South Florida Football Rolls to First 3-0 Start Since 2018
September 20, 2026 | Football
Bulls dispatch Delaware State, 59-17, behind 611 yards of offense
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TAMPA, FLA. (SEPT. 19, 2026) โ South Florida produced a season-high 611 yards of offense, tied for the 11th-best total in program history, as the Bulls dispatched Delaware State, 59-17, in front of 32,345 fans Saturday night in Raymond James Stadium.
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The Bulls improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2018 and for just the 10th time in program history as they extended their home win streak to nine games, the second-longest in program history. Head Coach Brian Hartline's 3-0 start also stands as the second-best in program history behind Charlie Strong's 7-0 start in 2017.
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South Florida has now won 18 of its last 24 games (75%) since the midway point of the 2024 season.
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Leading a game Delaware State team 21-17 late in the first half, the Bulls ran off 38-unanswered points, including a 31-0 shutout in the second half, to put the game away. South Florida recorded seven rushing touchdowns on the day, the second-most all-time and second only to the eight recorded in the Bulls very first game. D.J. Crowther had three of those and eight carries for 101 yards.
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Quarterback Michael Van Buren completed 23-of-32 (70%) for 300 yards and a touchdown, while Sam Robinson, Zavier Hamilton and Ayden Jackson led the defense with six tackles each.
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First Half
South Florida took the opening kickoff and raced down the field in a no-huddle, fast paced offense that went 72 yards in four plays and scored when Crowther ran in from 10-yards out capping a drive that took just 73 seconds.
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After stopping the Bulls second possession, Delaware State struck back from their own 10-yard line as Ui Ale hit Nathan Stewart on a quick slant and he broke up the middle of the field, racing 90-yards to tie the game 7-7.
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The Bulls wasted little time in responding, moving 75 yards in four plays and taking a 14-7 lead on Crowther's 38-yard touchdown run. Crowther had three carries, two touchdowns and 56 yards with 2:56 to play in the first quarter.
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On Delaware State's next drive, Marshon Oxley came crashing around the right side, sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble recovered by Ryan Jenkins on the DSU41. The Bulls quickly drove to the 10 and inserted 6-4, 220-pound quarterback Luke Kromenhoek who went straight up the middle for a touchdown that made it 21-7 with 8:17 to play in the half.
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Delaware State used a 50-yard run from Ale to reach the USF3. But, the Bulls defense forced the Hornets back and they settled for a 22-yard field goal.
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The Hornets forced a fumble from tight end Wyatt Sullivan and took over on the USF48. They capitalized when Ale hit Jaylin Terzado with a 20-yard touchdown pass that closed the Bulls lead to 21-17 with 1:18 to play in the first half.
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Van Buren moved USF quickly to the 45 with a 17-yard completion to Bryson Rodgers. He found Crowther who bounced off defenders for a gain of 29 yards to the DSU12. The Bulls ran three more plays and found themselves on the 1 with three seconds to play. Again, they went to Kromenhoek who crashed in over the left side for a 28-17 lead at the half.
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Second Half
The Bulls defense got a stop on 4th-and-7 at the USF45 on the Hornets opening possession. Van Buren completed a 23-yard pass to Cam Seldon. Crowther again finished the drive, bursting 39 yards for a touchdown, his third of the game, that made it 35-17.
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The Bulls got another stop and then drove 75 yards on eight plays, capping the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run from Jason Collins Jr. to expand the lead to 42-17 and put the game on ice with 21 unanswered points. ย
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KEY STATS
โข The Bulls improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2018 and just the 10th time in program history.
โข South Florida produced a season-high 611 yards and 59 points and had just two penalties and no turnovers for the third straight game.
โข The 611 yards rank tied for the 11th-best total in program history and the most since the Bulls posted 715 yards vs. Tulsa in 2024.
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NOTABLES
โข RB D.J. Crowther became the first Bull to run for three TD in a game since Jaren Mangham vs. FAMU in 2021. He posted his fourth career 100-yard game, running eight times for 101 yards (12.6 ypc). He added two catches for 40 yards to produce 141 all-purpose yards on the night.
โข WR Bryson Rodgers posted career highs with seven catches for 86 yards.
โข WR Joshua Porters posted career highs of eight catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.
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UP NEXT
South Florida hits the road for the second time on the season as the Bulls head to Bowling Green (MAC) for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+. Bowling Green fell to 0-3 on the year with a 55-7 loss at Iowa State (2-1) on Saturday. It will mark the second meeting in the series. The Bulls won the first, 29-7, in Tampa in 2002.
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Follow us:
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow South Florida Football on social media Facebook, Instagram, X, and Youtube.
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Get Your Tickets Today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
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About South Florida Football
The South Florida football program first took the field in 1997 and will play its 30th season in 2026.
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In 2025, the Bulls went 9-4, earned a third straight bowl appearance, made the program's first College Football Playoff ranking appearance, and were ranked four times in the weekly Associated Press Top 25 poll. South Florida completed construction on a new $22-million Indoor Performance Facility in 2023, and construction is in progress on $349-million on-campus stadium and football operations center broke slated for completion by 2027.
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The Bulls have posted 18 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections (including two consensus selections, the last coming in 2021), and 35 first-team all-conference honorees. South Florida has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, while the Bulls have made 13 bowl game appearances (going 8-5), tied for the third-most nationally in the first 25 seasons of a program's bowl eligibility. South Florida 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. The Bulls 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 AP rankings during the 2007 season.
