USF's picture this week: The Bulls are struggling and Charlotte is thinking bowl game

A lot was on the line a year ago for USF when the Charlotte 49ers came to Tampa. The Bulls had lost two of their previous three games, including a 28-point rout the previous week at UTSA, and needed to win to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2018.

They did just that.

Capitalizing on the fact that Charlotte was missing 12 starters due to injuries, the Bulls rolled to a 48-14 victory. The 49ers finished the season 3-9, while the Bulls went on to blitz Syracuse 45-0 in the Boca Raton Bowl.

The rematch with Charlotte is this Saturday at 3:30 p.m., and although the circumstances are different this time, the game has a similar importance to USF as it did a year ago.

The Bulls are 4-5 after last Saturday’s dismal 28-7 homecoming loss to Navy. A loss to Charlotte means USF would have to win its final two games to go bowling for a second straight season.

But there’s a twist to the plot. This time, Charlotte – at 3-6 overall – is thinking about a bowl game, too. Also, unlike last year, the 49ers are coming in relatively healthy and rested. They haven’t played since Halloween, when Tulane beat them 34-3.

Before that game, though, Charlotte scared the bejeebers out Memphis. The 49ers took the lead with 1:20 to play, but the Tigers scored with 31 seconds left to take a 33-28 victory.

If Charlotte can beat USF, a bowl trip will definitely be in play. Its remaining two games are with UAB and Florida Atlantic. And this game is the 49ers’ homecoming.

"We have played a tough schedule, but I don't think this is a 3-6 team," 49ers coach Biff Poggi said. "We have a fork in the road — we can toss it in, which I don't think they're those types of people at all; or we can go out and try to win our next game and see if we can't put together a (stretch) to get into a bowl game."   

Like USF, Charlotte is a work in progress.

In a 51-17 loss to Navy, Charlotte quarterbacks Max Brown and Ivey Trexler combined for a soul-crushing four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The 49ers also lost a fumble.

However, Charlotte had 68 more total yards than Navy, including 187 yards on the ground, and four more first downs.

Against Tulane, the Green Wave had the ball for 42:09, the most of any 49ers' opponent in program history.

USF, meanwhile, never got going against Navy. Quarterback Bryce Archie still struggles with consistency and the Midshipmen plugged the Bulls’ ground game, limiting it to 60 yards. Navy torched USF for 321 yards on the ground.

“A lot of credit to them (Navy), but a lot of it falls on me to not have us ready to rock and roll the way that we need to and I'll own it,” Bulls coach Alex Golesh said.

“We got three left. We got to go execute at a high level. We got to figure out exactly what it is. I told our staff, I feel like in the third quarter, man, offensively, it looks like we're in year one.”