Tampa, Florida - What was billed as an early-November measuring stick and potential conference championship preview instead turned into a statement.
No. 13 South Florida overwhelmed Rice 45–6 on Saturday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium, turning a highly anticipated matchup into a one-sided affair behind explosive offense, suffocating defense, and a second half that erased any lingering doubt about who controlled the game.
USF wasted little time asserting itself. The Bulls scored three times in the first quarter, punctuated by Connor Suggs’ versatility, first hauling in a 51-yard strike from Locklan Hewlett on the Bulls second offensive play, then ripping off a 76-yard touchdown run before the opening period expired. Steven Snead added physicality between the tackles, finishing two short-yardage drives and setting a tone that Rice never managed to match.
By halftime, USF held a commanding 31–0 advantage, outgaining Rice in every meaningful category and forcing the Owls into a disjointed offensive rhythm. Rice managed just 105 passing yards on the day and never found the end zone, settling for a pair of Tyler Vallos field goals as their lone points.
Hewlett delivered one of his most efficient performances of the season, completing 21 of 29 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. Jordyn Bridgewater emerged as his favorite target, torching the Rice secondary for 134 yards, while Suggs added another layer of stress with chunk plays both on the ground and through the air.
Defensively, the Bulls bottled up Rice’s quarterbacks from start to finish. Despite not recording any sacks the front seven consistently collapsed the pocket, forcing Rice into third-and-long situations it rarely survived. Bulls defenders did not have an opportunity to stack up gaudy numbers with Cameron Keys' seven tackles leading the team. Eric Rance chipped in six more. Danny Felton had the defensive highlight of the day, chasing down a Rice receiver and forcing then recovering a fumble.
Rice converted just five of 13 third downs and never mounted sustained momentum, running just 48 plays compared to USF's 64, even with the Bulls running clock for most of the second half. Rice safety Jimmy Bettis led all players with 11 tackles.
Still, the postgame conversation wasn’t centered solely on the scoreboard, it was about the final seconds.
With the outcome long decided, USF capped the afternoon with a five-yard touchdown run by Elton York as time expired, pushing the final margin to 39 points. Rice head coach Fran Brown took issue with the decision afterward, suggesting that USF “didn’t have to score there” and calling the play unnecessary in a game already out of reach.
USF head coach DJ Porter didn’t shy away from the criticism.
“Elton York busts his ass every single week on special teams,” Porter said. “He shows up early, stays late, and does whatever we ask. He earned the opportunity to be on the field and to finish that drive. He wanted to score and everyone on our sidelines wanted to see him score too.”
Porter went further, making clear that his program’s priorities won’t change based on optics.
“We’re not in the business of protecting our opponents’ feelings,” Porter said. “We’re in the business of developing our roster and rewarding guys who put in the work. If you don’t want us to score, stop us.”
Porter could be seen laughing and joking on the sideline with players and assistants when Rice elected to kick a field goal in the third quarter, already trailing 31-0. The scene repeated in the fourth quarter when Brown trotted Vallos out a second time while trailing 38-3.
The exchange underscored the afternoon’s broader theme: USF played with edge, purpose, and depth, showcasing not just star power but buy-in across the roster. York’s late score symbolized that mindset, a team confident enough to trust its entire lineup, even with the game in hand.
For Rice, the loss was a sobering reminder of how far the gap can be when execution slips. The Owls were held to 161 yards of offense and averaged just 3.4 yards per play, struggling to establish anything consistent against a disciplined Bulls defense.
For USF, the message was loud and clear. What was supposed to be an “epic battle” became a declaration. The Bulls didn’t just beat Rice, they dominated them in every phase, left no ambiguity on the field, and made it clear they have no interest in easing off the accelerator as November heats up.
After a pair of close wins over North Texas and Tulsa the Bulls have outscored their last two opponents 87-26, including 66-9 over the last six quarters of play.
USF wraps it's regular season by hosting Memphis (4-6|3-3) then traveling to Greenville, North Carolina to face ECU (2-7|1-4).
