USF is coming off a badly needed open date following the Bulls 34-31 loss at Memphis. What it more painful is that the Bulls were outscored 17-0 in the fourth quarter, leading to their first American Conference loss this season.
"We were certainly excited to get back out on the field. It feels like Memphis was a really long time ago," USF coach Alex Golesh said.
"But for us, it was a matter of cleaning it up, taking the time to really be detailed out in in the cleanup part, in addressing how we played, and being able to put it to bed while at the same time, being able to learn and grow."
A nationwide audience on ESPN will get to judge how successfully USF put that disappointment in the dustbin -- and it better be quick. The Bulls host UTSA on Thursday and the Roadrunners had an eyebrow-raising blowout of Tulane in their last game.
A win keeps USF solidly on track for a berth in the conference championship game. A loss would make that highly unlikely, if not impossible.
USF had a season-high crowd of 45,169 for its October 18 game at Raymond James Stadium against Florida Atlantic. Golesh is hoping for a similar turnout for this game, even though it's on a weeknight.
"We're beyond fired up to be in front of in front of our fans. And I haven't forgotten that the last time we were at Ray Jay there were 45,000 people. That place was rocking. It was electric," Golesh said. "And I would hope and tell our students, our fan base, the expectation is that Thursday night that thing is rocking under the lights again, national TV again."
How to watch UTSA vs. USF in Week 9
Date: Thursday, November 6
Time: 7:30 p.m.
How to watch: ESPN
How to listen: Q105 radio and streaming on Bulls Unlimited
USF record: 6-2 overall, 3-1 in the conference
UTSA: 4-4 overall, 2-2 in the conference
What broadcast crew is calling the game?
Matt Barrie (PxP), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Harry Lyles, Jr. (sideline)
What are the betting odds for UTSA vs. USF?
USF is favored by 14.5 points on FanDuel Sportsbook. The ESPN matchup predictor gives USF an 85,7 percent chance of winning.
Series between UTSA and USF
They have only played once, That was in 2023 in San Antonio and the Roadrunners took a 49-21 win.
What is the weather forecast for Thursday's game?
The forecast at kickoff calls for 73 degrees with no chance of rain,