hater talking never made me mad, never that when I'm in my favorite papertag
Strength in Unity.
Strength in Unity.
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#1 USF (9-0, 7-0) | 3 | 14 | 21 | 0 || 38
#7 TEX (8-2, 5-2) | 3 | 10 | 10 | 8 || 31
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No. 1 Bulls hang on to beat No. 7 Texas, move closer to clinching SEC East
In just two plays, USF running back Bobby Jackson changed the tenure. Once on a NCAA record 90-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to seemingly put it out of reach and once more in the fourth quarter, where Jackson's fumble led to Texas making it a seven-point game with 4:52 left in the game.
The Longhorns comeback efforts fell short as Dan Butler's Hail Mary attempt never made it past the line of scrimmage as defensive end John Allen knocked down his throwing arm to seal the 38-31 win for the Bulls on Saturday night.
It was a back and forth game with Texas keeping it close by going down the field with just 45 seconds left in the half and securing a field goal to make it 17-13 at the half. The Longhorns then opened the second half with a 63-yard bomb on a blown coverage by USF to take the lead. USF would respond with a methodical drive of their own that ended with Jackson's first touchdown of the day from five-yards out.
After a Texas field goal, Jackson would reach the endzone once more, this time on a 90-yard run. Following a Texas three-and-out, Joey Spence and USF's passing attack continued to find form with Spence throwing his third touchdown of the day to Jarod Green who reeled in his second.
USF's defense continued to step up, shutting Texas out for the majority of the fourth quarter until Jackson's fumble gifted the Longhorns a short field which they took advantage, scoring on a thirteen-yard touchdown pass and securing the two-point conversion to make it a seven point game.
The Bulls remained aggressive on offense with Spence completing a 62-yard completion to Jason McDowell. However, the drive stalled and Mike Pleasant's missed field goal kept the Longhorns in the game. After picking up a first down, Texas failed to get another one and decided to punt with less than three minutes left as opposed to going for it from their own 35-yard line.
Once again, USF found early success but on third down, a deep pass to McDowell fell incomplete and they were forced to punt.
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Scoring Summary
Quarter 1
[TEX] D. Davidson, 24 Yd FG (3:34)
[USF] M. Pleasant, 33 Yd FG (0:00)
Quarter 2
[TEX] J. Espinosa, 18 Yd pass from D. Butler (6:27)
[USF] J. Green, 17 Yd pass from J. Spence (4:44)
[USF] C. Wallace, 11 Yd pass from J. Spence (0:45)
[TEX] D. Davidson, 47 Yd FG (0:00)
Quarter 3
[TEX] R. Sullivan, 63 Yd pass from D. Butler (7:44)
[USF] B. Jackson, 5 Yd run (6:10)
[TEX] D. Davidson, 32 Yd FG (2:13)
[USF] B. Jackson, 90 Yd run (1:59)
[USF] J. Green, 4 Yd pass from J. Spence (0:04)
Quarter 4
[TEX] B. Jackson, 13 Yd pass from D. Butler -- 2pt (4:52)
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#1 South Florida Bulls
QB Joey Spence: 24 of 38, 340 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 carry, 5 yards.
HB Bobby Jackson: 17 carries, 169 yards, 2 touchdowns, fumble (lost).
HB Dionte McCarthy: 1 carry, 9 yards, 5 receptions, 21 yards.
TE Chris Wallace: 6 receptions, 109 yards, touchdown.
WR Jarod Green: 4 receptions, 79 yards, 2 touchdowns.
WR Jason McDowell: 3 receptions, 64 yards.
WR Derek Young: 3 receptions, 39 yards.
S Wesley Adams: 8 tackles, tackle for loss.
LB Josh Anderson: 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss.
CB Tyler Matthews: 6 tackles, tackle for loss, sack.
DE Kevin Beck: 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss.
#7 Texas Longhorns
QB Dan Butler: 30 of 43, 312 yards, 3 touchdowns, sacked 3 times, 13 carries, 28 yards.
HB Justin Woods: 22 carries, 109 yards, fumble (recovered), 5 receptions, 22 yards.
