USF Football Flashback: Bulls Down The Broncos

Takeaways, highlights, notables, sights, sound bites and studying experiences from USF‘s 34-7 residence triumph towards the No. 25-ranked Boise State Broncos, and a look-ahead to a Saturday, Sept. 6, street recreation at Florida.

The Quick Read

• It was the best USF hour for defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, who devised a scheme that had the Bulls quicker, extra bodily and a lot better than a veteran Boise State offense.

• At 6-foot-2, 232 kilos — with start-and-stop athleticism and pure energy — the working potential of QB Byrum Brown is a significant WEAPON.

• On a Thursday night time workday, at a non-conventional kickoff time, the Raymond James Stadium crowd was loud, spirited and enjoyable. Bravo! And a tip of the cap to an outstanding scholar part.

• An early fourth-down gamble didn’t work, however a daring pretend punt broke the sport open. Alex Golesh is nothing however daring and decisive. Over the lengthy haul, that is what everybody desires from their head coach.

• USF soccer is getting vital publicity from this season-opening upset and an important runway of consideration main into the Sept. 6 assembly towards the Florida Gators. National relevance is an excellent factor.

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 28, 2025

Game Takeaway

As a couple of hundred USF college students rushed the sphere to have a good time with Bulls gamers Thursday night time at Raymond James Stadium, it was one of many program’s most euphoric moments.

For the primary time since 2016, USF had defeated a ranked opponent. What’s extra, it was USF’s first victory towards a ranked non-conference opponent in 14 years.

“Believe it,” linebacker Jhalyn Shuler said. “It’s actual. It occurred.”

It did certainly.

USF 34, No. 25 Boise State 7.

“In our crew assembly, I advised our gamers we might be up within the fourth quarter — now may we reset and end?” head coach Alex Golesh stated.

The reply: An emphatic … sure!

It was defensive domination, sideline-to-sideline depth.

“Lights-out defense,” quarterback Byrum Brown said. “Love them boys.”

It was trickeration — maybe essentially the most memorable gadget play in program historical past — a daring transfer to sneak true freshman quarterback Locklan Hewlett into the sport in fourth-down punt formation. Hewlett, after gathering in a difficult lengthy snap, delivered a shocking 45-yard landing move to Keshaun Singleton within the third quarter, placing USF up 17-7 within the third quarter and deflating Boise State’s feelings for good.

“It was set up perfectly,” Hewlett said. “When I received on the market and noticed the way in which they lined up, I knew it may work. I completely didn’t anticipate my first move try at USF to be (out of punt formation), nevertheless it was an important to make it work.”

It was the return of Brown, again in type at quarterback after lacking eight video games to harm final season. Brown made it appear to be males towards boys within the working recreation. He had two gorgeous landing runs — with one other lengthy landing run known as again by penalty — and a few shorter gallops the place he lowered his shoulder and leveled a Boise State would-be tackler.

“I thought our focus, our intent, our attention to detail was really, really good,” Golesh said. “To be sincere with you, this dealing with the success half is one thing we have not accomplished an important job with. Winners act a sure approach. Elite soccer groups act a sure approach.

“Celebrate the win. Separate the constructive from the detrimental. Then put this behind us, flip the web page, preserve shifting. If you have a good time this greater than 12 hours, you are going to jack the following one up (at Florida). And the following one is actually large, too.”

 

— USF Football (@USFFootball) August 30, 2025

The Big Play

Of course, it was the bold-and-beautiful third-quarter pretend punt, the 45-yard landing move from Locklan Hewlett to Keshaun Singleton. It offered hovering confidence for USF and deflated Boise State.

“That was a Week One kind of thing,” Golesh said. “Nobody knew who No. 13 (Hewlett) was. I’m unsure we are able to do it once more subsequent week. But we had the right state of affairs, the fitting a part of the sphere.”

