weather delay. The game, which kicked off at 4:40 p.m., restarted at 7:07 p.m. and the Bulls drove for a field goal to cut the lead to 14-6. But Beck quickly drove Miami 75 yards in three plays for a touchdown and the Hurricanes used a Bulls turnover in their own territory to post another short touchdown drive and seize control, going to halftime leading 28-6.
 
Beck finished 23-of-28 for 340 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions, while Miami running back Mark Fletcher, Jr. ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns.  
 
Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown went 20-of-36- for 274 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Wide receiver Chas Nimrod had a career night, posting 128 yards on four catches, while freshman Christian Neptune had seven catches and a touchdown.
 
Miami out-gained the Bulls 205 to 40 on the ground and produced 18 explosive plays while mounting 576 yards of offense.
 
Trailing 28-6 late in the third quarter, Brown led the Bulls 81 yards to the Miami 9. On 4^th-and-2, USF turned to Brown on a quarterback draw to pick up the first down and he was stopped short. Miami took over and drove 91 yards in six plays to shut the door on a comeback with a 13-yard touchdown run from Mark Fletcher, Jr. that made it 35-6.
 
Brown drove the Bulls 75 yards on eight plays in the fourth quarter and found Christian Neptune for a 12-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead, but Miami responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive of its own.
 
Beck went 5-of-5 for 60 yards in leading a 75-yard touchdown drive on Miami's first possession. He capped it with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Moore. After the Bulls were forced to punt on their first possession, Miami drove 85 yards to make it 14-0 after another touchdown pass from Beck to Moore, this one 39 yards.
 
With the crowd roaring and rain falling, Brown responded. On 3^rd-and-7 from the Bulls 28, he escaped pressure and rolled out to the left with Miami end Rueben Baine barring down. Brown delivered a 43-yard strike down field to Nimrod that ignited the Bulls bench. Four plays later, Nico Gramatica's 45-yard field goal made it 14-3 and the Bulls had life.
 
The USF defense took the field and quickly forced a three-and-out. Josh Porter fair caught the punt for the Bulls at the USF25, but before the USF offense could capitalize on the momentum, officials stopped the action due to lightning in the area. The teams went to the locker room with 13:51 to play in the first half.
 
Play resumed after an hour and 42-minute delay. Brown ran for a first down and then unleashed a 53-yard bomb to Nimrod that he corralled at the Miami12. The Hurricane defense stiffened and Gramatica knocked in a 28-yard field goal to make it 14-6.
 
Miami moved 75 yards in three big plays, taking a 21-6 lead on a 38-yard run by Fletcher, Jr.
 
After an exchange of punts, the Bulls had the ball and a 3^rd-and-8 on their own 21. USF tried to set up a a middle screen, but Brown's pass was intercepted. Six plays later, Beck scored a touchdown on a two-yard bootleg and Miami led 28-6.
 
Miami was driving in USF territory again, when pressure forced an off-target Beck throw and Jarvis Lee, Jr. snatched an interception. He returned it 27 yards to the USF42. The Bulls offense took the field with 1:15 to play in the half, but were unable to capitalize.
 
KEY STATS
• The game was delayed due to lightning with 13:45 to play in the second quarter and Miami leading 14-3. The teams went to the locker rooms and play resumed at 7:07 p.m. after a 1:42 minute delay.
• Miami gained 205 yards rushing, while USF was held to 40 yards on the ground.
• Miami produced 18 explosive plays on the night (plays of 15+ passing and 10+ rushing), while the Bulls had six.
 
NOTABLES
• CB James Chenault – recorded an interception for the second straight game, becoming the first Bull to do so since 2021.
• WR Chas Nimrod – recorded a career-best 128 yards receiving on four catches, including grabs of 53 and 43 yards.
• S Jarvis Lee – recorded his first career interception.
• WR Christian Neptune – recorded a team-high seven receptions and his first career touchdown.
 
UP NEXT
USF will return to Raymond James Stadium to wrap up the non-conference slate by facing South Carolina State on Saturday, Sept. 20. The Bulldogs went 9-3 last year. The game is set for a noon kickoff on ESPN+.  
 
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.