USF Demolishes South Carolina State Behind 35-Point Third Quarter Explosion

USF’s game on Saturday afternoon against South Carolina State went about as expected.

The Bulls were sluggish at the start, which is understandable considering the amount of energy they had invested in the first three weeks of the season. However, USF’s talent and depth soon took over, and the Bulls coasted to a 63-14 victory that included a 35-point explosion in the third quarter.

They improved to 3-1 -- their best start since 2018 -- to wrap up the non-conference part of the schedule. After an open date next week, USF opens American Conference play at home on Friday, October 3, against Charlotte

If there was a negative, Coach Alex Golesh said it was the slow start and sloppy play at the end that allowed the Bulldogs to get a late touchdown.

"When you get to a point in the program where you feel like it's truly player driven, which I do think we are getting, there, you play to your standard, rather than playing to the opponent standard, right to how you practice, how you prepare, how you go about your business.," Golesh said.

"I think there was enough sloppiness there that I would tell you that as coaches, we got to figure out why."

The good things about the South Carolina State game: There was a lot, but we'll start with a defense that was under stress from the start. The Bulldogs ran 17 plays (in two possessions) before Byrum Brown took a single snap.

That’s because linebacker Mac Harris – who is making a case to be considered for All-America – caught a pass that cornerback Jarvis Lee deflected and sprinted 93 yards for a touchdown. That ended the Bulldogs’ opening 10-play, 70-yard drive and put their offense right back out on the field.

"I just saw the ball in the air and grabbed it," Harris said.

The Bulls kept South Carolina State’s quarterbacks under constant pressure.

We also saw a rejuvenated ground game by the Bulls. That was a point of emphasis by head coach Alex Golesh last week after USF averaged just 95 rushing yards per game during the first three weeks.

Sophomore Nykahi Davenport had a 42-yard touchdown run. Cartevious Norton had his most productive game of the season and saw a long touchdown run overturned by a holding call.

Sam Franklin joined the party with touchdown runs of 30 and 54 yards. The Bulls gained 252 yards on the ground.

And Brown played loose and free. He had four scoring passes before calling it a day with about six minutes left in the third quarter so that backup QB Gaston Moore could get some snaps.

Time of possession: South Carolina State kept the ball for 27 minutes more than USF. If you just look at that number, you figure the Bulls lost in a rout. USF had the ball for just 16:53.

However, Golesh makes no secret of his disdain for the time of possession stat. He argues that it’s not about how long his team has the ball, but rather it’s what they do with the ball.

"I knew you were gonna ask about time of possession. I looked up there going into our last drive and 12 minutes of time of possession. I'm like, Man, I'm gonna get this question again."

Well, the third quarter emphatically made his case that what you do with the ball matters more than how long you have the ball.

Here’s a recap of USF’s scoring “drives” in that period:

• 5 plays, 63 yards, 1:07 TOP (42-yard TD pass to Chas Nimrod).

·      1 play, 43 yards, 8 seconds TOP (43-yard TD run by Davenport).

·      3 plays, 65 yards, 56 seconds TOP (22-yard TD pass to  Nimrod)

·      1 play, 30 yards, 8 seconds TOP (30-yard TD run by Franklin).

That’s four touchdowns on 10 plays covering 201 yards in 2:19.

The other score in the third came when Ashton Mosley recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown.

"I think we came out at halftime with a focus and an intent to be really, really dialed on, you know, but we've done that really for a couple of years now," Golesh said.

"The key for me, and I'm going to be really critical myself, is, why is? Why does it not like that in the first quarter, and I've got to figure it out. I got to take a deep dive. Luckily, I have a little bit of time this week to take a deep dive and figure out exactly why I think our guys are physically and mentally."