“Right situation,” special teams coordinator Chad Creamer said. “We received a bunch of fellows who executed it properly. Lock threw an excellent ball. We had a thin child (Hewlett) who appeared loads like our punters. I observed that over the summer season. It initially turned a thought, and it turned what you noticed tonight. Right second, proper time. We practiced it, time and again. There had been a whole lot of days once we stated, ‘No, we’re not doing that.’ We had the power to take a look at of it if the look wasn’t proper. But it actually arrange completely. Coach Golesh likes to push the envelope and it labored very well.”

— USF Football (@USFFootball) August 29, 2025

Game Balls

* LB Jhalyn Shuler, who had a career-high 14 tackles, a fumble restoration and one sort out for a loss.

* QB Byrum Brown was 16-for-24 passing with 210 yards, whereas including 43 yards dashing and two touchdowns.

* CB De’Shawn Rucker, who had 11 tackles and one move breakup.

* WR Keshaun Singleton, who had 5 receptions for 93 yards and a 45-yard landing catch, catching all 5 balls he was focused with.

* WR Chas Nimrod, whose 55-yard reception opened up USF’s offense enroute to a three-catch, 96-yard recreation.

* LB Mac Harris, who had eight tackles and a compelled fumble.

* B-backer Ira Singleton, who had two fumble recoveries.

* OT Zane Herring, who moved to left sort out (for the primary time in his life) on account of accidents and performed properly towards a superb Boise State pass-rush.

* True freshman QB Locklan Hewlett — sufficient stated.

Notable Numbers

0 — Number of USF turnovers.

3 — Number of Boise State turnovers compelled by USF.

4 — Number of profession 50-yard-plus made discipline objectives by PK Nico Gramatica, who hit a 52-yarder vs. Boise State. That tied a USF profession report.

4 — Number of occasions Boise State was stopped on fourth down by the USF protection.

12 — Number of various USF gamers with a move reception, together with freshman huge receivers Christian Neptune and Jeremiah Koger.

18 — Number of dashing touchdowns by QB Byrum Brown in 21 USF video games performed.

25 — Number of victories in residence openers for USF (starting its twenty ninth season of soccer).

34 — Number of unanswered factors scored by USF, which fell behind 7-0 within the first quarter.

206 — Number of consecutive move makes an attempt by QB Byrum Brown with out an interception (courting to 2023). The USF program report is 235 by Marquel Blackwell in 2001.

The List

Our selections for the most effective performances by a USF protection towards a ranked opponent (listed chronologically):

USF 29, No. 25 Bowling Green 7 (Nov. 16, 2002) — Urban Meyer’s celebrated offense will get emphatically shut down.

 

USF 45, No. 9 Louisville 14 (Sept. 24, 2005) — Sports Illustrated was readily available to write down about Louisville’s explosive offense (the story was killed).

 

USF 24, No. 7 West Virginia 19 (Nov. 25, 2006) — Bulls had the reply for QB Patrick White and RB Steve Slaton.

USF 21, No. 5 West Virginia 13 (Sept. 28, 2007) — The greatest win in USF historical past was tour de power for defensive coordinator Wally Burnham.

 

USF 17, No. 18 Florida State 7 (Sept. 26, 2009) — Freshman QB B.J. Daniels had a contented homecoming, however USF’s protection was ferocious.

USF 34, No. 25 Boise State 7 (Aug. 28, 2025) — Outside of this system’s 1997 debut (USF 80, Kentucky Wesleyan 3), this was essentially the most vital USF residence opener.

Next Up: Florida

And now it is off to Gainesville, the place the Bulls have misplaced twice on the Swamp, together with a 38-14 defeat in 2010 and a heartbreaking 31-28 loss in 2022. Florida additionally defeated USF 42-20 at Ray-Jay in 2021.

The Gators open Saturday towards Long Island, a Football Championship Subdivision crew, so USF has the benefit of some further days of relaxation and preparation.

“I’m an even-keeled guy,” said linebacker Mac Harris, who refused to hype up the opportunity at Florida. “I’m going to look at a whole lot of movie. From Monday till we play them, we’ll research laborious, push that commonplace and be able to play. Every single recreation is necessary.”

–#GoBulls–