Keys To The Game: Bulls vs. Hornets
September 19, 2026 | Football
GAME 3: Bulls vs. Delaware State Title sponsor: Coca-Cola
GIVEAWAY: Thundersticks (first 10,000 fans)
Raymond James Stadium (65,000) • Tampa, Fla. • Saturday, Sept. 19 • 7:00 PM
TV: ESPN+ - Play-by-Play: T.J. Rives; Analyst: Henry Burris
RADIO: Q105FM/Bulls Unlimited (digital) - Play-by-Play: Jim Lighthall, Analyst: Sam Barrington, Sideline: Joey Johnston
South Florida Game Notes
Hartline Tuesday Presser
Bullseye Coaches Show
When the South Florida Bulls (2-0) and Delaware State Hornets (2-1) meet for the first time Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium, it's a contest between two football teams in which the Bulls are heavily favored.
It will also be a matchup between two head coaches, who are both former NFL wide receivers. The Hornets may be given an edge in that respect.
South Florida Head Coach Brian Hartline: Seven NFL seasons, 344 receptions for 4,766 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Delaware State Head Coach DeSean Jackson: 15 NFL seasons, 641 receptions for 11,263 yards and 58 touchdowns, along with three Pro Bowl selections.
"I guess I'll give him the nod because he basically doubled my career,'' Hartline said. "I would say DeSean is definitely earning that. Fifteen years in the NFL is a long darn time."
Hartline said he respects the coaching job done by Jackson, who guided the Hornets to an 8-4 finish in 2025 after the program withstood a 2-21 mark over the previous two seasons.
"They've had a heck of a lot of growth over the last couple of years, knowing where they were and what Coach Jackson was able to do with them last year,'' Hartline said. "I know they're probably excited for Year Two and they're going to have a lot of athletes who run around and make plays. That jumps off the screen – how hard they play and how skillful they are – so you know they'll be well-coached and they'll have a good plan. But we're really focused on what we do and not really overly focused on what everybody else does.''
Just like the comparative NFL reception totals for Hartline and Jackson, there are obvious numbers that could shape the South Florida-Delaware State matchup.
The Bulls are 35-1 all-time against Football Championship Subdivision opponents (with 12 straight victories) since becoming a Football Bowl Subdivision program in 2000. The Bulls are 8-0 all-time against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents. Last season, South Florida defeated MEAC foe South Carolina State 63-14.
Here are the keys for South Florida to earn its first 3-0 start since 2018 and win its ninth straight game at Ray-Jay:
1. Start Fast
Of course, this is a primary goal every week and was a welcome sight when the Bulls produced a 75-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession of last Saturday's 28-24 American Conference victory at Army. (By the way, kudos to quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, who entered for one play and gained 3 yards on third-and-2 after getting hit in the backfield).
You never want a heavy underdog to gain early confidence and hang around because crazy things sometimes happen. If the Bulls mount another efficient touchdown drive on their opening possession, that's a hugely positive sign.
Through two weeks, the Bulls have improved. And that's the idea.
"This is a process,'' offensive coordinator Tim Beck said. "Our best football is going to be toward the end of the season. So, we have to grow the quarterbacks, grow the offense into the system. We got to keep growing it.''
2. Forget Last Week
I know, I know. How can any of us forget the win at Army? It was a dramatic showcase that was punctuated by Michael Van Buren Jr.'s 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Joshua Porter on fourth-and-6 with 19 seconds remaining. It's the kind of game that inspires you to write sonnets or maybe produce a goosebump-inducing cinematic recap like the one turned in by South Florida's creative team.
We can't forget.
But the South Florida players must operate with a short-term memory. The glorious win at Army has no bearing on what the Bulls bring to the field against Delaware State. The Hornets certainly don't care. So, it's up to the Bulls to create some new incentive and energy for this week. Ideally, it's the same energy each time out — against a nameless, faceless opponent.
"If we make it about them (opponent), we're not going to play really well,'' defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge said. "It's more about us. It doesn't matter how good the opponent is we play, what offense they run, what level they play at. Our standard is the standard. We're looking at the man in the mirror, not them.''
"No disrespect, but we didn't come here to (just) beat Army,'' Beck said. "We came here to compete for conference championships. It doesn't really matter who's next. Our goal is to continue to get better and play our best football at the end of the season.''
3. Play With Efficiency
The FBS usually has an overwhelming victory total against FCS opponents, hovering between a 90-to-95-percent success rate in most seasons. That said, there have already been five FCS over FBS upsets this season (Tarleton State over Bowling Green, The Citadel over Charlotte, Idaho State over Utah State, Illinois State over Northern Illinois and Montana State over Nevada) after only four occurred all of last season.
Delaware State has one victory against an FBS program in its history — a 52-26 win against Akron on Oct. 17, 1987.
So even though the FBS program usually beats the FCS program, there are all manners of victories. South Florida needs one that is crisp, efficient, convincing and non-sloppy.
"A big part of what we talked about through winter conditioning and spring ball was our ability to be a very disciplined team,'' Hartline said. "We felt there was a lot of skill development that we had to acquire. We felt we had checked the box of enough talent on the roster.
"But it was going to come down to our ability to be disciplined, on the field and off the field, and our ability to acquire skill. Talent is what God has blessed you with. Then your discipline is obviously how you do things and the frequency at which you do it. Your skill development is based on your job description. Without discipline, it's really hard to build skill. With reckless discipline, you can really impact the team on and off the field. It all plays a part.''
So far, so good. In two games, the Bulls have zero turnovers and just seven penalties. That sort of approach must continue against Delaware State.
"We have refs at practice every day and I think that helps,'' Aldridge said. "You're constantly telling them, 'You did this wrong,' or 'You didn't line up correctly.' I'm not shocked that it has gone this way (fewer penalties) so far. Knock on wood, but it comes from the top.''
4. Play Complementary Football
So far, this has been South Florida's strength of strengths. The offense has helped the defense. The defense has helped the offense. It's way early, of course, but that's a huge quality for championship-level teams.
"When people hear 'complementary football,' they think that only means what the offense is doing,'' Aldridge said. "I think the defense can play complementary as well. If we keep the ball in front, we've eventually got a chance to stop them and get it back to the offense. When you run a fast-paced offense, your mentality on defense should be that as well where you're aggressive as heck and getting the ball back to the offense.
"We've played two different offenses (FIU, Army) where our mentality was not necessarily sacking the quarterback and those types of things. It was staying in one avenue in one game and a different avenue in the other one. You play a complete football game and you get it back to the offense however you can.''
Beck agreed.
"Our defense got a three-and-out (on Army's final drive, including Zavier Hamilton's third-down sack that forced a punt),'' Beck said. "And that set us up. So everybody had a hand in it.''
–#GoBulls–
Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer
