Coming off a dramatic conference win last week against Army, the University of South Florida Bulls will host the Delaware State University Hornets this Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.

South Florida is looking to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2018, and enters as more than a five-touchdown favorite over the 2-1 Hornets. Saturday will serve as a good tune-up game for the Bulls, who are two weeks away from returning to conference play against Temple.

Quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. will look to build on his solid play last week against Army,    when he completed 19-of-30 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns while adding another two touchdowns on the ground. 

The Bulls needed every bit of his four-touchdown performance as they escaped West Point with a 28-24 win. South Florida will hope to not need those late-game heroics against a heavily outmatched Delaware State team on paper. 

Despite being the superior team from a talent standpoint, head coach Brian Hartline isn’t taking the Hornets lightly. “We’re trying to go 1-0 every week, and then we’re trying to earn the right to compete for a conference championship.” With lofty first-year goals and taking teams lightly as early as Week 3 is not something Hartline will accept. 

Delaware State is led by former NFL star wide receiver Desean Jackson. Jackson is in his second year with Delaware State and is coming off an 8-4 season last year. The Hornets are looking for a win on Saturday that would give Jackson his first victory over an FBS opponent as Delaware State’s head coach.

For the Bulls, the key to victory is simply to do their job. South Florida is the far more talented team, and if the Bulls execute they should be able to control the game against a hungry Delaware State team. Hartline has been complimentary of the team’s ability to avoid turnovers and will look to continue that trend. 

South Florida has yet to turn the ball over through two games and has committed just seven penalties as well. Continuing that trend will be one of the biggest priorities Saturday as the Bulls continue to develop their identity as a team.

Clean football is what South Florida will be looking for as it continues to build towards its return to conference play where mistakes will be magnified.

South Florida will host Delaware State at Raymond James Stadium this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on ESPN+.