The Bulls knocked off a ranked team for the first time since 2016
TAMPA, Fla. – Those are the type of plays and go-for-it mentality that have been lacking in these parts for quite some time. Indeed, if you are going to defeat a team that went to the College Football Playoff a year ago, and against whom you held a slim lead midway through the third quarter, well, throw a surprise party and enjoy the rest of the evening.
USF fans certainly enjoyed a 34-7 win over No. 25 Boise State at Raymond James Stadium on Thursday night, and a play that brought the crowd out of its seats came from the right arm of a true freshman quarterback lined up as a punter.
Locklan Hewlett’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Keshaun Singleton gave the Bulls a 17-7 lead with 8:18 remaining in the third quarter. And the party was just beginning.
READ: What USF’s History vs. Ranked Opponents Reveals About The Boise State Matchup
It was a night when the leaders led and a pair of seniors, quarterback Byrum Brown and linebacker Jhalyn Shuler, shined brightest. Any question about Brown’s ability to run after missing much of last season with a leg injury was answered frequently and emphatically in the second quarter, including on a 23-yard touchdown run with 6:34 remaining in the half to give the Bulls a 10-7 lead, an advantage Alex Golesh’s team would not relinquish.
Shuler? He was a monster and on a hard-hitting, swarming, and relentless defense. No. 7 was seemingly everywhere on a night he recorded 14 tackles with one for loss, recovered a fumble and got into the kitchen of Broncos’ quarterback Maddux Madsen more than once.
Add it all up, and what a way it was to start Golesh’s third season at the helm. It was the Bulls’ first win over a ranked opponent since besting Navy, 52-45, in 2016. Maybe it won’t be the only such occasion in 2025. Maybe. What a start it was.
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