USF Football took home the win on Thanksgiving night, dropping the UCF Knights to 0-12 for the season. Although the Bulls are no longer in contention for a conference championship, the team will be playing in its first bowl game in five years this year.
USF football finished its 2015 regular season with a 44-3 drubbing of the University of Central Florida Knights on Thursday night in Orlando.
UCF briefly entertained the idea of an upset with an opening drive that ended in a field goal and secured a 3-0 lead. However, our offense responded emphatically with a commanding touchdown drive and effectively controlled the game from then on.
The win finished off a remarkable turnaround for the Bulls. The team has won seven out of eight games, overcoming a 1-3 start to finish the regular season with a record of 8-4.
While the Bulls were heavily favored over the winless Knights, they still had to come out and take care of business to stay in contention for the AAC’s East Division title.
Boy, did they ever.
After a few false start setbacks early on, the Bulls offense was surgical in their execution, slicing through the Knights defense with ease.
As usual, the rushing attack was the key to the Bulls success, with sophomore running back Marlon Mack recording his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season, a USF record.
Quarterback Quinton Flowers orchestrated a symphony of jet sweeps in the zone-read offense that the Bulls have consistently mastered. Flowers did his best Houdini impression multiple times throughout the game, turning probable sacks into positive gains for the offense.
I realize that UCF was 0-11 going into the game, leaving few surprised by their demise, but the win was still vindicating. The reason? The Knights are our biggest rival and have beaten us the last two seasons.
It was nice to get a little payback.
The win continues the turnaround that has taken the team from the depths of mediocrity to having a chance to play for a conference championship – an opportunity that ultimately ended with Temple’s win over UConn on Saturday.
The fact that the Bulls even had the opportunity gives us pride in knowing they are one of the hottest teams in the country.
This time a year ago, the team could barely get a snap off, and first downs were cause for excessive celebration.
Now, this offense is cutting through opposing defenses like a hot knife through butter. They put the football program back on the map and we, as students and fans, have something to be proud of again.
Let’s see which Bowl game the Bull’s get a bid to –the team’s first in five years– and continue to support them in what has become a season to remember.
