After a crushing 34-31 loss to Navy last weekend, the USF Bulls are back in action this weekend with a trip to Birmingham to take on the UAB Blazers.
The Bulls currently sit at 7-3 on the season and can squeeze out a 10 win season if they beat UAB and Rice and then win the bowl game.
After the disappointing loss to Navy, coach Alex Golesh was asked about what is next for the Bulls, whose conference championship hopes and a berth in the College Football Playoffs had been dashed: “We turn the page. I think it took everybody getting back on the field Monday to snap out of it. And that’s the challenge, responding to that feeling that you had leaving there and getting past that disappointment.”
Golesh continued, saying “The great thing about football is you get to turn the page. You get to go play again on Saturday, back on the road against a UAB team that’s obviously in a bunch of transition, but has fought like crazy. They are resilient and they are playing hard. I think our intent is right and our energy is right. It’s a sign of a good culture when you’ve got guys who are beat up, but they’re fighting through it.”
The Bulls last won 10 games or more in 2016 and 2017. Under Willie Taggart, the Bulls went 11-2 in 2016, and in 2017, Charlie Strong coached the Bulls to a 10-2 season.
UAB has struggled mightily this season. The Blazers are 3-7 on the season, and just 1-5 in the AAC. After a 2-4 start to the season, the Blazers fired head coach Trent Dilfer and handed over the coaching reins to Alex Mortenson, who was left to pick up the pieces and salvage something from the season. The highlight of the UAB season so far was a 31-24 win at Memphis back on October 18th. Since that stunning win, the Blazers have lost three in a row and will look to salvage what is left of their season, starting Saturday against USF.
The key offensive player for UAB is quarterback Jalen Kitna, whose father is former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna. Last year in the Bulls’ 35-24 win over UAB, Kitna put the ball in the air 56 times for 384 yards and two touchdowns. Kitna will look to wide receivers Iverson Hooks and Brandon Hawkins Jr. for some big plays against the Bulls’ defense. Hooks has 57 catches for 735 yards and six touchdowns, while Hawkins has 38 catches for 500 yards and has scored a touchdown in each of the last three games
Look for Kitna and the UAB offense to throw the ball a ton against a Bulls defense that ranks 123rd nationally, giving up 267.4 yards through the air. Running back Jevon Jackson is coming off his second straight 100-yard game of the season. Jackson has run for 751 yards and averages 5.9 YPC.
Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown has not slowed down at all this season and will look to take advantage of a UAB defense that gives up 227.5 yards in the air. Brown is averaging 19.6 points per game for the Bulls, leading the nation in that category. He is also one of two quarterbacks in the country who have passed for 20 touchdowns and run for 11. Leading the offense, Brown has also led the Bulls to a fourth-place national ranking in offense, averaging 492.3 yards per game. The Bulls also remain fifth nationally in scoring, averaging 41.6 points per game.
The Bulls’ offense has not been as prolific on the road, averaging just 32.4 points per game, compared to 50.8 at home. Golesh wants to make sure that the Bulls start fast. “For us, it’s about coming out and being efficient on first and second down. We’re searching, finding, and trying ways to make sure we start really fast.”
Author’s Prediction
USF is favored by 21.5 points and should not have a problem covering the spread in this game. The Bulls have responded well after a disappointing game, and I expect no difference this week. USF wins 48-24.