Bulls rally from 21 points down to take the lead, but another late collapse leaves Brian Hartline searching for answers in a 52-41 loss to Memphis
Where has this USF offense been all season? That was the question everyone kept asking themselves Thursday night at Raymond James Stadium as the Bulls put together their most explosive offensive performance of the season against Memphis.
For much of the second half, it looked like we were watching a different USF football team. The offense was moving the ball. The running game was making big plays. Luke Kromenhoek looked more comfortable at quarterback. And Mudia Reuben finally became the big-play receiver we have been waiting to see. But there was one problem.
The defense, which had carried this team for much of the season, had its worst night at the worst possible time. The result was an entertaining, frustrating, and ultimately disappointing 52-41 loss to Memphis.
USF rallied from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit to take a 41-38 lead with 8:04 remaining. But just when the Bulls needed one more defensive stop, Memphis delivered another big play. And once again, USF could not finish.
“We just did enough to not lose by a lot,” head coach Brian Hartline said after the game. “That doesn’t do anything for me.”
That pretty much sums up the night.
Memphis entered Thursday’s game with one of the nation’s most dangerous offenses, averaging more than 500 yards per game. The Tigers wasted little time showing why.
After USF’s opening possession stalled, Memphis marched down the field and scored on a 53-yard touchdown run by quarterback Marcus Stokes. On its next possession, Memphis went 66 yards, with Stokes finding tight end Hunter Tipton for a seven-yard touchdown. Suddenly, it was 14-0.
Things got worse when USF lost a fumble deep in its own territory. Stokes scored again on an eight-yard run, giving Memphis a 21-0 lead with 3:34 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulls were being pushed around on both sides of the ball. The offense couldn’t stay on the field. The defense couldn’t get off it.
When Hartline was asked why his team fell behind so quickly, his answer was short: “They scored touchdowns, and we went three-and-out.”
After falling behind 21-0, USF finally started showing some life. Kicker Nico Gramatica got the Bulls on the scoreboard with a 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Kromenhoek then found Reuben for a three-yard touchdown pass to cut the Memphis lead to 21-10.
The Tigers answered with a one-yard touchdown run by Jaylin Carter, but USF responded before halftime. Kromenhoek connected with Reuben again, this time for a 19-yard touchdown, and the Bulls went into the locker room trailing 28-17.
In the second half, the offense really came alive. Kromenhoek connected with Jason Collins Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-24.
After Memphis answered with another touchdown, Collins broke loose for a 75-yard scoring run. Then Kromenhoek used his legs to score on a 23-yard run, tying the game at 38.
USF, a team that had struggled to move the football consistently for much of the season, erased a 21-point deficit against one of the better teams in the American Conference.
Kromenhoek finished with 271 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He also rushed for 146 yards and another score. That’s 417 yards of total offense and four touchdowns from a quarterback making just his fourth career start.
“He gave us energy, toughness, the stuff he always does,” Hartline said while praising his young quarterback’s toughness and leadership. “He’s a tough dude.”
Kromenhoek was far less interested in talking about his numbers.
“I think we left a lot out there,” he said. “It’s just frustrating to see that.”
Two players who deserve plenty of credit for what USF accomplished offensively are Mudia Reuben and Jason Collins Jr.
Reuben caught six passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. He finally looked like the explosive receiver we saw flashes of last season — his ability to stretch the field and make plays after the catch gave Memphis something to worry about.
Reuben said the difference was making the most of his opportunities.
“As a receiver, you just got to make the opportunity count when the ball’s in your hands,” he said.
Collins was equally impressive. With DJ Crowther unavailable, Collins took on a bigger role in the running game and delivered one of the biggest plays of the season with his 75-yard touchdown run. He also caught a touchdown pass. His performance showed that USF has more depth at running back than some may have realized.
Hartline said the coaching staff made adjustments that helped the offense find its rhythm.
“I think tempo was good for us,” Hartline said, adding that Kromenhoek improved at finding his checkdowns and getting the ball out of his hands.
But why did it take until the 10th game of the season for this offense to look this dangerous? That’s a question Hartline and offensive coordinator Tim Beck need to answer.
