by Carter Brantley
While things looked a bit rocky for USF through the 1st 2 quarters, with the Bulls only up on the SC State Bulldogs 21-7 after a Nico Gramatica miss on a 54-yard field goal, they managed to take full control in the 3rd quarter by doubling their point total within the first 6 minutes after a blocked punt was take in for a touchdown to put USF in a far more comfortable position, as the Bulls took home a 63-14 victory over the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon.
Byrum Brown had a couple of absolute dots down the field that were hauled in for touchdowns, one going to Josh Porter and another 2 going to Tennessee transfer Chas Nimrod, mixed in with a nice find over the middle to sophomore tight end and former 4-star recruit Jonathan Echols that came in the 2nd quarter.
Speaking of Nimrod, he had himself a heck of a game, with that pair of touchdown receptions and over 100 yards receiving for the day.
One of the dynamic duo at the running back position, transfer Cartevious Norton, broke free for a nice 21-yard gain to set up a Bulls touchdown, and ended up with a little over 40 yards through the first 3 quarters.
Backup running back Nyakhi Davenport got into the action in the 3rd quarter as well with a 43-yard run to the house.
The other backup in the RB room managed to get into the end zone in the 3rd quarter too, as Sam Franklin snuck into the end zone to make it 56-7.
But the biggest star of the game was Mac Harris, who had a pick-6 on the first drive of the game, and sprinkled in a pair of sacks and 10 total tackles through the first 3.5 quarters.
The Bulls turned the ball over at the very end of the 2nd quarter, setting up SC State’s lone score of the 1st half, with a pass bouncing off running back Alvon Isaac’s hands and into the chest of Pinellas Park graduate Brenyen Scott.
But that was the lone blemish for the USF starters, as they were able to exit the game following Nimrod’s 2nd touchdown in the 3rd quarter that put the Bulls up 49-7.
USF begins conference play in a couple weeks after a bye, beginning their quest to win the American with a home matchup against the Charlotte 49ers.
The biggest tests for the Bulls within their conference will come in that 5-game stretch following the 49ers, as they have matchups against the North Texas Mean Green, UTSA, Memphis, and Navy.
North Texas and Memphis are among the favorites to win the conference, along with USF and the Tulane Green Wave.
If USF truly desires to compete in the CFP with the big programs, that begins with winning their conference, and that journey starts in October.
Should be a fun one.
