USF (2-4; 0-2 Americans) vs. UAB (1-5; 0-3 Americans)
Saturday, October 19 • 3:30 p.m. (ET) • Raymond James Stadium (65,000) • Tampa, Florida.

SURFACE: Natural, Bermuda
TV: ESPN+: Jason Ross Jr. (P-by-P), Tyoka Jackson (analyst) and Maria Trivelpiece (supporting actor)
AUDIO: 102.5-HD2 The Strike & Bulls Unlimited (TuneIn)
SERIES: UAB leads 2-1
IN TAMPA: UAB leads 1-0 in 2003 and won 22-19
IN BIRMINGHAM: Draw, 1-1
LAST TIME: UAB won 56-35 in Birmingham in 2023
– was the first meeting since 2004
STREAK: UAB, won one
LAST USF WIN: 2004, 45-20 at Birmingham

USF GAME NOTES

After a double dose of hurricanes in the Tampa Bay area, including a week of practice rescheduling in Orlando, the USF football program welcomes a normal schedule for Saturday afternoon’s game against the UAB Blazers at Raymond James Stadium.

“It will be great to be back at Ray-Jay,” said head coach Alex Golesh said during his press conference on Tuesday. “The adversity we have been through is nothing compared to what other people have had to endure. Many things have been taken away from us that we probably took for granted. But our boys were in a hotel, fed and brought to safety. And again, a lot.” People have been through so much more than we have.

“If we go back to Ray-Jay, we need to get our students back out. We need our fans out again. We have to create an incredible atmosphere and gain a home advantage. I think the adversity will continue to increase.” Adversity in our program will either be your prison – if you apologize – or your platform to show people how to deal with it, won’t care about it “So we have to carry on.”

The Bulls (2-4, 0-2 American Athletic Conference) have a score to settle against UAB (1-5, 0-3), coached by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Trent Dilfer. Last season, the Blazers beat the Bulls 56-35 in Birmingham.

“We went there last year after a couple of wins as a really confident football team and completely embarrassed ourselves,” Golesh said. “I think that stuck with me.” I think it definitely stuck with our players. We played as badly as you can imagine.

“Look at UAB’s record (1-5), but they’re a team that played a really, really tough schedule. They played Army and Navy in the first six weeks and a matchup against Arkansas and Tulane and a (Louisiana) Monroe team. “Apparently I’m playing really well. I have a lot of respect for the guys on this UAB team, so we have to be ready.”

USF also played one of the most difficult schedules in the country, facing top-10 opponents in No. 6 Miami and No. 7 Alabama, as well as Tulane and Memphis, which were voted the AAC’s top two programs in the preseason. The Bulls’ first six-game schedule was ranked 8th in the nation by ESPN FPI.

The AAC schedule has been full of adjustments so far. The week that Hurricane Helene hit coastal areas of Tampa Bay, the Bulls traveled to Tulane and were defeated 45-10.

After a week of farewell, Hurricane Milton began bearing down on the Tampa Bay area, causing USF Football to move all of its operations to Orlando. Friday night’s home game against Memphis was moved to Saturday afternoon at Camping World Stadium in Orlando and the Tigers prevailed 21-3.

“We had to look at each other and know that no matter what happened, it was still going to be a three-hour football game,” Linebacker said Jhalyn Shuler said. “We had to focus on what we needed to do as a team. At the end of the day, we couldn’t control anything other than going out and performing.”

“We built a lot of friendship and I realized how much the players on this team really love each other,” Center said Mike Lofton said. “It was a blessing to be in a safe place. The game (against Memphis) didn’t go the way we wanted. We haven’t scored (a touchdown) in six quarters, so we have to sort that out. We “We need to play complementary football and help our defense.”

Last Saturday was USF’s best defensive performance of the season. The Bulls limited Memphis to just 345 yards, the second fewest for the Tigers that year, and two touchdowns (the Tigers scored a third touchdown on a fumble recovery in the end zone) and held the offense scoreless in the final 54 minutes of the game.

USF’s offensive woes included 1 of 13 on third-down conversions, six dropped passes, eight three-and-outs (on 14 drives) and just 24 rushing yards (on 19 attempts).

Golesh said he considers himself a quarterback Bryce Archie played a mostly effective game “under crazy circumstances.” Archie was 22 of 41 for 234 yards and one interception, while he was sacked once and sacked four times (for minus-5 yards).

“I thought Bryce did a really, really good job of never panicking, being in control and continuing to lead,” Golesh said. “I thought it was a high-end game in terms of how he threw the ball.”

“The (pass) protection was really good as he took some hits, but he was able to pass the ball the way you wanted him to. “He was confident and I think he was exactly what you want in a quarterback.” “Especially in his first start.”

Golesh said the availability of Byrum Brownwho was injured at Tulane, against UAB could be a game-changing decision. After UAB, the Bulls have another bye week, giving Brown more recovery time before the Nov. 1 game at Florida Atlantic.

“By the end of the week we will have a much better sense of how Byrum is feeling,” Golesh said. “But if he’s not completely healthy, it’s difficult for him to do what he does.” He’s healing. He is there mentally and physically. “We’ll see what it looks like at the end of the week.”

Regardless of whether Archie or Brown is under center, it’s clear that the Bulls need to perform better on offense.

“Up until that point, we were a very inconsistent football team,” Golesh said. “We played six games. “We really had high points and we really had low points.

“We are where we are. We are a 2-4 soccer team. We still have six games left and we’re not focused on getting better today. We don’t hide from any of it. “We are fully aware of where we are.” “We are on both sides of the ball and we have to keep pushing.”

–#GoBulls–