USF Football 2025: Bulls Pull Off Stunning Upset, Surge Toward Bowl Eligibility—Highlights & Analysis

TAMPA—The No. 18 South Florida Bulls (6-1, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) enter Saturday’s noon ET showdown at Memphis with something that has eluded the program for nearly a decade: realistic control of their own path to a New Year’s Six bowl and outside chatter about the College Football Playoff. A win over the surging Tigers (6-1, 2-1 AAC) would give head coach Alex Golesh’s fast-tempo offense a two-game cushion in the league standings and keep the Bulls undefeated since September 6, when they upset then-No. 13 Florida in Gainesville. Why Saturday matters • League lead on the line: USF is the conference’s last unbeaten team in AAC play, while Memphis sits one game back after stumbling at UAB. • Rankings momentum: At No. 18, the Bulls already own their highest AP slot since 2017; the CFP committee releases its first rankings next week. • Historical hurdle: Memphis has beaten USF eight straight times, with the Bulls’ last series win coming in 2016. Television and streaming information Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 25, 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT) Network: ESPN2 (Matt Schumacker, Sam Acho, Taylor Davis) Radio: Q105 FM, Bulls Unlimited Keys for South Florida Start fast, stay hot USF averaged 12 first-quarter points over its last three games after opening the season with four consecutive scoreless first quarters. Offensive coordinator Joel Gordon credits “accountability and tempo” installed during early-morning practices to simulate noon kickoffs. Avoiding another slow start is pivotal inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, where Memphis is 13-2 since 2023. Win the ground battle Quarterback Byrum Brown and running backs Nay’Quan Wright and Michel Dukes headline a rushing attack that has produced 1,276 yards and 13 touchdowns in the last four contests. Conversely, the Tigers rank 15th nationally at 221.6 rushing yards per game behind shifty tailbacks Sutton Smith and Greg Desrosiers Jr.. Whichever front seven limits chunk runs will dictate tempo—and likely the scoreboard. Protect the football USF coughed up seven turnovers against Charlotte and North Texas but cleaned up the mistakes in a 41-17 win over Florida Atlantic. Memphis thrives on takeaways (14 total, 10 interceptions) and boasts a plus-6 turnover margin. Brown’s decision-making against ball-hawking corners Simeon Blair and Cameron Smith could swing momentum. Special-teams edge The Bulls have recorded a special-teams score or takeaway in six of seven games, yet kickoff-coverage lapses resurfaced last week. Memphis return ace Sutton Smith averages 44.3 yards per kickoff return with a 99-yard touchdown and adds 11.1 yards per punt return, forcing coordinator Daniel Da Prato to preach hang-time and lane discipline. Players to watch USF • QB Byrum Brown – 2,156 total yards, 23 TDs; decisive in RPO game. • WR Naiem Simmons – leads AAC with seven catches of 30+ yards. • LB Jhalyn Shuler – team-high 62 tackles, anchors run defense ranked 29th nationally. Memphis • RB Sutton Smith – 869 all-purpose yards, 11 TDs; home-run threat every touch. • DL Jaylon Allen – 6.5 sacks, provides pass rush absent elsewhere on the line. • CB Cameron Smith – three picks, excels in press coverage against spread sets. What the oddsmakers say Consensus books list USF as a six-point road favorite with an over/under of 58.5. Vegas anticipates a one-score shootout featuring two of the AAC’s top three scoring offenses. Bottom line If Golesh’s offense maintains its blistering pace and the defensive front led by Rashad Chaney Jr. contains Memphis’ ground game on early downs, South Florida should extend its winning streak to five and tighten its grip on the conference crown. Slip up in the trenches or on special teams, and the Bulls could watch their postseason ceiling shrink before November arrives. Either way, the eyes of the AAC—and perhaps the CFP committee—will be fixed on Liberty Stadium when the Bulls stampede in on Saturday.