HB Myron Murphy: 3 carries, 69 yards.
WR Randall Sullivan: 6 receptions, 92 yards, touchdown.
WR Dan Willis: 6 receptions, 69 yards.
LB Derrick Pittman: 8 tackles.
CB Lamar Fenner: 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss.
Strength in Unity.
Where does Spence rank for you out of all the QBs you've had at USF? Not statistically necessarily
Strength in Unity.
Week 11 Top Stories
1. Spirits are high in East Lansing as their Spartans beat #17 Ohio State 27-20.
2. The Trojans KO Stanford in conference play.
3. Colorado wallops conference rival Oregon State 28-7.
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Week 11 SEC Results
USF 38 - TEX 31 | UK 28 - VANDY 21 | OU 45 - MIA 35 | TAMU 45 - TENN 36
ARK 35 - SCAR 3 | UGA 32 - AUB 31 | ALA 48 - MSST 21
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Week 12 SEC Schedule
#1 USF (9-0, 7-0) at Florida State (4-5, 3-3)
Arkansas (5-5, 2-5) at Mississippi State (4-6, 3-4)
Georgia Southern (2-7, 0-0) at Tennessee (6-4, 4-4)
Texas A&M (6-3, 4-3) at Oklahoma (6-4, 4-4)
LSU (2-7, 2-4) at #18 Ole Miss (6-3, 3-3)
App State (2-8, 0-0) at Florida (6-3, 4-3)
Vanderbilt (0-10, 0-8) at Georgia (3-6, 2-6)
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Week 12 Notable Games
#12 Rutgers (7-2, 4-2) at #2 Michigan State (9-0, 6-0)
#7 Penn State (7-2, 6-0) at #21 Ohio State (5-3, 3-3)
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SEC Standings
EAST
1. USF, 9-0, 7-0
2. Alabama, 9-1, 6-1
3. Florida, 6-3, 4-3
4. Florida State, 4-5, 3-3
5. Miami, 6-4, 3-4
6. Auburn, 4-6, 3-4
7. LSU, 2-7, 2-4
8. Georgia, 3-6, 2-6
WEST
1. 8-2, 5-2
2. Texas A&M, 6-3, 4-3
3. Ole Miss, 6-3, 3-3
4. Oklahoma, 6-4, 4-4
5. Tennessee, 6-4, 4-4
6. Mississippi State, 4-6, 3-4
7. Arkansas, 5-5, 2-5
8. Kentucky, 3-7, 1-6
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College Football Playoffs Rankings
1. USF, 9-0
2. Michigan State, 9-0
3. Middle Tennessee State, 9-0
4. Miami University, 9-0
----
5. Alabama, 9-1
6. Oregon, 8-1
7. Penn State, 7-2
8. Navy, 6-2
9. Georgia Tech, 8-1
10. BYU, 8-1
11. Missouri, 7-2
12. Texas, 8-2
13. Rutgers, 7-2
14. Southern Miss, 8-1
15. Virginia Tech, 7-2
16. Minnesota, 7-2
17. Ole Miss, 6-3
18. Colorado, 6-3
19. Notre Dame, 7-3
20. Oklahoma State, 5-2
21. Ohio State, 5-3
22. Bowling Green, 8-1
23. Coastal Carolina, 8-1
24. UCLA, 7-3
25. Texas A&M, 6-3
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Players of the Week
QB Jason Roberts (UTSA): 27 of 36, 563 yards, 7 touchdowns.
CB Keith McNeal (Kansas State): 4 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, interception.
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QB Russell Russ (Texas A&M): 27 of 32, 364 yards, 26 carries, 91 yards, 5 total touchdowns.
S Frank Lindsey (Alabama): 5 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries.
