Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans cherish the era when Trent Dilfer was their quarterback, embodying a ‘never-say-die’ spirit that made him a fan favorite. However, sentiments may shift today at 3:30 p.m. as head coach Dilfer leads his UAB Blazers (1-5, 0-3 AAC) against South Florida (2-4, 0-2 AAC) airing on ESPN+ and can be heard on Bulls Unlimited on the TuneIn Radio app. The Bulls are eager to return to winning ways before a large homecoming crowd at Raymond James Stadium.
The Bulls head into today’s match after facing two of the top ten ranked teams in the nation, along with two of the AAC’s strongest contenders, Tulane and Memphis. USF’s lineup included games against No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa and a home game versus No. 8 Miami, commencing conference play against the Green Wave and the Tigers. In their three-game losing streak against Miami, Tulane, and Memphis, the Bulls were outscored 121-28.
The health of Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown remains a significant concern for a second consecutive game after he sustained a left leg injury late in the matchup against Tulane two weeks ago. As of now Brown is listed as questionable thus far this season he is 78 of 132 passing for 836 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. But his mobility has been key as he is second on the team in rushing with 68 carries for 269 yards and three scores.
If Brown is unable to play, his backup, junior Bryce Archie, will take over. As Archie is not known for his running ability, the team has relied more on his passing skills, which have resulted in 41 pass attempts with only 22 completions for 234 yards. The Bulls require a robust performance from their running game, spearheaded by Kelley Joiner, the standout running back who has amassed 47 carries for 270 yards and four touchdowns this season.
The Bulls are deep in the ground game as also have Nay’Quan Wright, with 48 carries for 240 yards and two touchdowns, and Ta’Ron Keith, contributing 32 carries for 120 yards and three touchdowns. Archie has had a full week of practice with the first-team offense, which bodes well for connecting with Sean Atkins, who tops the passing attack with 32 receptions for 344 yards this season. Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseem, with 17 catches for 223 yards, and Michael Brown-Stephens, with 12 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown, are also key targets in the passing game.
For USF’s special teams, John Cannon has successfully made 13 of 14 extra point attempts and seven out of nine field goal attempts, with his longest being 53 yards this season. Nico Gramatica has made his only extra point attempt and is three for three on field goals, with a long of 58 yards. Ty Ippolito has also made his only extra point attempt but has not tried any field goals this season.
Coach Dilfer is anticipated to start Jalen Kitna as quarterback this week. In his two prior starts, Kitna has thrown five interceptions. This could be advantageous for South Florida, considering the Bulls’ defense has intercepted five passes and recovered five fumbles this season.
UAB has faced a challenging year, ranking 85th in passing offense with an average of 215.2 yards per game and 85th in rushing offense, averaging 140.3 yards per game. They are positioned 115th in the FBS for scoring offense at 20.3 points per game and 128th in scoring defense, with opposing teams scoring an average of 38 points per game against the Blazers.
Ultimately, USF should be able to capitalize on a UAB team that has been vulnerable to the run, surrendering 258.2 yards per game, 5.6 yards per carry, and a total of 20 touchdowns on the ground this season. The Blazers have also been detrimental to their own cause, with 14 turnovers leading to a -11 turnover margin. While South Florida has faced defensive challenges, they have managed to force 10 takeaways this season.