No. 18 South Florida is one of the biggest surprises in college football, but faces its toughest challenge yet on Saturday at No. 5 Miami in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The game wasn’t a Top 25 matchup until the Bulls (2-0) scored their second consecutive victory over a ranked opponent when they shocked then-No. 13 Florida 18-16 in Gainesville last Saturday.
USF opened the season with a convincing 34-7 home victory over Boise State, which was ranked No. 25 at the time.
It was the first time the Bulls beat ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks and the first time they beat two ranked opponents in the same season since 2009.
USF coach Alex Golesh is trying to keep his team from being distracted by the added hype after its strong start.
“I think there’s still so much to play for, there’s so much still ahead of us,” Golesh said this week. “I told the guys last week (after Boise State) and I truly believe this: There’s going to be so many people who are going to tell them how good they are now, how good we are, how good I am. When you’re process-driven, you just go right back to work and you worry about Sunday, you worry about Monday.”
Even before USF’s recent rise, the Hurricanes (2-0) anticipated a tough challenge after the Bulls kept last year’s game close for a half before Miami pulled away 50-15 in Tampa. Miami leads the all-time series 6-1 with the Bulls scoring their lone victory in 2010 at Miami.
Miami’s respect for USF stems in large part from Byrum Brown’s skills as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. Brown has completed 39 of 60 passes for 473 yards and a touchdown and has 109 rushing yards and two scores on 31 carries.
Brown did not throw or run for a touchdown in last year’s game against Miami, but completed 19 of 30 passes for 274 yards and did not throw an interception. He also caught a 12-yard touchdown pass.
Brown and Carson Beck, who will make his third start for the Hurricanes, trained together in the offseason.
“He’s a good kid. He’s obviously had a lot of success this year. Hopefully he does well the rest of the year,” Beck said on Tuesday. “I’m rooting for him, but this game hopefully our defense comes in and attacks him.”
Beck is coming off a record-breaking performance in a 45-3 win over Bethune-Cookman, completing his first 15 passes to top the school record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1986. Beck has thrived in Miami’s offense, completing 42 of 54 attempts for 472 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Freshman Malachi Toney has emerged as one of Beck’s top targets with 12 catches for 162 yards while CJ Daniels has 119 yards and three touchdowns on 10 catches.
Keshaun Singleton has caught seven passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bulls’ offense.
The Bulls and the Hurricanes each have produced four turnovers without committing one. They are tied for the fifth-best turnover margin in the country among teams yet to turn the ball over.
