USF overcomes sluggish start to blow past UAB and secure eighth win

As USF took the field at Protective Stadium in Birmingham to face UAB on Saturday, for a while it looked like the Bulls believed they were still back in Annapolis and battling a hangover from their crushing loss to Navy.

However, talent eventually overcame the hangover as the Bulls pulled away from the Blazers for a 48-18 win. It improved USF's record to 8-3, the Bulls first time with that many wins since 2017. With a regular-season wrapup next week against Rice and a bowl game after that, USF can reach 10 wins this season.

Quarterback Byrum Brown, as is becoming the norm, threw for three touchdowns and ran for two. He had 416 total yards.

It also improved USF to 5-2 in the American Conference for the Bulls most wins there since finishing 6-2 there in 2017.

"That first half was about as frustrating as you can have," Bulls coach Alex Golesh said on the post-game radio show. "There were some penalties in that first half that were beyond frustrating, and they set us back and gave them first downs.

"We can't play football like that. We looked about as average as average gets in the first half. In the second half, we just we were just us. We played defense where we created stops and got off the field and explosives on offense, and that looked like us."

Leading by only seven at the half against a 21.5-point underdog, USF came out en fuego in the second half. After Alvon Isaac's 40-yard kickoff return, Brown hit Mudia Reuben with a short pass on the first play from scrimmage and Reuben did the rest to complete a 60-yard touchdown.

That changed the whole atmosphere around the game.

The first half for USF showed the effects of last week's loss that took the Bulls out of contention for the American Conference title and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

USF committed eight penalties for 69 yards, including a targeting foul against defensive back Fred Gaskin that led to his ejection.

However, the rapid start to the second half showed the Bulls had answered the wakeup call.

The Bulls outscored UAB 17-0 in the third quarter to build the lead to a comfortable level.

And after the Blazers pulled to within 34-18 early in the fourth quarter, Brown and Reubin connected again on a 59-yard scoring pass to reinforceUSF's comfortable lead.

Bottom line: The Bulls may have struggled at times, but they accomplished what they came to Birmingham to achieve. And whatever the disappointment they might have experienced last week, this season is a success that has been a long time coming.

However, the penalties kept coming. USF finished with an unsightly 13 flags for 104 yards.