The South Florida Bulls ground game is averaging 240 yards per contest, and Marlon Mack leads the way with 1,171 yards and eight touchdowns.
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The Bulls closed out their season with a huge win over rival UCF, capping their second half surge. “We convert 2 of 12; they convert 11 of 16”.
USF scored on six of its first seven drives en route to eclipsing 5,000 total yards for the year – the fourth time in program history that mark has been reached.
Despite UCF’s winless record, which included the midseason resignation of George O’Leary and the installation of Danny Barrett as interim head coach, USF players said they were prepared to get the Knights’ best shot. However, Quinton Flowers is more than game under center for the Bulls with his escapability in the pocket and strong arm.
“Quinton Flowers is a stud”, Taggart said. Now on Thanksgiving night the Knights face a USF team that just destroyed one of the most potent offenses in college football.
The Knights can play the role of spoilers, but they’ll have to overcome a predicted 23-point margin, according to USA Today’s Sagarin ratings.
D’Ernest Johnson ran 18 yards on the first play, Flowers hit Johnson with a screen pass good for 14 on the second play and Flowers scrambled for 14 yards to set up Nadelman’s field goal attempt as time expired.
The Knights (0-12, 0-8 American Athletic Conference) found a way to put points on the board in the opening drive, stringing together 61 yards before settling for a 29-yard field goal.
USF scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half to push the lead to 41-3. Pirates running back Chris Hairston raced to 123 yards on 14 carries, penetrating the UCF defense with seeming ease.
Justin Holman completed 10 of 26 passes for 116 yards and two interceptions Smith caught seven of those passes for 102 yards.
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UCF wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith is no stranger to circus catches, having climbed a Tulsa defender’s back from the front to make an incredible grab earlier in November.