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
USF – Connor Suggs 51-yard pass from Locklan Hewlett (Dom Bragg kick), 8:32
USF – Steven Snead 4-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 4:36
USF – Connor Suggs 76-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 0:57
Second Quarter
USF – Dom Bragg 30-yard field goal, 4:12
USF – Steven Snead 1-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 1:18
Third Quarter
Rice – Tyler Vallos 31-yard field goal, 2:37
Fourth Quarter
USF – Jordyn Bridgewater 6-yard pass from Locklan Hewlett (Dom Bragg kick), 7:12
Rice – Tyler Vallos 43-yard field goal, 3:41
USF – Elton York 5-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 0:04
USF Stat Leaders
Passing
L. Hewlett – 21/29, 287 Yds, 2 TD, 0 INT, 72.4%, 9.9 YPA
Rushing
C. Suggs – 10 Car, 104 Yds, 10.4 Avg, 1 TD
S. Snead – 12 Car, 43 Yds, 3.6 Avg, 2 TD
G. Shembo – 7 Car, 49 Yds, 7.0 Avg
E. York – 4 Car, 28 Yds, 7.0 Avg, 1 TD
Receiving
J. Bridgewater – 8 Rec, 134 Yds, 16.8 Avg, 1 TD, Long 31
C. Suggs – 2 Rec, 60 Yds, 30.0 Avg, 1 TD, Long 51
J. Stoneburner – 5 Rec, 37 Yds, 7.4 Avg, Long 17
S. Snead – 3 Rec, 30 Yds, 10.0 Avg, Long 26
G. Camarda – 2 Rec, 22 Yds, 11.0 Avg
L. Dragos – 1 Rec, 4 Yds
Defense
C. Keys – 7 Tkl (6 Solo, 1 Ast)
E. Rance – 6 Tkl (6 Solo)
T. Bennett – 3 Tkl (3 Solo)
D. Felton – 2 Tkl, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR
J. Hatch – 2 Tkl, 1 TFL
K. Brents – 2 Tkl
D. Nickey – 2 Tkl
Special Teams
D. Bragg – 1/1 FG (Long 31), 6/6 XP
E. York – 2 KR, 42 Yds (21.0 Avg), Long 23
E. York – 3 PR, 28 Yds (9.3 Avg), Long 14
Rice Stat Leaders
Passing
P. Crayton Jr. – 6/18, 61 Yds, 0 TD, 0 INT, 33.3%, 10.2 YPA
J. East – 3/10, 44 Yds, 0 TD, 0 INT, 30.0%, 14.7 YPA
Rushing
T. Atkins – 11 Car, 40 Yds, 3.6 Avg
P. Crayton Jr. – 2 Car, 6 Yds, 3.0 Avg
E. Iwuoma – 2 Car, 4 Yds, 2.0 Avg
J. East – 3 Car, 4 Yds, 1.3 Avg
Receiving
R. Hardy – 3 Rec, 40 Yds, 13.3 Avg, Long 19
J. Eberle – 2 Rec, 21 Yds, 10.5 Avg, Long 14
M. Gottschalk – 1 Rec, 15 Yds, 15.0 Avg, Long 15
T. Kamara – 1 Rec, 15 Yds, 15.0 Avg, Long 15
A. Ursua – 1 Rec, 14 Yds, 14.0 Avg, Long 14
Defense
J. Bettis – 11 Tkl (5 Solo), 1 TFL, 2 PD
J. Bush – 9 Tkl (4 Solo), 1 TFL, 1 PD
N. Ah You – 7 Tkl (4 Solo), 2 TFL, 0.5 Sack
V. Mapu – 7 Tkl (2 Solo)
J. Wentz – 6 Tkl (4 Solo), 1 TFL
J. Moehrig – 5 Tkl (2 Solo), 2 TFL, 0.5 Sack
Special Teams
T. Vallos – 2/2 FG (Long 44)
M. Mendoza – 4 Punts, 164 Yds (41.0 Avg), Net 34.5, 2 Inside 20
T. Kamara – 1 KR, 34 Yds (34.0 Avg), Long 34
J. McCarter – 3 KR, 53 Yds (17.7 Avg), Long 24
| Category | USF | Rice |
|---|
| Score | 45 | 6 |
| First Downs | 29 | 9 |
| Total Offense | 508 | 161 |
| Total Plays | 64 | 48 |
| Yards Per Play | 7.9 | 3.4 |
| Rush | Yards | TD | 35 | 221 | 4 | 20 | 56 | 0 |
| Yards Per Rush | 6.3 | 2.8 |
| Comp | Att | TD | 21 | 29 | 2 | 9 | 28 | 0 |
| Yards Per Pass | 9.9 | 3.8 |
| Passing Yards | 287 | 105 |
| 3rd Down Conv. | 7 | 10 (70%) | 5 | 13 (38%) |
| 4th Down Conv. | 1 | 2 (50%) | 1 | 1 (100%) |
| 2 Pt Conv. | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 (0%) |
| Red Zone TD | FG | % | 4 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 100% |
| Turnovers | 0 (+1) | 1 (-1) |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 0 |
| PR Yards | 28 | 0 |
| KR Yards | 42 | 87 |
| Total Yards | 578 | 248 |
| Punts (Avg) | 0.0 | 1 (41.0) |
| Penalties | 4 | 45 | 1 | 10 |
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