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247 Sports Five-Star Commitments
#1 Jeff Tate [HB #1]: 5'10", 172lbs | Elizabeth City, NC | 5-star | North Carolina State University
#2 Nate Houston [WR #1]: 6'1", 191lbs | Scott City, KS | 5-star | University of Mississippi
#4 Russell Lewis [ATH #1]: 6'1", 225lbs | Bradenton, FL [IMG] | 5-star | Florida State University
#5 Chris Hampton [ATH #2]: 6'3", 181lbs | Ferriday, LA | 5-star | Louisiana State University
#6 Luke Alexander [ATH #3]: 6'4", 223lbs | Valdosta, GA | 5-star | Rutgers University
#9 William Sapp [HB #4]: 5'11", 191lbs | Riviera Beach, FL | 5-star | University of South Florida
#12 Eric Valentine [HB #5]: 5'9", 198lbs | Leland, MS | 5-star | University of South Florida
#13 Omar Smith [WR #3]: 6'4", 210lbs | Lithia Springs, GA | 5-star | Pennsylvania State University
#17 Jeremy Clark [WR #4]: 6'4", 204lbs | Lutherville-Timonium, MD | 5-star | University of Southern California
#18 Isaac Buchanan [ATH #4]: 6'1", 179lbs | Fairfield, OH | 5-star | University of Southern California
#22 Michael Tremblay [TE #1]: 6'7", 262lbs | Opelika, AL | 5-star | University of Alabama
#25 Jason Todd [WR #5]: 6'2", 205lbs | Rocky River, OH | 5-star | University of Southern California
#26 Donny Reed [WR #6]: 5'11", 199lbs | North Decatur, GA | 5-star | University of Oklahoma
#27 Ryan Porter [S #3]: 6'1", 184lbs | Half Moon, NC | 5-star | University of Notre Dame
#28 Ernie Brooks [G #1]: 6'4", 317lbs | Rockville, MD | 5-star | Auburn University
#29 Jacob Oliver [HB #9]: 6'2", 206lbs | Evergreen Park, IL | 5-star | Ohio State University
#30 David Russ [QB #2]: 6'0", 204lbs | Cherry Hills Village, CO | 5-star | University of Colorado
#31 Andre Kelly [DT #2]: 6'3", 260lbs | Chickasaw, AL | 5-star | Georgia Tech University
#37 Maurice Gandy [WR #9]: 6'1", 172lbs | Black Diamond, WA | 5-star | University of Oregon
#38 Gary Huff [CB #1]: 5'11", 175lbs | Iron Mountain, MI | 5-star | University of Tennessee
#40 Brian Hill [ATH #6]: 6'2", 190lbs | North College Hill, OH | 5-star | Michigan State University
#42 David Harrison [ATH #7]: 6'3", 294lbs | Arlington Heights, IL | 5-star | University of Michigan
#43 David Wynn [TE #2]: 6'5", 241lbs | Perry, OK | 5-star | University of Texas
#44 Scott Hill [WR #11]: 6'1", 180lbs | Roswell, GA | 5-star | University of Miami
#46 Joe Payne [ATH #8]: 6'0", 191lbs | Greensburg, PA [IMG] | 5-star | Pennsylvania State University
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Notable Florida Recruiting Commitments
#4 Russell Lewis [ATH #1]: 6'1", 225lbs | Bradenton, FL [IMG] | 5-star | Florida State University
#9 William Sapp [HB #4]: 5'11", 191lbs | Riviera Beach, FL | 5-star | University of South Florida
#55 Oliver Lester [WR #13]: 6'4", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of Oregon
#61 Lance Anderson [DE #3]: 6'2", 240lbs | Lehigh Acres, FL | 4-star | University of Miami
#85 Curtis Weldon [QB #5]: 6'3", 226lbs | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | 4-star | Clemson University
#117 Joey Bailey [S #5]: 6'1", 185lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#133 Alex Ward [WR #22]: 5'11", 172lbs | Cutler, FL | 4-star | Virginia Tech University
#140 Thomas Hamby [ATH #24]: 6'0", 202lbs | Bayshore Gardens, FL | 4-star | University of Minnesota
#145 Cory Smith [DE #10]: 6'1", 240lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of South Florida
#183 Jermaine Peterson [ATH #27]: 5'10", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | University of Miami
#208 Ed Hughes [QB #11]: 6'3", 197lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of Nebraska
#212 Josh McNamara [WR #34]: 6'3", 190lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | University of Central Florida
#248 Clint Roberts [OLB #15]: 6'4", 220lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | University of Arkansas
#250 Dan Riley [WR #46]: 6'2", 194lbs | Pembroke Pines, FL | 4-star | Clemson University
#251 Adam Newsome [OLB #16]: 6'1", 231lbs | Bonita Springs, FL | 4-star | University of Notre Dame
#289 Brian Davis [TE #13]: 6'5", 260lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | University of Alabama
#296 Jeremy Medlock [WR #51]: 6'0", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | Miami University of Ohio
#300 Cedric Means [S #14]: 6'0", 171lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | University of Florida
#302 Eric Hawthorne [ATH #7]: 6'1", 223lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | University of South Alabama
Strength in Unity.
We've had a couple of studs but I'd put him top three for sure behind only Jed White and Jeff Jones. He's probably the highest rated passer I've ever had in terms of throwing power and accuracy.
Strength in Unity.
Where USF stands with top targets as Early Signing Day approaches
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
Since landing the commitment of five-star running back Eric Valentine and four-star defensive players Julius Hughes (CB) and Cory Smith (DE), things have been quiet for the South Florida Bulls despite them holding steady as the top ranked team in the country.
It figures to be a small class with both sanctions and just nine seniors on the roster but the Bulls still have some top targets out there, perhaps none bigger than five-star quarterback Charlie Cooke.
Cooke has officially visited Alabama and USF but recently announced that he'll be taking two more official visits to Florida State and UCF. It's long been viewed as a two-man race between the Bulls and the Tide with Alabama viewed as the favorite but both UCF and Florida State are legitimate threats to land Cooke's signature. He's hinted at an Early Signing Day decision but with the two late additions, it could potentially stretch into February which could favor the Bulls as they would likely be coming off a College Football Playoff appearance.
The other five-star offensive player on the board is IMG's Trumaine Williams, the 2nd ranked offensive guard in the nation. Williams made his OV to USF at the same time as Cooke and walked away impress but had decided to finish off his visits which included Texas and Georgia Tech with USC and Ohio State on the docket and likely the favorites to land his commitment although USF is still very much involved.
Perhaps the five-star that remains the longest of shots is another IMG product in Dominic Walker who at this point many believe to be a silent commit to Alabama. The top ranked outside linebacker is expected to make an announcement soon on his commitment with Georgia, USF and the Tide filling out his top three.
Rounding out the IMG trio is center Matt Callahan, the four-star that is originally from Tampa. USF is in a really good spot with Callahan with many expecting his commitment to have already came which is cause for slight concern as he still intends to official visit LSU and Ole Miss.
USF is battling the University of Miami for two elite prospects in tackle Kyle Everett and tight end Maurice McIntyre with the Canes behind the favorite to land both players although watch out for Kansas State as the Wildcats have made a strong push for McIntyre.
2037 USF Recruiting Class
HB William Sapp [HB #4]: 5'11", 191lbs | Riviera Beach, FL | 5-star | 4.36 40-yd dash, 380 Bench Press Max, 295 Squat Max
HB Eric Valentine [HB #5]: 5'9", 198lbs | Leland, MS | 5-star | 4.52 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 350 Squat Max
CB Julius Hughes [CB #2]: 5'11", 171lbs | Piedmont, AL | 4-star | 4.38 40-yd dash, 245 Bench Press Max, 260 Squat Max
S Joey Bailey [S #5]: 6'1", 184lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | 4.60 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 350 Squat Max
DE Cory Smith [DE #10]: 6'1", 240lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.68 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 605 Squat Max
2037 USF Recruiting Board
QB Charlie Cooke [QB #1]: 6'2", 228lbs | Monroeville, AL | 5-star | Alabama, UCF, USF, Florida State
OLB Dominic Walker [OLB #1]: 6'7", 235lbs | Casselberry, FL [IMG] | 5-star | Alabama, USF, Georgia
G Trumaine Williams [G #2]: 6'3", 324lbs | Boca Del Mar, FL [IMG] | 5-star | USC, USF, Ohio State, Georgia Tech
TE Maurice McIntyire [TE #6]: 6'4", 242lbs | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 4-star | Miami, Kansas State, USF
T Kyle Everett [T #3]: 6'4", 304lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 4-star | Miami, USF
C Matt Callahan [C #5]: 6'2", 291lbs | Tampa, FL [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Ole Miss, LSU
CB Vincent Pettway [CB #61]: 6'2", 181lbs | Orlando, FL | 3-star | USC, USF
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HB Sam Nicholson [HB #2]: 6'0", 209lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Florida State, Kansas State
Strength in Unity.
