The South Florida Bulls will travel up the coast to face the Charlotte 49ers in an AAC showdown on Saturday. With a 4-5 season record and 2-3 in conference play, the Bulls aim to secure a strong finish and the six wins needed to qualify for a bowl game for the second consecutive year. The 49ers, holding a 3-6 season record and 2-3 in conference play, will enter this contest looking for a win. The game is set to kick off at 3:30 pm EST on Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The South Florida Bulls’ bowl chances took a hit last week with a decisive 28-7 loss to Navy at home. The Bulls fell behind 21-0 at halftime and never could get anything going against the Midshipmen thanks to three costly turnovers and the team’s inability to stop the Navy rushing attack. At 4-5, the Bulls desperately need to turn it around with just three games left in the season.
“As an offense you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get. Even if it’s Navy, Tulsa, Rice, Like you still have to score every time you get the ball and that’s something we are trying to do,” quarterback Bryce Archie said.
Archie spearheaded the Bulls’ offense, completing 26 of 43 passes for a career-best 282 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, his performance was marred by two interceptions and a fumble that ended three drives. Wide receiver Sean Atkins delivered a steady performance with seven receptions for 70 yards. The Bulls amassed 342 total offensive yards, with only 60 coming from the running game. Defensively, Jhalyn Shuler stood out for the Bulls with nine tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Despite these efforts, the Bulls’ defense struggled against the Navy’s ground game, surrendering 321 rushing yards in the defeat.
The Bulls require two victories in their last three games to earn a bowl invitation. Their schedule concludes with a home game against Tulsa and a road game at Rice. USF ranks 95th in scoring offense and 85th in total offense as they approach this week’s matchup. Nationally, the Bulls are 66th in rushing and 77th in passing. They rank 113th in red zone offense and 119th in allowing the fewest sacks this season. Defensively, the Bulls stand at 102nd in scoring defense and 121st in total defense. They are 85th in run defense and 130th in pass defense. The Bulls are 65th in red zone defense and 27th in sacks per game. Their turnover margin ranks 72nd, and they are 120th in committing the fewest penalties per game.
The Charlotte 49ers have experienced a challenging few weeks. They balanced their record at 3-3 with a decisive victory over East Carolina but have since suffered three consecutive losses, including a 34-3 defeat to Tulane last Thursday night. The 49ers were trailing by only 10-3 at halftime but were overwhelmed in the second half, with Tulane outscoring them 24-0. To secure a bowl invitation, they must win their remaining games.
“The one area that the defense fell down in is getting off the field on third down,” coach Biff Poggi said. “We just couldn’t get them off the field. That’s been a real problem all year.”
Charlotte had little to boast about offensively in this game, managing only 189 yards of total offense. They accumulated a mere 69 yards passing and converted a dismal 1-of-12 third-down attempts. Running back Hahsaun Wilson was perhaps the sole bright spot on offense, amassing 68 yards on the ground. On defense, the 49ers yielded 431 yards of total offense to their opponents, including 217 rushing yards. Additionally, the 49ers permitted Tulane to succeed on 11-of-17 third-down attempts.