Photo courtesy of USF Athletics
By Dominic Feo
The University of South Florida entered a nearly empty Rice Stadium with expectations to take care of business. The team left stunned after a disappointing, 35-28 loss against the Owls.
USF finishes its regular season with an even record of 6-6, and 4-4 in the conference.
The Bulls were outplayed on offense, defense and special teams.
Rice showed why it has the best passing defense in the American Athletic Conference, holding USF quarterback Bryce Archie to 227 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
The Bulls’ pass defense, however, could not slow down Rice quarterback E.J. Warner, son of NFL Hall of Fame inductee, Kurt Warner. The junior quarterback completed passes at will, throwing for a season-high 425 yards and three touchdowns.
In the Bulls’ two previous games, the team ran for a combined 733 yards. USF finished the game with just 111, their lowest rushing total since their loss to Navy on Nov. 9.
USF was unable to stop Rice from returning kickoffs to midfield. The Bulls kick coverage woes consistently set the Owls up with easy scoring drives that helped them get off to an early start.
Although both teams scored touchdowns on their opening drives, Rice owned the rest of the first half. Running back Quinton Jackson scored on a 12-yard run and Rice kicked a field goal on its next drive. A 23-yard touchdown catch from running back Dean Connors followed by another field goal helped Rice make the score 27-7 at halftime.
The silver-lining from this game was wide receiver Sean Atkins. The senior had a signature performance, catching seven passes for 110 yards and a 16-yard receiving touchdown that gave the Bulls hope on their first drive of the second half.
Atkins is now the second receiver in USF history to reach 2000 receiving yards. Atkins, who started his time in Tampa as a walk-on, is now just 56 yards away from becoming the Bulls all-time receiving yards leader.
A 33-yard touchdown catch by Rice receiver Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and a two-point conversion lengthened the Owls lead to 35-14 in the third quarter.
With under five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Archie took a late hit on a slide that removed him from the game. Sophomore quarterback Israel Carter was put in his place to attempt a late comeback.
A few plays later, Carter hit wide receiver Keshaun Singleton for a 28-yard touchdown pass. USF caught a break on the Owls next drive when Connors fumbled the ball.
It only took USF three plays to find the endzone again, this time a 32-yard pass to receiver Michael Brown-Stephens to make it a one-score game.
After a failed onside kick try, USF’s defense got a stop on fourth down that gave the offense under thirty seconds to attempt an unlikely comeback.
USF’s final play of the game was spent lateraling the ball back and forth before a Rice defender jumped on it, leaving the final score at 35-28.
South Florida’s underwhelming season finale will be soon forgotten with the team set to play its second consecutive bowl game in December.
The Bulls must now wait until Dec. 8 to find out which bowl game the team will play in, and which team it will face.
