The 7-2 USF Bulls made a statement of College Football Playoff proportions Thursday night with an absolute 55-23 rout of the UTSA Roadrunners. Raymond James was rocking from the first whistle as senior safety Tavin Ward picked off UTSA quarterback Owen McCown’s first pass of the game, taking it back 40 yards after only eight seconds had expired.
USF had 45 points at the half, 14 of which came from a hyper-vigilant defense. Plus kicker Nico Gramatica went 2-2 in field goals with a long of 51, because as we all know, Alex Golesh is a three-phase kind of guy. This game firmly improves the Bulls’ playoff chances, creating a clearer path for the possible Group of Five representative.
What are the Chances of USF Making the College Football Playoff?
According to the PFSN College Football Playoff Meter (FPM), the chances of USF making the American title game are now 42.7% (was 32.6% entering Week 11), and its odds of making the playoff have increased to 14.6% (was 10.7% before the win over UTSA).
While the defense set the tone for USF, contributing heavily on both sides of the ball, quarterback Byrum Brown led the charge literally, finishing 14-15 for 239 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the team on the ground with nine carries for 109 yards and another touchdown.
UTSA struggled to keep up with the Bulls’ rigorous pace despite putting up 346 yards of offense. Unlike last week’s efficient performance against Tulane, McCown never really found his rhythm against the Bulls’ suffocating defense, going 16-23 for 200 yards and one touchdown.
It didn’t help that his receivers had several costly drops. Penalties also plagued the Roadrunners (10 for a loss of 70 yards). It remains a mystery to college football enthusiasts everywhere why UTSA can’t seem to capture its magic outside the confines of the Alamodome.
Remaining USF Football Schedule
- at Navy Midshipmen
- at UAB Blazers
- vs. Rice Owls
The Bulls have three very winnable games, with the hardest one coming next week in Annapolis. The triple-option is always tricky, but the Mids’ defense has shown weaknesses.
Powered by an aggressive defense and a fast-paced attack, USF remains firmly in the playoff conversation. An American Conference title would give the Bulls’ résumé a significant lift, even with two blemishes on their record.
Alex Golesh’s squad has already proven it can go toe-to-toe with nearly anyone in the country, and if they close out the season clean, it would be hard to imagine Selection Sunday passing without their name in the mix. That’s not to say there isn’t competition for the spot.
Updated College Football Playoff Probabilities for Group of Five Teams
With USF dominating UTSA on Thursday night and Tulane defeating Memphis on the road on Friday night, the race to capture one of the five automatic College Football Playoff spots available to a Group of Five teams has heated up ahead of the Saturday slate of games in Week 11.
- James Madison Dukes: 26.5%
- Tulane Green Wave: 21.3%
- North Texas Mean Green: 18.8%
- USF Bulls: 14.6%
- Navy Midshipmen: 10.9%
- Memphis Tigers: 4.5%
- San Diego State Aztecs: 2.5%
- East Carolina Pirates: 0.5%
- Boise State Broncos: 0.3%
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles: 0.1%
