USF (4-0; 1-0 American) at UMass (2-4; Independent)
Saturday, Oct. 6 • 3:30 PM • McGuirk Stadium
— BULLS LOOK TO EQUAL BEST 4-YEAR WIN TOTAL: Just five games into the 2018 season, USF will look to equal the program’s best-ever win total over four seasons with a victory at UMass. The Bulls are in the midst of the most successful run in program history (33-9 (78.5 %) since 2015) and a 34th victory in a four-year period on Saturday would equal the 34 wins (34-18 (65.0%)) posted from 2006-09. USF has gone 25-4 since the start of 2016, including 11-1 in non-conference games (two bowl wins) with the only loss coming to No. 13 Florida State (2016). That includes a 32-6 mark in the last 38 games, which ranks FIFTH in the nation over that time.
— Bulls one of 14 teams that remain undefeated in FBS football.USF sits just outside Top 25 rankings, receive 83 votes in AP Poll (27th) and 109 in Coaches Poll (26th).
— USF became the fastest Florida FBS team to reach 150 program wins: the 20-13 victory over East Carolina in the Bulls’ American Athletic Conference opener at Raymond James Stadium. Junior Jordan Cronkrite broke a 13-13 tie with a career long 80-yard touchdown run with 10:13 remaining in the game. Redshirt freshman safety Nick Roberts sealed the victory by intercepting his first career pass at the ECU 44-yard line with two minutes remaining. USF’s defense pitched a shutout in the fourth quarter for the second straight game. The Bulls have scored 46 unanswered points in the fourth quarter over the last three games.
Offensive Superlatives:
— Jordan Cronkrite posted his second straight 100-yard rushing game with 129 yards on 15 carries (8.6 ypc).
— Jordan Cronkrite posted his first career 100-yard game with 136 yards (6.2 ypc) and 1 TD at Illinois and followed that with 129 yards and 1 TD vs. ECU. He stands 22nd nationally averaging 101.3 ypg and 19th with a 6.61 yards per carry average.
— Darnell Salomon with a TD catch in three straight games and six of his last seven. He Ranks 12th in FBS with a 22.15 yards per catch average, two TDs of 50+ yards on the year. Salomon put USF ahead with a 66-yard touchdown catch. against ECU.
— Blake Barnett got the Bulls on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:33 remaining in the opening quarter after running back Johnny Ford gained 39 yards on his first career reception. Barnett completed 12 of 20 passes for 181 yards and threw a touchdown pass in his fourth straight game.
— QB Blake Barnett passed for 411 yards vs. Illinois, the second-best total in USF history, and accounted for 428 yards, the 7th best total. He is 23rd in the NCAA passing for 274.8 ypg and 14th with 18.5 points responsible for per game. He has 8 TD passes on the year to five different receivers.
— QB Blake Barnett ranks 15th in the NCAA statistics and 3rd in The American in total offense (304.8 ypg).
— USF has scored at least 20 points in 34 straight games, the longest streak in the nation. The Bulls last failed to reach 20 points on Oct. 31, 2015 in a 29-17 loss at Navy.
Defensive Superlatives:
— Sophomore DB Mike Hampton leads the AAC and is 5th nationally in passes defended with 8.
— Senior LB Khalid McGee has transitioned from safety to linebacker, a process he began late in 2017. He had a career-best 14 tackles at Illinois. He is second in The American and 24th nationally with 10.5 tackles per game.
— Jaymon Thomas led USF with 10 tackles while Nick Roberts and Khalid McGee added eight each.
— USF stands 13th nationally allowing just 162.3 passing yards per game and 4th with a pass efficiency defense rating of 94.43.
— USF ranks 14th in the nation in TFL (8.5 tpg). The Bulls were 5th in the nation in TFL (8.4 tpg) and 11th in sacks (3.0 spg) in 2017.
by Matthew Manuri
Publisher & Editor, SoFloBulls.com |@Mcknurkle