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Today I bring you several key statistics in tomorrow’s 7 PM AAC showdown between UConn (3-3, 1-2) and USF (5-1, 2-0) at Raymond James Stadium. Tomorrow also happens to be my birthday, so I hope to see you and droves of USF faithful come game time tomorrow evening to pack Ray Jay for the best Bulls team in over five years. Show up, show out, and be loud! #BeatUConn !!
✏️ USF looks to extend the school record six straight conference victories and notch the Bulls’ fifth straight win over UConn this Saturday. USF arrives to the contest with leading the nation in consecutive 200+ yard rushing games (11), 35+ point games (10), and 440+ total offensive yards performances (10). The Bulls’ 257 points six games into 2016 is a program record. Shocking, I know!
✏️ USF has won eight of the last 10 games in Tampa, and eight straight against in-division AAC East opponents. The Bulls finished unbeaten in the AAC East in 2015, sporting a perfect 5-0 division record. In the previous 13 meetings between UConn and USF, the home team has won 10 times.
✏️ At 5-1, the Bulls’ are just a single win shy of matching the USF program-best record start to a season. The Bulls were 6-1 seven games into both the 2007 and 2008 seasons. A win against UConn Saturday (10/15/16) moves USF into bowl eligibility the second fastest in school history, trailing the 64-12 beat down of UCF on 10/13/07 by just two days. A win over the Huskies Saturday would mark the fourth time USF became bowl eligible in the month of October.
✏️ Senior UConn wide receiver Noel Thomas is fourth in country in receptions per game at 9.2, and is ranked second in the American. Thomas is also 15th nationally in receiving yards per game, which is also second in the American. Thomas is now ninth in UConn program history with 138 receptions and ranks tenth in career receiving yards with 1,687.
✏️ Senior cornerback Jhavon Williams was named to the American Honor Roll for his performance in the Huskies’ 20-9 win over Cincinnati, where he posted nine tackles and four pass breakups.
✏️ UConn’s rushing defense is ranked 11th nationally, limiting opponents to just 98.8 rushing yards per game. The Huskies are in for a rude awakening come Saturday against the Gulf Coast Offense’s three-headed monster of Quinton Flowers, Marlon Mack, and D’Ernest Johnson. The only opponent the UConn defense has faced comparable to the Bulls’ backfield was Houston, where the Huskies gave up 65 rushing yards to Greg Ward alone. Marlon Mack alone posted his 16th career 100 yard rushing game last week against ECU, and USF currently boasts a rushing attack ranked 12th nationally in yards per game with 260.5 and ranks 6th nationally in total rushing yards with 1,563.
✏️ Speaking of the #MackAttack… The Sarasota native earned his 16th career 100 yard game last week against ECU. Mack’s 2,907 yards is the USF all-time career rushing record and is closing in on 3,000 rushing yards which would make him the 17th Florida collegiate running back to do so in sunshine state history. PS. Marlon Mack ranks 8th in the FBS averaging 7.13 yards per carry thus far in 2016.
✏️ USF has snared seven picks the season, earning the Bullshark secondary ranked 17th in the FBS. The Bulls 13 takeaways in 2016 has the Auggie Sanchez led USF defense ranked 12th in the FBS.
✏️ And a not so fun fact for Bulls fans: USF is outscoring opponents 70-24 in the third quarter, and 129-56 in the second half.
by Matthew Manuri
Publisher & Editor, SoFloBulls.com | @Mcknurkle
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