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TAMPA, FLA. (SEPT. 19, 2026) โ South Florida produced a season-high 611 yards of offense, tied for the 11th-best total in program history, as the Bulls dispatched Delaware State, 59-17, in front of 32,345 fans Saturday night in Raymond James Stadium.
ย
The Bulls improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2018 and for just the 10th time in program history as they extended their home win streak to nine games, the second-longest in program history. Head Coach Brian Hartline's 3-0 start also stands as the second-best in program history behind Charlie Strong's 7-0 start in 2017.
ย
South Florida has now won 18 of its last 24 games (75%) since the midway point of the 2024 season.
ย
Leading a game Delaware State team 21-17 late in the first half, the Bulls ran off 38-unanswered points, including a 31-0 shutout in the second half, to put the game away. South Florida recorded seven rushing touchdowns on the day, the second-most all-time and second only to the eight recorded in the Bulls very first game. D.J. Crowther had three of those and eight carries for 101 yards.
ย
Quarterback Michael Van Buren completed 23-of-32 (70%) for 300 yards and a touchdown, while Sam Robinson, Zavier Hamilton and Ayden Jackson led the defense with six tackles each.
ย
First Half
South Florida took the opening kickoff and raced down the field in a no-huddle, fast paced offense that went 72 yards in four plays and scored when Crowther ran in from 10-yards out capping a drive that took just 73 seconds.
ย
After stopping the Bulls second possession, Delaware State struck back from their own 10-yard line as Ui Ale hit Nathan Stewart on a quick slant and he broke up the middle of the field, racing 90-yards to tie the game 7-7.
ย
The Bulls wasted little time in responding, moving 75 yards in four plays and taking a 14-7 lead on Crowther's 38-yard touchdown run. Crowther had three carries, two touchdowns and 56 yards with 2:56 to play in the first quarter.
ย
On Delaware State's next drive, Marshon Oxley came crashing around the right side, sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble recovered by Ryan Jenkins on the DSU41. The Bulls quickly drove to the 10 and inserted 6-4, 220-pound quarterback Luke Kromenhoek who went straight up the middle for a touchdown that made it 21-7 with 8:17 to play in the half.
ย
Delaware State used a 50-yard run from Ale to reach the USF3. But, the Bulls defense forced the Hornets back and they settled for a 22-yard field goal.
ย
The Hornets forced a fumble from tight end Wyatt Sullivan and took over on the USF48. They capitalized when Ale hit Jaylin Terzado with a 20-yard touchdown pass that closed the Bulls lead to 21-17 with 1:18 to play in the first half.
ย
Van Buren moved USF quickly to the 45 with a 17-yard completion to Bryson Rodgers. He found Crowther who bounced off defenders for a gain of 29 yards to the DSU12. The Bulls ran three more plays and found themselves on the 1 with three seconds to play. Again, they went to Kromenhoek who crashed in over the left side for a 28-17 lead at the half.
ย
Second Half
The Bulls defense got a stop on 4th-and-7 at the USF45 on the Hornets opening possession. Van Buren completed a 23-yard pass to Cam Seldon. Crowther again finished the drive, bursting 39 yards for a touchdown, his third of the game, that made it 35-17.
ย
The Bulls got another stop and then drove 75 yards on eight plays, capping the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run from Jason Collins Jr. to expand the lead to 42-17 and put the game on ice with 21 unanswered points. ย
ย
KEY STATS
โข The Bulls improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2018 and just the 10th time in program history.
โข South Florida produced a season-high 611 yards and 59 points and had just two penalties and no turnovers for the third straight game.
โข The 611 yards rank tied for the 11th-best total in program history and the most since the Bulls posted 715 yards vs. Tulsa in 2024.
ย
NOTABLES
โข RB D.J. Crowther became the first Bull to run for three TD in a game since Jaren Mangham vs. FAMU in 2021. He posted his fourth career 100-yard game, running eight times for 101 yards (12.6 ypc). He added two catches for 40 yards to produce 141 all-purpose yards on the night.
โข WR Bryson Rodgers posted career highs with seven catches for 86 yards.
โข WR Joshua Porters posted career highs of eight catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.
ย
UP NEXT
South Florida hits the road for the second time on the season as the Bulls head to Bowling Green (MAC) for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+. Bowling Green fell to 0-3 on the year with a 55-7 loss at Iowa State (2-1) on Saturday. It will mark the second meeting in the series. The Bulls won the first, 29-7, in Tampa in 2002.
ย
Follow us:
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow South Florida Football on social media Facebook, Instagram, X, and Youtube.
ย
Get Your Tickets Today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
ย
About South Florida Football
The South Florida football program first took the field in 1997 and will play its 30th season in 2026.
ย
In 2025, the Bulls went 9-4, earned a third straight bowl appearance, made the program's first College Football Playoff ranking appearance, and were ranked four times in the weekly Associated Press Top 25 poll. South Florida completed construction on a new $22-million Indoor Performance Facility in 2023, and construction is in progress on $349-million on-campus stadium and football operations center broke slated for completion by 2027.
ย
The Bulls have posted 18 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections (including two consensus selections, the last coming in 2021), and 35 first-team all-conference honorees. South Florida has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, while the Bulls have made 13 bowl game appearances (going 8-5), tied for the third-most nationally in the first 25 seasons of a program's bowl eligibility. South Florida 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. The Bulls 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 AP rankings during the 2007 season.
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โ #GoBulls โ
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