University of South Florida
Bowling Green
USF Football Looks To Go 2-0 on The Road In Hartline's Return To Ohio
September 23, 2026 | Football
GAME 4: Bulls at Bowling Green
Doyt L. Perry Stadium (24,000) • Bowling Green, Ohio • Saturday, Sept. 26 • 5:00 PM
TV: ESPN+ - Play-by-Play: Kelsie Kasper; Analyst: Ryan Cavanaugh
RADIO: Q105FM & Bulls Unlimited (digital) - Play-by-Play: Jim Lighthall, Analyst: Sam Barrington, Sideline: Joey Johnston
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The Bulls are 3-0. They gained 611 yards in last Saturday's 59-17 win against FCS opponent Delaware State, which was limited to zero points and 66 yards in the second half.
South Florida head coach Brian Hartline and his staff aren't enamored by those numbers — or any numbers, really. That sober approach will continue Saturday afternoon when the heavily favored Bulls travel to face the Mid-American Conference's Bowling Green Falcons (0-3).
"Production doesn't mean it's good production,'' Hartline said. "I know that everyone loves numbers and some offenses out there put up some numbers, but it's still bad ball. Like (when) the quarterback is scrambling around because the O-line can't block properly or the back can't pick up a (blitz) or whether you can't win (against) man coverage.
"Defensively, you could be out of position, could give up a big play, but you're just lucky that someone got a good rush. There are so many issues and the issues are always there. It's not based on production. It's not based on yards. You can get a catch off a (pass) route and it can be a terrible route. But the DB (defensive back) was just worse. That doesn't validate your production and make you good. That was a terrible route. That was a terrible release. The guy failed, but he got lucky.''
Those are the conversations for the staff that is overseeing the program's first 3-0 start since 2018.
Those are the concerns for a team that should be considered among the favorites to capture the American Conference championship.
And those are the standards that won't be compromised, regardless of the situation, regardless of the opponent.
That message has been received by South Florida's players.
"We're not in the world of chasing stats,'' wide receiver Bryson Rodgers said. "It's more about the details. Like the play I had on the sideline early in the game (against Delaware State), the big explosive. I could've taken a better angle … getting around (the safety) for a touchdown. That's points for my offense. That gets my defense out there with confidence. That's just a standard I hold myself to. Whatever you put on film is a product of yourself, no matter what the conditions are, no matter what's in play.''
"They (coaches) just want the full 11 (players) doing their job,'' defensive back Ayden Jackson said. "Everybody getting to the ball and doing our keys at 100 percent. Eleven hats on the ball. All of us moving at the same pace, knowing what we've got to do, then going out there as one.''
Hartline said he likes some of the aspects this team has displayed.
But his overall takeaway as the Bulls hit the quarter-pole after three games?
"For us to achieve our goals, like, we are so unbelievably far away (from that level) that it would almost be insane not to notice that,'' Hartline said. "We are so freaking far away. I promise, in talking to the team, I didn't use 'freaking.' I used a different word.
"But we're so far away, it's not even close. It's honestly a little scary. The fact that we're not further along, where we are, we have a lot of work to do each week, and we've been practicing that way.''
Hartline said his idea of improvement is not "to necessarily reinvent the wheel.''
"We're not looking for guys to be some special playmaker because that's just not real,'' Hartline said. "That will happen at times … but we just want to make the routine play routinely. We want to do the easy more frequently and do the easy better. Guys are becoming more consistent and more reliable. We need more of those guys as quick as possible to keep chasing what we're trying to chase.''
Although Bowling Green has begun 0-3 — with an opening defeat against FCS power Tarleton State, plus decisive losses at Nebraska and Iowa State — Hartline said the Bulls are facing the same challenge of putting together high-level play.
The sidelights that might be interesting for fans — facing Bowling Green head coach Eddie George (a fellow Ohio State alumnus and the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner) and returning to his home state of Ohio — aren't even on Hartline's radar.
"I have no idea,'' Hartline said when asked how many family members and friends might attend Saturday's game. "We're going on a business trip, so I really don't have a whole lot of warm and fuzzy feelings when it comes to traveling anywhere. I know it's their homecoming. It will be a great environment, and we look forward to competing.
"I have a lot of respect for Coach George. We have a friendship relationship. I think very highly of him. But we have a business mentality. I don't really get caught up in that stuff and I'm not a big (smiling and socializing) person in the pregame. We're going there for business.''
Business is good.
The Bulls are 3-0.
But in Hartline's world, business could be even better. That's what he hopes to experience Saturday at Bowling Green.
"We're chasing everyone doing their one-eleventh,'' Hartline said. "We're not chasing production because even having the highest passing numbers in this conference does not equate to championships. That's well-documented.
"Total defense is part of it, but TFLs (tackles for a loss), how many do you give up on offense. That's a correlation to winning this conference. How about turnovers or penalties. Your ability to win one-score games. We're really dialed in on those kind of metrics, not just the ones that look pretty.''
–#GoBulls–
Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer
