College Football

2018 Gasparilla Bowl: Herd Stampedes Bulls Behind Balanced Attack

Published

8 years ago

December 23, 2018

Marshall addresses the media after their Gasparilla Bowl win at Raymond James Stadium December 22, 2018. Photo: Ken Cross for Florida National News.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Marshall running back Keion Davis rushed for 94 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns and redshirt-freshman quarterback Isaiah Green passed for 221 yards as the Thundering Herd used a balanced offensive attack to roll past South Florida with a score of 38-20 in Thursday night’s Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.

Davis and Brenden Knox split the duties at running back as Knox had 93 yards on 12 carries and a score as the Thundering Herd rushed for 282 yards rushing in winning its sixth bowl in six tries under coach Doc Holliday.

Marshall took advantage of South Florida’s 104th ranking in total defense in rolling up 503 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Keion Davis, who was the game’s MVP, put the game away on a 16-yard touchdown run with 6:24 to play. It was his second touchdown of the night as it capped an 11-play, 64-yard drive that saw the Thundering Herd melt 5:47 of clock in the final period.

“It’s the funniest thing in the world because when we was in the hotel, Isaiah said he was going to win MVP and I was like, ‘Yeah right, I hope that I win it,’” laughed Davis, who is Green’s cousin. “We have a lot to talk about on our drive back to Atlanta, Georgia. It’s kind of funny.”

Marshall dominated the fourth quarter with a 146-11 advantage in total yards that defined the Herd’s dominance in the game.

“We take great pride in our strength program and we taking great pride in knowing we are and extremely tough team,” said Holliday. “We take pride in knowing we are an extremely tough team and we know we just have to finish games like that.”

In the first half, Marshall used a pair of short fields to open up a 28-10 lead after the first 30 minutes of play.

After Green scored on a 10-yard run to give Marshall a 7-0 lead, defensive end Darius Hodge sacked South Florida quarterback Blake Barnett for a seven-yard loss as he forced a fumble, recovered it, and returned it 27 yards to the Bulls one-yard line. Anthony Anderson then carried over the top for a one-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

From there, it was an uphill battle all evening for the Bulls, who lost their sixth game in a row after winning their first seven games.

Leading 21-7 late in the second quarter, Marshall’s Marcel Williams broke open the game when he took a punt return 28 yards to the Bulls’ 17. Three plays later, Davis became the fourth Marshall rusher to score a touchdown as he scored from five yards out for a 28-7 Thundering Herd advantage with 1:30 remaining before halftime.

Early in the game, Marshall got the ball rolling on offense midway through the first quarter when quarterback Isaiah Green scored on a misdirection on a quarterback keep off the left side for a 10-yard touchdown run. He was 4 of 4 for 63 yards on the drive and carried twice for 12 yards.

Marshall took a 21-7 lead after that first quarter. They have won 18 in a row when they score first and have won their last nine when leading after one quarter.

For the Bulls, quarterback Blake Barnett came into the game on the team’s third offensive drive in relief of starter Chris Oladokun. He had missed two games due to injury, but shook off the rust as he threw for 211 yards and found Randall St. Felix for touchdown passes on a 33-yard strike with 3:16 to play in the third quarter, which cut the Marshall lead to 31-20.

St. Felix set a Gasparilla Bowl receiving record with 27.5 yards per catch as he also had two touchdown receptions. The first was in the second quarter on a pass from wide receiver Tyre McCants, who lined up in a Wildcat formation and ran right before firing the strike.

The Bulls finished with six losses in a row after winning their first seven as injuries riddled the team in the secondary in particular and those took their toll once the caliber of opponent picked up in the second half of the season.

“What you have to look [at] is we lost one of the best players in the history of this program,” said Bulls head coach Charlie Strong, “We lost a receiver [Marques Valdez-Scantling] who is playing for the Green Bay Packers and we lost four defensive players who are on NFL rosters. When you lose those players, it is really tough to replace those players. There is work to be done in the program and we have to go and get it done.”

_______________________________________________

Ken Cross is a sports contributor for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com

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College Football

USF’s Fourth-Quarter Comeback Falls Short in 52–41 Loss to Memphis

Published

3 hours ago

November 14, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

USF overcame a 21-point deficit to take a fourth-quarter lead before Memphis regained control and secured the win at Raymond James Stadium

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — November 13, 2026 — The University of South Florida football team mounted an impressive second-half comeback but ultimately fell 52–41 to Memphis on Thursday night at Raymond James Stadium.

The Bulls struggled early, falling behind 21–0 in the first quarter, before finding momentum on both sides of the ball. Led by quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, USF rallied to overcome the deficit and briefly take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Bulls Fight Back

Kromenhoek delivered a standout performance, totaling 416 yards of offense and four touchdowns, including 271 passing yards and 146 rushing yards. Running back Jason Collins Jr. added 108 rushing yards, including a 75-yard touchdown run.

South Florida running back Jason Collins Jr. (#2) races toward the end zone with Memphis defender D. Smith (#3) in pursuit during the Bulls’ matchup against the Tigers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on November 13, 2026. Collins broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run during USF’s 52–41 loss to Memphis.
Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

USF’s comeback reached its peak when Nico Gramatica connected on a 38-yard field goal, giving the Bulls their first lead at 41–38 with 8:04 remaining.

However, Memphis responded with a 76-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Stokes to Jemyri Davis, reclaiming the lead. A critical fourth-down incompletion near the Memphis goal line ended another promising USF scoring opportunity.

MMemphis player No. 6 carries the football toward the end zone during the Tigers’ matchup against South Florida at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on November 13, 2026. Memphis secured a 52–41 victory over the Bulls in the American Conference contest. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Late Rally Not Enough

Despite overcoming a 21-point deficit, South Florida was unable to complete the comeback.

Following the loss, USF head coach Brian Hartline reflected on the team’s performance:
“We just did enough to not lose by a lot.”
— Brian Hartline, USF Head Coach, in postgame remarks reported by WUSF.

The loss drops South Florida to 6–4 overall and 2–4 in American Conference play, while Memphis improves to 8–2.

The Bulls will look to regroup as they continue their final stretch of the regular season.

Photos by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Central Florida News

USF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season

Published

2 weeks ago

November 3, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

C.J. Hicks (#1) USF defensive end lines up before the snap during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory over UAB at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.

Defense Turns the Game Around

UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.

Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.

Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.

Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.

South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.

Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum

Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.

Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.

Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.

Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.

Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone

With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.

The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.

The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.

Looking Ahead

USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.

Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10

– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com

Central Florida News

USF Comes Up Short at UTSA as Late Touchdown Seals 31-24 Loss

Published

1 month ago

October 9, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — USF running back D.J. Crowther (5) crosses the goal line on a 15-yard touchdown run to open the scoring against UTSA Thursday night at the Alamodome. Photo by Stephen Galvin / University of South Florida Athletics.

South Florida held an early advantage and reclaimed the lead late, but UTSA’s second-half execution proved to be the difference Thursday night at the Alamodome.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (FNN SPORTS) — South Florida gave itself a chance to steal a road win Thursday night, but UTSA answered when it mattered most, defeating the Bulls 31-24 at the Alamodome.

USF struck first behind D.J. Crowther, who broke through for a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Bulls an early advantage. Quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. helped keep South Florida’s offense moving throughout the night as the Bulls continued to respond whenever UTSA threatened to take control.

USF stayed within reach from start to finish, but the second half belonged to a UTSA offense that consistently found a way to finish drives.

UTSA Finds Its Rhythm

Running back A’Marion Peterson became the difference-maker for the Roadrunners, finishing with 92 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

UTSA scored on every second-half possession, gradually shifting momentum away from a USF team that continued to battle offensively. The Roadrunners leaned heavily on their ground game while keeping the Bulls from building any sustained separation.

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