College Football

LSU Defense Pounds Louisville at 2016 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl

Published

10 years ago

December 31, 2016

ORLANDO: LSU Tigers knock out Louisville Cardinals at the 2016 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Photo: Willie David/Florida National News.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers (#20, 5-3 SEC) faced off against the University of Louisville Cardinals (#13, 7-1 ACC) for the 2016 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium Saturday. Though LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron and Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino have faced off before while working with previous teams, this year’s Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl match was LSU and Louisville’s first meeting on the gridiron. College football lovers on both sides were chomping at the bit to see this unique battle between the team with one of the nation’s strongest defensive lines in LSU and the team with one of the nation’s most winning head coaches in Louisville’s Bobby Petrino (#11, with a 71% win rate) and the 2016 Heisman Trophy-winning Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson.

LSU and Louisville’s Gritty Showdown

In anticipation of the big game, the fans and coaches alike expected a tight matchup, but game day was another story. LSU came out fighting from the moment the first quarter began, blocking nearly every one of Louisville’s passes. LSU linebacker Devin White also sacked Jackson for a loss of nineteen yards on Louisville’s third scoring drive.

Offensively, neither team gained much headway first quarter. LSU’s first scoring drive led to a missed field goal attempt while Louisville scored a field goal at 7:14. During the drive, Jackson passed to wide receiver James Quick, who rushed for fifty-three yards to LSU’s 9 yard line, but LSU didn’t let Louisville get much further. Jackson carried the ball another two yards, but the next two downs saw incomplete passes, which forced the field goal on the fourth down. The end of first quarter score was 3-0 Louisville.

By second quarter, LSU’s offensive momentum increased and they scored the first touchdown in less than four minutes thanks to their starting the quarter in the red zone. The team scored its second touchdown on the second drive in just over seven minutes.

More interestingly, quarterback sacks surged in the second quarter. In some games, sacks are peppered in, but in this match, they were prevalent, with Jackson as the biggest target. He was sacked during four of Louisville’s five scoring drives, with the last sack causing a nine-yard loss resulting in a safety. Louisville managed another field goal before the clock stopped, leaving the halftime score at 16-6 LSU.

The slaughter continued in third quarter. Louisville started the drive in third and Jackson was sacked on the very first down for a loss of seven yards. From second quarter, Jackson realized he would have to do more carries than passes and adapted accordingly. This was seen in Louisville’s second scoring drive, in which Jackson rushed for twenty yards before getting sacked for a loss of two. LSU followed that with a forty-five-second drive to score. LSU running back Derrius Guice, who was named the game’s MVP, carried the ball twelve yards to ensure a first down, then rushed it seventy yards for LSU’s third touchdown. During LSU’s next scoring drive, they widened the gap simply because they could. With three minutes and four seconds left in the quarter, they scored a field goal. Louisville tried to counter on their next drive but couldn’t overcome the defense, leaving the third quarter score at 26-6 LSU.

Louisville wasted no time in fourth quarter getting points on the board, scoring a field goal on the first scoring drive and bringing the score to 26-9. LSU’s following drive marked the last point gain with a field goal, putting the final score at 29-9. The rest of the fourth was a clash of defensive lines, each team ensuring the other scored nothing else.

Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino expressed his disappointment during the post-game press conference. When FNN News asked him about what he told his seniors after the loss, he said he wished to give them the win, but thanked them for their incredible efforts.

FNN News asked LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron what the defining moment was in the game when he knew the team had it in the bag. “When the clock hit zero,” he replied, smiling. He explained that he’d witnessed games where a team will be down by double digits before the half and come back to win, so he and his team continue to keep the pressure on until the clock stops.

Central Florida News

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

Published

6 days 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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Central Florida News

Temple Hands USF First Loss, 17-13

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

Cameron Seldon races toward the sideline as Temple defenders force him out of bounds. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Bulls move to 4-1 as Hartline turns attention toward corrections and the week ahead

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — South Florida’s unbeaten start ended Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium as Temple defeated the Bulls 17-13. USF struck first behind a Nico Gramatica field goal but went into halftime trailing 10-3 before finding momentum after the break.

USF responded in the third quarter as D.J. Crowther’s one-yard touchdown tied the game at 10.

USF and Temple battle at the line of scrimmage. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

The Bulls’ defense added a key stop when No. 1 C.J. Hicks recovered a Temple fumble in the end zone. Gramatica later connected from 49 yards to give USF a 13-10 fourth-quarter lead. Temple answered with the defining possession of the night, driving 96 yards before quarterback No. 13 Ajani Sheppard scored on a 34-yard run to put the Owls ahead for good.

Temple’s 96-yard fourth-quarter drive became the turning point in the 17-13 finish.

Joshua Porter sprints for catch with Adrian Laing closing in for Temple. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

USF was unable to answer late, dropping to 4-1. Following the game, head coach Brian Hartline focused on returning to the film, correcting the mistakes that surfaced and making sure the Bulls use the loss to improve heading into the next week.

FINAL: Temple 17, USF 13

Up Next: USF travels to San Antonio to face UTSA on Thursday night.