USF Football: 3 takeaways upset loss to Houston in Week 9

USF football looked to remain undefeated through Week 9, but a loss to the Houston Cougars has changed the outlook on the Bulls’ season.

No. 17 USF faced Houston Saturday afternoon to continue its run in the AAC. South Florida was on a collision course to face No. 18 UCF at the end of the season to see who will represent East division. If USF could have kept winning, it would have a good shot at playing in a New Year’s Six bowl.

Well, on Saturday, the Bulls were upset by Houston 28-24 as the Cougars traveled to Tampa and handled business.

Here are three takeaways from the Bulls’ loss to Houston.

3. Quinton Flowers is a playmaker

Quinton Flowers the senior quarterback from Miami, Fla., has been Mr. Consistent for the Bulls. He is solid in the passing and running games. While a lot of Bulls fans would love for his completion rate to rise from the 51.7 percent that is rise now, they know they have a gamer.

This season, he is 89-for-172 passing for 1,245 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also has 613 yards on 115 carries and seven touchdowns with a 5.3 yard per carry clip.

On Saturday, he was 23-for-38 passing for 325 yards and he ran for only seven yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t throw for any touchdowns, but he completed 60.5 percent of his passes so even in defeat, Bulls fans have to be content with his performance. The senior will have to play even better so his team can get back on a winning streak to finish the season.

You have to like him throwing for over 300 yards, but they need him to get more than seven yards on 14 carries, whether it was scheme or Flowers not doing what he usually does will be difference in the future.

Flowers is the playmaker and he must make more plays during the stretch run for the Bulls to have New Year’s Six bowl hopes in play.