Miami Beach Bowl: Brandon Doughty leads WKU to win over USF

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers overcame a sluggish start from Brandon Doughty to beat former head coach Willie Taggers and the South Florida Bulls in the Miami Beach Bowl.

Points were expected in bunches at Marlins Park for the Miami Beach bowl between Western Kentucky and South Florida but after a pair of ugly interceptions from WKU quarterback Brandon Doughty, the Hilltoppers were blanked in the first quarter as the Bulls led 7-0 after one.

But once the second quarter began, we started to see the Doughty we had seen all year and the points started to pile up. Western Kentucky got three touchdowns and 461 passing yards from Doughty who finished his career with a 45-35 win and WKU’s first 12-win season since 1973. He’s headed to the NFL now and could be a fourth round pick.

Doughty’s had five receivers collect at least five receptions on the afternoon, including a team-high eight receptions from Taywan Taylor who had 114 yards. Nicholas Norris led the team in receiving with five catches and 120 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Anthony Wales led WKU in rushing with 105 yards and two scores.

USF couldn’t get much going in the passing game to match Doughty throw for throw, but USF quarterback Quinton Wilson had a game-high 109 rushing yards and two touchdowns and running back Marlon Mack had 107 yards on 16 carries. The best pass of the game for the Bulls was from running back D’Ernest Johnson on a double pass when he connected from 34 yards out on a score to Rodney Adams.

If you were watching the first half of the game, but didn’t get a chance to see the second half, you’re probably asking yourself where all this offense came from because it was only 14-10 at halftime. But Doughty and WKU scored 28 points in the decisive third quarter to take the lead and they never looked back.

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Western Kentucky finishes the year 12-2 and head coach Jeff Brohm is a name to remember because he could be in line for a bigger job, if he wants it, this time next year. South Florida finishes 8-5.