Following an underwhelming 14-6 victory against a struggling Bowling Green team, the 4-0 South Florida Bulls will look to improve on their inconsistent offensive performance as they host American Conference opponent Temple.
Bowling Green’s defense had allowed 56 and 55 points respectively in its previous two games, but the Bulls couldn’t find a rhythm on offense. The team accounted for just 214 yards of total offense, and quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. who had been finding a rhythm, registered only 52 passing yards on the day.
D.J. Crowther continues to be a bright spot as he racked up 143 rushing yards and a touchdown as South Florida prepares to return to conference play.
Looking ahead to Temple, the Owls find themselves in the middle of a three-game skid, including a conference loss to Army. The Owls are led by quarterback Ajani Sheppard who has enjoyed a solid start to the season.
Sheppard has completed just 53% of his passes, but has thrown five touchdowns without an interception while averaging 9.3 yards per pass attempt. The Owls also have three pass catchers who have logged triple-digit receiving yards on the year.
On the ground, Temple averages 5.5 yards per carry, headlined by Keveun Mason and Samuel Brown V. Mason has had the lion’s share of the carries with 60, and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Brown V has been explosive, with his 25 carries averaging 8.2 yards per rush.
For South Florida, the Bulls are once again facing a struggling defense. The Owls are allowing 389.8 yards per game, ranking near the bottom of the FBS in total defense. The Bulls’ offense has been inconsistent, showing flashes of explosiveness at times, while also being stymied by lesser competition.
The run-heavy attack from the Bulls should favor them in this matchup as Crowther has run for over 100 yards in each of his last two games. The Owls are allowing 157.8 rushing yards per game, creating another opportunity for South Florida to establish the run.
The Bulls have committed to a run-heavy scheme thus far, running the ball over 60% of their offensive plays. While already committing heavily to the run, South Florida may be without transfer receiver Arhmad Branch who is listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Branch has caught 11 passes for 108 yards on the season, making him the Bulls’ third leading receiver thus far.
One of the bright spots for South Florida has been its defense. Since halftime of the Delaware State game, the Bulls have surrendered just six points. The pair of field goals that Bowling Green scored came after South Florida turnovers, with the defense preventing either possession from reaching the end zone.
For the Bulls’ the keys to victory are similar to what they have been all year: Establish the run and avoid extended offensive lulls. Long drives that end in scores have been gold for the Bulls so far this year. The second part is limiting long lulls without points.
Though South Florida is undefeated, is has had stretches where the offense has fizzled and put heavy reliance on a defense that has been up for the task. While the defensive play has been good, eventually the offense will need to hold up its end of the bargain and produce consistently.
The South Florida Bulls take on the Temple Owls this Saturday at Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 P.M. ET. The game can be watched on ESPNU.
