Photo by Kendall Bulkiewicz | The Crow’s Nest
By Kendall Bulkiewicz
The University of South Florida Bulls secured bowl eligibility with a dominant 63-30 victory over Tulsa on Senior Day on Nov. 23 at Raymond James Stadium.
The win marks USF’s 11th bowl appearance in its 24-year history, capping off an emotional day honoring the team’s seniors.
“This was such a special game,” said head coach Alex Golesh. “We played with the energy and execution we’ve been building toward all season. The way we set the tone early speaks to the culture we’re creating.”
The Bulls wasted no time asserting their dominance, racing to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter before Tulsa managed its first down.
By halftime, USF held a commanding 42-7 advantage, fueled by 454 yards of offense. The team finished with 715 total yards — the second-highest mark in program history and the most ever against an FBS opponent.
Quarterback Bryce Archie threw for a career-high 305 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score.
“It’s been an emphasis for the whole team to come out fast,” Archie said. “In the first quarter, everything was clicking — runs were hitting, passes were getting open. That’s what it’s supposed to look like.”
Running back Kelley Joiner Jr. led the ground attack with 133 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries, including a 48-yard score on the third play of the game. Joiner’s standout performance moved him into sixth place on USF’s career rushing list with 2,159 yards.
Freshman tight end Jonathan Echols added his first career touchdown, a 59-yard catch-and-run that electrified the crowd in the second half.
USF’s defense held Tulsa scoreless until midway through the second quarter, forcing five turnovers for the second week straight. Safety Tawfiq Byard made two critical plays — a fumble recovery and his first career interception.
The defensive highlight of the game came when freshman defensive back James Chenault chased down Tulsa’s running back Anthony Watkins on a 77-yard run to prevent a touchdown.
The Bulls’ defense responded with a goal-line stand, stopping Tulsa on four consecutive plays inside the 2-yard line.
“That’s the kind of effort and grit we’re building here. Plays like those show what this program is about,” Golesh said.
USF cornerback Ben Knox also made an impact with a pivotal forced fumble near the end zone. Wide receiver Sean Atkins praised the effort, saying, “Seeing a freshman knock down a guy almost 100 yards, I felt like that was insane. And getting a goal-line stop without giving up points — that’s what the foundation is. That’s what we’re trying to get to.”
The Bulls’ 63 points marked their highest total since 2015 and their first back-to-back 50+ point games since 2011. The team rushed for over 300 yards for the fourth time this season, bringing its total rushing touchdowns to 30 — tied for the second-most in school history.
Golesh emphasized that the team’s aspirations extend beyond bowl eligibility.
“The standard here cannot be bowl games, The standard is competing for championships, and we want that to be sooner than later,” Golesh said.
The University of South Florida has participated in eleven bowl games. One of several postseason college football games, known as a “bowl game,” is mostly played by NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams. A team will be given the opportunity to participate in a bowl game if they are qualified, which the teams usually have to win a minimum of six games during regular season. Bowl game winners don’t go on to other games, but they do get trophies and bragging rights. The Bulls first bowl game took place in 2005 at the Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina State. Out of the eleven, the Bulls have won seven of the games with their first win back in 2006 against East Carolina University.
In the 2023 season, as Golesh was a first year head coach, the Bulls had a huge shutout game in the Boca Raton bowl winning 45-0 against Syracuse. This big bowl win was long awaited after six years of falling short.
USF wraps up its regular season on the road against Rice on Saturday, Nov. 30. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+. With bowl season secured, the Bulls aim to end the season on a high note and carry momentum into the postseason.