ACC, Big Ten and SEC commissioners meet with ESPN as future of college football hang in the balance
Sean Caesar -- The Athletic Writer
Several prominent top officials from the ACC, Big Ten and SEC -- including the commissioners of each conference -- met with ESPN representatives this past week to discuss the future of college football and a potential merger according to multiple sources.
The news came within a week of an ESPN report that several top programs such as Alabama, USC, USF and Ohio State had been approached by an unnamed entity to form a super league.
It remains to be seen what the fallout of all this is but whatever the outcome, USF will likely be at the forefront and welcoming the move. In speaking with many decision makers within the athletic department, senior officials are not only accepting of a potential shift but pushing for it.
"The kind of money that a lot of the lower schools get for the work that [USF], Alabama, the other top schools in each conference do is ridiculous," the source told The Athletic, "I think everyone is sort of sick and tired of dragging everybody else. You eat what you hunt, what you can kill."
The idea, at a high level, would be that the top programs would leave their respective conferences and form their own league. In order to do that, they'd have to pay the required exit fee in order to give their broadcasting rights over to this new league. For many top programs, it's a risk worth taking if they're able to auction off this new league for a more lucrative broadcasting deal in the long term.
This made it particularly interesting that the conference officials of said top teams opted to not only meet and potentially discuss a merger that would entice their top teams to stay, they went the further step of meeting with ESPN. ESPN currently holds the rights for the ACC and the SEC with Big Ten currently being broadcasted on FOX with a deal that expires next season. If the three conferences were to merge, such super league would already exist and therefore they'd be able to keep their teams at bay.
What would happen to the Big XII and Pac-12, who were once considered part of this Power Five? It'd be a big three turning into a big one, leaving teams on the outside without a true home and likely, without a shot at the College Football Playoffs anymore. Will bottom tier ACC/Big Ten/SEC teams such as Arkansas, Kentucky, Duke and Maryland of the likes get grandfathered into this super conference?
It remains to be seen. Grab your popcorn.
Strength in Unity.
Week 12 Preview: at Florida State Seminoles
Record: 4-5, 3-3 SEC
Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt (20-15 at Florida State, 3rd year, 70-77)
Offensive Coordinator: Erik Alexander (Pro)
Defensive Coordinator: Chris Marve (4-3 D)
Team Leaders
Passing: Tim Smith (1798 yards, 17 TD, 8 INT, 128.2 rating)
Rushing: Brad Gates (557 yards, 5.7 ypc, 6 TD)
Receiving: Charles Singleton (46 receptions, 661 yards, 7 TD)
Defense: Anthony Shaw (49 tackles, 16 TFL, 4.5 sacks)
Team Rankings
Points Per Game: 43rd
