USF's game next Saturday against Rice is important for several reasons.
A win would get the Bulls their ninth win of the season, which would be their most since 2017. It would keep their improbable dream of advancing to the American Conference championship game alive.
And it might be quarterback Byrum Brown's final home game.
We say "might" because Brown has one year of eligibility remaining if he chooses to use it, and he has given no indication what he plans to do. Obviously, USF fans would love to have him spend one more season in green and gold, but after the season he has had how realistic is that?
His overall grade from Pro Football Focus is 91.2, which is considered elite. At 6-foot-3, 232 pounds, he has the size and athleticism that makes NFL scouts drool. As we know, he is lethal as a runner, and he is putting up video game numbers while directing the Bulls' offese.
Still, at this point he is generally regarded as a late-round NFL draft pick. That, of course, could (and should) change.
Byrum Brown folks pic.twitter.com/qSkOI38SpJ
— SoFloBulls (@SoFloBulls) November 22, 2025
In Saturday's win over UAB, Brown completed 19 of 25 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns. He added two more on the ground, It was his sixth game this season where he accounted for at least four touchdowns. It was his seventh straight game of 300 or more yards.
It has been incredible to watch Brown develop into arguably the best quarterback USF has ever had. That's not a statement to make lightly, not with guys like Matt Grothe, Quinton Flowers, Marquel Blackwell, and B.J. Daniels in the conversation.
Would he want to return and make one more run at a conference championship? Maybe. It's the one thing he hasn't accomplished at USF, and being the first to bring that trophy home would be an exclamation point to his stellar career.
The flip side of that, however, is that he could face a season-ending injury like he had last year. That possibility will come up in conversations with his family, representatives, and head coach Alex Golesh (assuming Golesh stays at USF).
One thing we can be sure of is that Brown will keep his circle tight and and his thoughts to himself until it's time to announce his next step.
Two games remain in this season for the Bulls -- Rice, followed by a bowl game. If they are the final two games for Brown in a USF uniform, soak in every moment.
Oh, and keep your fingers crossed about having more games in 2026 to appreciate even more what a special player he is.