USF football has dreams of reaching a New Year’s Six game. Click ahead to see how the Bulls will fare in each game on their 2017 schedule.
The 2017 South Florida squad looks similar to last year’s team in many ways. Quinton Flowers, one of the nation’s best dual-threat quarterbacks, returns to pilot a loaded Bulls offense. Middle linebacker Auggie Sanchez returns as the leader of a maturing defense. While they lose three-year starting running back Marlon Mack, senior D’Ernest Johnson will finally get his chance to emerge from Mack’s shadow.
Of course, they have to adjust to a brand new coaching staff. Willie Taggart, the architect of South Florida’s recent success, is now the head coach at Oregon. The Bulls landed Charlie Strong, who fizzled at Texas but dazzled at Louisville. He should be able to bolster the defense this season, and he will let the offense do what it does best.
South Florida is an 11-2 team that missed a chance to play for the American Athletic Conference title. USF was in the hunt for a New Year’s Six berth until Temple ended their perfect record in Philadelphia. That kept the Bulls from playing in the AAC championship game, and without a league title they were not in line for the Group of Five’s automatic berth.
This year USF hopes to take that next step in Strong’s inaugural season in Tampa. The former Florida defensive coordinator knows the state well, and his staff should have little trouble with a solid core of players this year. Click ahead to learn more about each South Florida opponent, and to see our game-by-game predictions.