Total Offense: 36th
Rushing Offense: 63rd
Passing Offense: 27th
Total Defense: 104th
Rushing Defense: 87th
Passing Defense: 106th
Turnover Differential: 111th
Team Schedule
at Arkansas: L 31-28
vs. East Carolina: L 35-20
vs. Kentucky: W 35-28 OT
vs. #5 Alabama: L 48-24
at Auburn: L 33-21
at Maryland: W 34-21
at Miami: W 43-35 OT
vs. Northwestern: L 44-41 OT
at LSU: W 45-28
Injuries
FSU LB #58 Jacob Bush, Rs Senior | 6'3", 232lbs | 86 ovr, 83 spd, 88 acc, 62 awr, 84 tkl, 92 bsh, 68 zcv (out - season)
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USF WR #11 Maurice Bennett, Freshman | 81 ovr, 90 spd, 94 acc, 80 cth | 30 receptions, 477 yards, 6 touchdowns (out - season)
Florida State Seminoles Projected Starters
QB #10 Tim Smith, Rs Senior | 6'2", 228lbs | 80 ovr, 80 spd, 82 acc, 72 awr, 83 thp, 80 tha
HB #42 Brad Gates, Junior | 6'2", 213lbs | 88 ovr, 90 spd, 91 acc, 87 btk, 78 car, 90 elu
WR #84 Calvin Stratton, Senior | 5'11", 222lbs | 93 ovr, 89 spd, 89 acc, 95 cth
WR #82 Charles Singleton, Senior | 6'0", 194lbs | 88 ovr, 84 spd, 86 acc, 88 cth
WR #12 Terry Singleton, Sophomore | 6'3", 201lbs | 82 ovr, 87 spd, 89 acc, 82 cth
TE #80 Ryan Leonard, Junior | 6'0", 271lbs | 77 ovr, 80 spd, 76 acc, 69 cth, 79 rbk
LT #79 Maurice Newton, Sophomore | 6'4", 296lbs | 80 ovr, 87 pbk, 82 rbk, 80 str
LG #60 Chase Sullivan, Freshman | 6'5", 290lbs | 73 ovr, 78 pbk, 79 rbk, 84 str
C #78 Kris Cannon, Senior | 6'5", 332lbs | 87 ovr, 82 pbk, 88 rbk, 86 str
RG #66 Matt Clark, Junior | 6'6", 299lbs | 79 ovr, 83 pbk, 85 rbk, 83 str
RT #68 Thomas Thompson, Junior | 6'4", 312lbs | 78 ovr, 82 pbk, 82 rbk, 84 str
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DE #61 Anthony Shaw, Senior | 6'5", 252lbs | 91 ovr, 76 spd, 78 acc, 89 str, 86 pmv, 97 fmv, 85 bsh
DE #97 Randy Fagan, Rs Junior | 6'8", 272lbs | 84 ovr, 78 spd, 87 acc, 80 str, 84 pmv, 83 fmv, 85 bsh
DT #96 Curtis Larkin, Senior | 6'3", 305lbs | 82 ovr, 72 acc, 82 str, 87 pmv, 86 fmv, 87 bsh
DT #64 Gabriel Anderson, Rs Senior | 6'6", 294lbs | 81 ovr, 66 acc, 83 str, 85 pmv, 82 fmv, 83 bsh
LB #50 Blake Roberson, Rs Freshman | 6'0", 224lbs | 81 ovr, 81 spd, 78 acc, 54 awr, 86 tkl, 83 bsh, 72 zcv
LB #55 Jerome Smith, Junior | 6'3", 246lbs | 89 ovr, 81 spd, 91 acc, 63 awr, 86 tkl, 89 bsh, 77 zcv
LB #56 Bryce Matthews, Rs Senior | 6'0", 276lbs | 84 ovr, 85 spd, 93 acc, 62 awr, 81 tkl, 81 bsh, 75 zcv
CB #20 Robert Lumpkin, Senior | 6'1", 211lbs | 90 ovr, 93 spd, 96 acc, 78 awr, 92 mcv, 95 zcv, 97 press
CB #46 Jason Morris, Rs Junior | 5'11", 183lbs | 88 ovr, 96 spd, 91 acc, 68 awr, 95 mcv, 93 zcv, 94 press
NB #23 Joe McCall, Rs Sophomore | 6'0", 187lbs | 79 ovr, 94 spd, 93 acc, 68 awr, 77 mcv, 90 zcv, 88 press
S #34 Phillip Francis, Rs Junior | 6'0", 201lbs | 82 ovr, 88 spd, 92 acc, 76 awr, 78 tkl, 64 mcv, 86 zcv
S #35 Chris Young, Junior | 6'0", 210lbs | 78 ovr, 85 spd, 91 acc, 58 awr, 82 tkl, 70 mcv, 78 zcv
K #3 Stephen Nelson, Senior | 5'11", 181lbs | 96 ovr, 99 kpw, 94 kac
P #7 Jamaal Mooney, Senior | 5'11", 223lbs | 92 ovr, 99 kpw, 86 kac
Strength in Unity.
