College Football HQ

South Florida nearing a milestone achieved by only four teams in 75 years

Joe Cox|
The South Florida Bulls have the chance to join an elite college football group on Saturday.
The South Florida Bulls have the chance to join an elite college football group on Saturday. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

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South Florida Bulls

A 2-0 start for the South Florida Bulls has been memorable, but a 3-0 start could be outright historic. If the Bulls can upset No. 5 Miami on Saturday, they will be only the fifth team in the last 75 years to defeat a top 25 team in each of the first three weeks of the season. USF has a rare opportunity.

The Bulls' Run

South Florida opened at then-No. 25 Boise State. The Bulls were a 5.5 point underdog, but dominated the Broncos 34-7. Byrum Brown threw for 210 yards and rushed for two scores, the Bulls converted a fake punt for a touchdown, and South Florida rode a +3 turnover margin to the season-opening win.

The situation was much more tenuous for USF in Week 2 in Gainesville. The Bulls were paid $500,000 as a guarantee for playing the game, which generally is the indicator of a payment for an upcoming beatdown. South Florida was an 18.5 point underdog, but Brown passed for 263 yards and ran for 66 more. Florida picked up 11 penalties, including a critical unsportsmanlike conduct flag on the game's final drive, and USF won 18-16.

Miami is yet a higher mountain to climb. The No. 5 Hurricanes are a 17.5 point home favorite even over the now 18th ranked South Florida Bulls. Miami bested a top ten opponent in Week 1 against Notre Dame. The Hurricane boast elite QB Carson Beck, top RB Mark Fletcher, and a roster more deep or talented that those of either Boise or Florida.

USF hadn't beaten a single top 25 team since 2016 before the season began. ESPN's FPI gives South Florida a 27.8% chance to pull off the upset over Miami and add yet another piece of college football history to what has already been a memorable season. The Bulls are the top G5 team in the FPI and have a 35% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff. It's one bit of college football history at a time for USF.

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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