All eyes will be on Raymond James Stadium on Thursday as the Boise State Broncos travel across the country to take on the South Florida Bulls in the opening game of a stellar college football Week 1 slate. Our Boise State vs. South Florida preview has you covered with the latest info, head-to-head record, PFSN player grades, and a prediction for the must-watch matchup.
Boise State vs. South Florida Details
- Date: Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025
- Game time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
- Predicted Weather at Kick: 89.6 degrees, partly sunny, 6.8 mph winds
- How to watch: ESPN, FuboTV
Boise State vs. South Florida Head-to-Head Record
Thursday night marks the first edition of Boise State vs. South Florida, with the Broncos and Bulls making their head-to-head debut. The two teams have never even met during Bowl Season. Unique matchups will be a more regular fixture as we enter a new world of college football that abandons geographical and historical norms for out-of-conference scheduling.
As college football programs, Boise State has a distinct head-to-head advantage in terms of historical success. The Broncos rank fifth in the country for all-time record (0.726), while South Florida ranks 79th (0.522). However, the Bulls have a better record in bowl games, while neither team has ever produced a Heisman Trophy winner or ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.
Boise State vs. South Florida Grades
Below are the PFSN team and positional grades for the highest-ranked players set to be featured in Boise State vs. South Florida. Because this matchup is the first for either team in the 2025 college football season, the PFSN metric grades shown are from 2024, showcasing the best returning players for each team.
PFSN College OFFi
- Boise State (81.3, B-)
- South Florida (71.6, C-)
PFSN College DEFi
- Boise State (77.1, C+)
- South Florida (75.8, C)
PFSN College OLi
- Boise State (82.9, B-)
- South Florida (71.0, C-)
PFSN College QBi
- Maddux Madsen, Boise State (82.1, B)
- Bryce Archie, South Florida (69.2, D)
PFSN College RBi
- Sire Gaines, Boise State (N/A)
- Cartevious Norton, South Florida (64.9, D)
PFSN College WRi
- Latrell Caples, Boise State (71.6, C-)
- Keshaun Singleton, South Florida (N/A)
PFSN College TEi
- Matt Lauter, Boise State (82.3, B-)
- Wyatt Sullivan, South Florida (69.1, D+)
PFSN College EDGEi
- Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Boise State (80.2, B-)
- Michael Williams, South Florida (78.0, C+)
PFSN College DTi
- Braxton Fely, Boise State (77.9, C+)
- Josh Celiscar, South Florida (N/A)
PFSN College LBi
- Marco Notarainni, Boise State (70.6, C-)
- Mac Harris, South Florida (76.5, C)
PFSN College CBi
- A’Marion McCoy, Boise State (88.7, B+)
- De’Shawn Rucker, South Florida (78.8, C+)
PFSN College SAFi
- Zion Washington, Boise State (85.8, B)
- Tavin Ward, South Florida (80.7, B-)
Boise State vs. South Florida Prediction
Boise State travels to South Florida to play in a heat-soaked, stormy environment that is exactly the opposite of how you want to kick off a campaign with high expectations. The Broncos are the only Group of Five team ranked in the preseason AP Poll, and despite losing Aston Jeanty to the NFL, many project them to reach the College Football Playoff at the end of this season.
The weather and home-field advantage play into the hands of the Bulls, and South Florida has seen a resurgence of their own under the stewardship of Alex Golesh. Having won no more than four games in four successive seasons prior to his arrival, the program has now had consecutive campaigns with seven wins and achieved bowl wins in both.
Unsurprisingly for a team led by an offensive mastermind, South Florida’s strength lies in its offense. The Bulls have averaged over 30 points in both seasons under Golesh, despite dealing with some issues at the quarterback position last fall. If quarterback Byrum Brown can stay healthy, this team can give most defenses a lot of trouble, with Keshaun Singleton a big-play threat at WR.
The program isn’t short on defensive talent either. Leading tackler Mac Harris is back, while several productive pieces also return. Watch out for newcomer Josh Celiscar, who is a dominant and athletic pass rusher on the interior of the defensive front. He racked up eight sacks in three years in the American with UCF, before showcasing his talent in the Big 12 in 2023.
While South Florida could be a team to watch for in the American this fall, they should be outmatched here against Boise State. While a lot of attention focused on Jeanty last season, quarterback Maddux Madsen quietly led the Mountain West in a number of metrics, and his return for 2025 offers continuity on offense, while he has several top-tier pass-catching playmakers.
There’s also a combination of young, breakout talent and experience in the running back room. Sire Gaines is the next man up, and much is expected from the talented back, while Malik Sherrod arrives from Fresno State to bolster the ground game. His 2024 campaign was cut short, but he’s just a year removed from averaging 5.6 yards per carry with nine scores.
Although the NFL and transfer portal removed two of the most productive pieces of the defense, there is real star power on that side of the ball, led by cornerback A’Marion McCoy. Jayden Virgin-Morgan is primed for a year where he could lead the conference in sacks. Boise State has the talent on both sides of the ball to ensure a smooth start to the 2025 campaign.
Prediction: Boise State 33, South Florida 21Â
