USF dials up another depressing homecoming as Navy routs the Bulls 28-7

Just about everything that could go haywire for USF during Saturday’s homecoming game against Navy did so.

Missed tackles leading to Navy scores: check.

An early dropped pass by Michael Brown-Stephens after he had gotten behind the secondary and probably had a touchdown: check.

Intercepted passes from quarterback Bryce Archie: check.

A lost fumble by Archie a couple of plays after he ran for 35 yards to get USF into scoring position: check.

Untimely penalties that wiped out big gains while the game still in reach: check.

Mix it all together on a warm afternoon at Raymond James Stadium and you’ve got a 28-7 Navy win. It dropped USF to 4-5 on the year and 2-3 in the American Athletic Conference.

It was probably the Bulls’ worst performance of the season. There was a sense of futility throughout much of the afternoon, and it started when Navy’s Eli Heidenreich ran 60 yards for a touchdown on the game's fourth play. It was a precursor of what was to come. Navy finished 321 rushing yards.

"Really, really disapointing in every way," Bulls coach Alex Golesh said. "(It is) certainly on me."

He also apologized "to the fans that came out."

"We'll get it fixed, we'll get it right," Golesh added. "We'll go finish the right way I could promise you that.'

Even with so much going wrong, the final 12 seconds of the first half encapsulated the futility of the afternoon. The Bulls’ defense had stabilized after the Midshipmen scorched them for touchdowns on their first two drives. Following Archie’s second interception, Navy took over at its 47.

Take a knee?

Yeah, right.

Alex Tecza picked up 15 yards on the ground, and then quarterback Blake Horvath threw a short pass that Tecza turned into a 38-yard touchdown. It was like the green sea parted on the Ray-Jay turf as game that still was within reach suddenly started looking like last year’s homecoming against Florida Atlantic. The Bulls lost that one by 42 points.

Only a touchdown pass to Brown-Stephens with 1:06 left in the game saved USF from being shut out.

The Bulls need to win at least two of their three remaining games to become bowl eligible. It won’t be easy.

They’re at Charlotte next Saturday, and the 49ers have made strides this season. The Bulls should be able to handle Tulsa on November 23 before closing at Rice on November 30.

Is this a good time to bring up the fact that Rice, despite firing its coach, beat Navy last week?

Oh, and there’s the whole homecoming thing.

In two HC games by Alex Golesh, the Bulls have been outscored 84-21. If you want to take it back to the second half against Tulane in Jeff Scott’s final season, the total grows to 112-38.

And by losing to Navy, the Bulls fell to 0-9 in Golesh’s tenure against teams with winning records. It’s attributable to multiple things, including the desperate shape of the program when Golesh took over. They had lost 33 of 37 games before Golesh arrived, and that doesn’t get fixed in one or two seasons.

Going to a second bowl game in as many years would be a good sign, even with games like the one  against Navy.

He has said repeatedly he is here to build a program, not just a team. The Bulls are one or two more strong recruiting classes away from being championship contenders in the American, and that would be a program.

Saturday reminded everyone that it's not there yet.