South Florida Bulls Flip the Script in Second Half, Roll Past Delaware State

A Rough Start on Defense

For one half, the South Florida defense looked nothing like the unit that helped the Bulls escape Army a week earlier.

Delaware State moved the ball consistently in the opening two quarters, finding big plays that kept the Hornets within striking distance. The biggest came on a 90-yard touchdown reception, while Delaware State also broke off a 50-yard run.

The result was 17 points and 353 total yards for the Hornets on the afternoon.

USF still managed to take a 28-17 lead into halftime, but the defense had given the Bulls plenty to clean up.

Head coach Brian Hartline called the first half "atrocious" after the game and pointed directly to the need for better execution early.

The numbers backed him up. Delaware State finished with 250 passing yards and averaged 9.3 yards per pass attempt. The Hornets also converted three of their first eight third-down opportunities.

For a team preparing to move deeper into American Conference play, it was not the start Hartline wanted.

Everything Changed After Halftime

Whatever needed to be fixed, the Bulls fixed it.

Delaware State did not score again.

USF held the Hornets scoreless throughout the second half while the offense continued to build on its lead. The Bulls scored 14 points in the third quarter and another 17 in the fourth, turning what had been a competitive game into a 42-point victory.

The turning point came early in the third quarter.

After Delaware State was stopped on downs to open the half, D.J. Crowther broke loose for a 39-yard touchdown run. It was his third touchdown of the game and pushed the Bulls' lead to 35-17.

From there, USF took control.

The Bulls finished with 611 total yards, including 290 on the ground. They averaged 9.4 yards per rushing attempt and finished with seven rushing touchdowns.

It was a completely different game after halftime.

The Offense Kept Rolling

Michael Van Buren Jr. continued to give the Bulls a steady presence at quarterback.

Van Buren completed 23 of 32 passes for 300 yards and a touchdown. He also avoided an interception, continuing a strong start to the season.

Joshua Porter led the receiving corps with eight catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. Bryson Rodgers added a career-high seven receptions for 86 yards.

But the biggest story on offense was the running game.

Crowther needed only eight carries to reach 101 yards and three touchdowns. Chase Garnett added 45 yards, Tray Kinkle ran for 67, and Jason Collins Jr. finished with 35.

The Bulls averaged nearly 10 yards every time they handed the ball off.

That kind of production made it difficult for Delaware State to keep pace once the USF defense settled in.

The Second-Half Defense Was the Difference

The final numbers make the defensive turnaround easy to see.

Delaware State scored 17 points and gained 353 yards, but all of that production came before halftime.

The Hornets were held scoreless in the final two quarters.

USF also limited Delaware State to 103 rushing yards for the game and forced the Hornets to convert just three of 12 third-down attempts overall.

Sam Robinson and Zavier Hamilton led the Bulls with six tackles apiece. Both also recorded two tackles for loss.

The defense still has plenty to clean up, particularly after allowing the explosive plays that made the first half uncomfortable. But the response after halftime was exactly what USF needed.

A 3-0 Start, With Plenty to Fix

The Bulls left Raymond James Stadium with a 59-17 victory and their first 3-0 start since 2018.

They also left with a clear example of both what this team can be and what still needs work.

USF produced 611 yards, scored 59 points and shut out Delaware State in the second half.

At the same time, the first half showed that there is still plenty of room for improvement.

That may be the biggest takeaway from Saturday.

The Bulls were able to turn a shaky defensive start into a dominant second half. As conference play continues, the challenge will be finding a way to play that complete game for all four quarters.