BYU Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2019 season

STARKVILLE, MS - OCTOBER 14: Tanner Mangum #12 of the Brigham Young Cougars hands the ball to Ula Tolutau #5 during the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

This year marks a critical juncture in South Florida football history. After rising to prominence with an 11-win season in Willie Taggart’s final year in Tampa, the team maintained that level under Charlie Strong in his first season before taking a step back in 2018.

Last year’s group, dealing with the loss of players like Quinton Flowers, found themselves unable to compete at the same level as recent iterations of the Bulls and fell back to seven wins.

Never before has BYU faced off against USF, nor have they ever traveled to Tampa for a football game against any opponent. Against American Athletic Conference opponents, the Cougars have gone 7-3 over the past six seasons since that league took over as the rebranded successor to the Big East.

On this road trip, BYU will be rested and ready to go after their bye week. Marking the terminal game in the first half of the season, BYU is going to need to keep its focus on the Bulls rather than looking ahead to the following week’s showdown against Boise State.

As long as they keep their heads in the game, though, the Cougars should have no trouble getting past a Bulls team that has lost some of its swagger over the past few years.

Prediction: BYU 35, South Florida 24 (4-2)

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