For much of this season, USF’s defense has been the strength of the football team. Thursday night, it was anything but.
Memphis repeatedly found open space, broke tackles, and turned routine plays into touchdowns. The Tigers scored 21 points in the first quarter and finished with 52. USF had spent much of the season relying on its defense to keep games close while the offense struggled.
Perhaps the most telling comments came from defensive leader Mike Williams after the game.
“We’re a top-10 defense in the country. It didn’t show today,” Williams said.
Williams didn’t blame the game plan or suggest Memphis surprised the Bulls. He said the defense prepared for what it saw.
“There were just a lot of plays that had to be made that we didn’t make,” he said.
Memphis is a good offensive football team. But allowing 52 points at home is unacceptable for a defense that has played as well as USF’s has this season. And the biggest defensive failure came after the Bulls had done all the hard work to take the lead.
When Gramatica kicked a 38-yard field goal with 8:04 remaining, USF led 41-38. Raymond James Stadium had come alive. The Bulls had battled all the way back from 21 points down. All they needed was a stop.
Instead, Memphis needed just two offensive plays. Stokes found Jemyri Davis for a 76-yard touchdown pass, and just like that, the Tigers were back in front 45-41.
But USF still had opportunities. The Bulls drove deep into Memphis territory, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone with 3:38 remaining.
After the defense forced a punt, USF got the football back near midfield with another chance to win. But the final meaningful possession went backward.
Collins was stopped for a five-yard loss. Kromenhoek was sacked on consecutive plays, and the Bulls eventually turned the ball over on downs.
Memphis added a late touchdown to make the final score 52-41.
Hartline pointed to the negative plays that ruined the last possession.
“We got negative plays back to back,” he said. “We couldn’t make up for it.”
Good teams find ways to win those moments. USF continues to find ways to lose them.
The most interesting part of Hartline’s postgame press conference had nothing to do with offensive formations or defensive coverages. It had to do with the team’s attitude.
Hartline was clearly unhappy with what he saw from some players after the loss. He questioned why players were smiling, taking pictures, and making gestures on the field after losing such an important game.
“I’m not used to that,” Hartline said.
He went on to say the program needs a change in mentality if it wants to reach the level he expects.
Hartline isn’t satisfied with being competitive. He isn’t interested in moral victories. He wants players who take losing personally. The coach also made it clear that responsibility belongs to everyone.
“It’s 100% on the coaches; make sure the players are ready to play,” Hartline said. “It’s 100% the responsibility of the players to make the play.”
But until they learn how to play four quarters and finish games, they will remain a team that talks about what might have been.
Reuben may have summed up the night better than anyone. When asked whether he took pride in the comeback, the receiver made it clear that coming close wasn’t enough.
“I hate the word almost,” Reuben said.
Even with the loss, there were positives. Kromenhoek took another step forward. Reuben had his best game of the season. Collins showed he can handle a bigger role. The offense finally produced the kind of explosive plays fans have been waiting for all season.
USF is now 6-4 overall and 2-4 in American Conference play. On the other hand, Memphis improved to 8-2 (5-1 AAC), keeping its conference championship hopes alive. For USF, the focus now turns to finishing the season right.
Author’s Final Thoughts
I walked away from Raymond James Stadium Thursday night with two very different feelings.
First, I was encouraged by what I saw from the offense. This was the kind of performance many of us expected to see more often under Hartline and Beck.
Kromenhoek looked like a quarterback who can make plays with his arm and his legs. Reuben looked like a legitimate big-play threat. Collins proved he can carry a larger load.
But I was also frustrated. Because this was a game USF could have won. The Bulls overcame a terrible start, took the lead in the fourth quarter, and had Memphis on the ropes. Then they let it slip away.
Hartline is right about one thing. Playing hard and keeping the score close isn’t good enough. The Bulls need to learn how to win. And until that happens, nights like Thursday will remain entertaining.
But they won’t be satisfying.
Up Next
The Bulls travel to Boca Raton to face in-state foe Florida Atlantic on Saturday, November 21, before closing the regular season.
USF is already bowl-eligible, but there is still plenty to play for. Pride. Momentum. A winning season. And proof that this program is moving in the right direction.