USF is not the only team in the Cure Bowl undergoing significant changes. The Bulls opponent, Old Dominion, has also had an eventful stretch of days.
We know that Alex Golesh left town for Auburn and took key offensive coaches with him, and now quarterback Byrum Brown will be coaching instead of playing for interim coach Kevin Patrick. Don't expect sympathy cards from ODU, however. The Monarchs' dynamic QB, Colton Joseph, won't be in Orlando because he plans to enter the Transfer Portal.
Joseph rushed for 1,000-yard rushing quarterback Colton Joseph has entered the transfer portal. He ran for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Indiana -- yes, THAT Indiana -- including a 78-yard scoring scamper. He finished the season with 1,007 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. That was only one yard less than Brown had for USF and just one fewer touchdown.
At least ODU didn't lose its coach after signing head coach Ricky Rahne to a four-year extension following a 9-3 regular season, which was the Monarchs' best finish since 2016.
USF made a splash hire to replace Golesh, signing Ohio State offensive. oordinator Brian Hartline to a six-year contract. He will take over when the Buckeyes conclude their playoff run.
That brings us back to the Cure Bowl. With so much in flux for both programs, no one is quite sure what to expect. The Bulls enter as 3.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Let's take a look at what some other sites are predicting.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS: This will still be wildly entertaining, even with the star quarterbacks gone and the USF coaching staff undergoing an overhaul.Old Dominion will be a little more together thanks to the more stable coaching staff, but there's one big problem - turnovers.USF might not have the best defense going, but it attacks, and it takes the ball away in bunches. Old Dominion might have a dangerous offense that explodes, but it gives it up over and over again - that won't get a lot better with a new quarterback under center.Both offenses will work. This will be a fun show, and it'll be one of the better early bowls, entertainment-wise. Three Old Dominion turnovers will be the tipping point the other way. Prediction: South Florida 34, Old Dominion 27
ESPN: Both teams had very strong seasons, taking down Power 4 opponents in Florida (South Florida) and Virginia Tech (Old Dominion). Both are also in some degree of flux. USF coach Alex Golesh left for Auburn and won't be coaching the bowl game. Old Dominion standout quarterback Colton Joseph, a dynamic dual threat, is set to enter the transfer portal and won't play in the bowl. South Florida has the talent edge here after spending a good chunk of the season in the AP Top 25. Both defenses are playing very well, as Old Dominion allowed a total of 26 points in its final four games. I'm going with South Florida in a somewhat lower-scoring game. Prediction: South Florida 24, Old Dominion 17
GAME HAUS: Old Dominion won nine games to qualify for their second bowl game in three seasons. They defeated three teams who were .500 or above this season: Coastal Carolina, Troy and Georgia Southern. Only one of their losses was to a team that didn’t make a bowl-game: Marshall. The Monarchs score 32.7 points per game, ranking 29th in the country. They likely won’t be able to blow out Old Dominion because of their issues on defense. The Monarchs will try to run the football, but some plays may be open through the air to help them keep it close. Prediction: South Florida 32 Old Dominion 26
BLEACHER REPORT: South Florida 29, ODU 24.
PAT FORDE/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Old Dominion won nine games without losing its coach, Ricky Rahne, so that’s a happy fan base. South Florida won nine games and lost its coach, Alex Golesh, but replaced him with a rising star in Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline.Both stuck it to a power-conference neighbor in September—the Monarchs beat Virginia Tech and the Bulls beat Florida. Not coincidentally, both the Hokies and Gators fired their coaches. Alas, both standout dual-threat quarterbacks—Byrum Brown of USF and Colton Joseph of ODU—have opted out of the game. Prediction: South Florida 31, Old Dominion 24.
USA TODAY: Finally, these guys didn't predict a score but chose instead to rank the 35 ænon-playoff bowls "based solely on our initial reaction when the pairings were announced. Some might be pleasant surprises, and others might be major busts." The Cure Bowl came in 24th, with the author noting, "Hey, not every Orlando bowl can be a home run. ODU did have some moments against Indiana early on, but the Bulls appear to be the much stronger outfit."