The Death of the Power 5: ACC, Big Ten and SEC announce merger as Pac-12 and Big XII's future gets cloudier
Duke Dodd -- CBS Sports College Football Reporter
The ACC, Big Ten and SEC today announced an "historic alliance that will bring world-class institutions together on a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling."
In their joint statement, they also stated that the alliance was unanimously supported by the presidents, chancellors and athletic directors of all of the institutions in their respective conferences.
The move has reportedly been in the works for the past two seasons and was finalized when the USC and UCLA announced that they would be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, essentially locking up all of college football's premier programs in three conferences.
Sources indicate that the merger will likely result in a two to three, "fluid divisions" being formed that would help accommodate travel, competitive balance as well as intriguing matchups that will result in higher television viewership. ESPN is the front runner to land the broadcasting rights for this new merger as it currently holds the media rights for the ACC and the SEC and is expected to potentially buy out the Big Ten's remaining last year on FOX as the intentions are for this league to debut as soon as next season.
What does this move mean by for the Pac-12 and the Big XII now that their top programs have all been poached away by this Big Three (now Big One)? It'll be interesting to see what the likes of Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Colorado, Stanford and such do now that they've been left outside of the party.
The other interesting aspect is will this new mega-conference be as kind to allow lower level programs such as Northwestern, Maryland, Arkansas and Wake Forest continue to be part of this? The Big Ten already nudged Vanderbilt out of the conference starting next season and the SEC and ACC are expected to do the same as such a huge undertaking will require cutting out some of the fat. By doing so, this alliance -- still unnamed -- will more than likely turn around and try to invite the likes of Stanford and Oregon into the conference.
"The magic number is 48 [teams]," said a source with intimate knowledge of the future plans of this mega-conference, "How we end up there is the big question because not everybody is going to get a chance to be part of that 48. If you're not a top 48 program, specifically in football and basketball, it's just not going to work. The days of sucking off the tit of the big boys are over."
The future of college football is here.
Strength in Unity.
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#1 USF (10-0, 8-0) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 || 35
FSU (4-6, 3-4) | 14 | 3 | 0 | 7 || 24
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USF goes on the road and takes care of business against Florida State
Florida State head coach Jeremy Pruitt chose to punt the ball on 4th and short twice in the second half despite being in USF's territory much to the chagrin of the Seminoles fans who let their displeasure known as boos rained down on the field. Following the second punt, those boos turned into cheers as as Florida State cornerback Jason Morris returned USF quarterback Joey Spence's fumble for a touchdown to give Florida State the 24-21 lead in the fourth quarter.
It was only fitting that another fourth and short would decide the game as Florida State, now trailing 28-24, would go for it on fourth and short and come up short as USF sealed their tenth victory of the season to remain undefeated following the 35-24 win over the Seminoles on Saturday night.
The stage was set for an upset as Spence's first pass of the game was intercepted and Florida State jumped out to a 14-0 lead while Spence was dealing with an apparent shoulder injury on his throwing arm that caused him to miss four plays in the first half.
Spence eventually got it cooking, cutting into Florida State's lead despite Brian Gates' best efforts to make it 17-14 at the half. Gates had already rushed for over 100 yards in the first half but USF's defense started to figure the Seminoles rushing attack out in the second half, limiting him to just 47 yards in the second half.
USF took the lead with Chris Wallace's eight yard touchdown in the third quarter as both defenses hunkered down. It wasn't until Morris' fumble return that the Noles would score any points the second half.
It would turn out to be their last one as despite a USF three-and-out on the ensuing drive, Florida State would once again punt the ball back to the Bulls who took advantage of it with some big catches by Wallace to set up Bobby Jackson's 2-yard run with 2:49 left in the game.
Presented with a fourth and inches on the next drive, Tim Smith tried to scramble for it but was stopped behind the line of scrimmage by linebacker Travis Thomas. Two plays later, Jackson broke free for a 20-yard touchdown.
Smith would be stripped on the next drive to seal any hopes of a comeback.
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Scoring Summary
Quarter 1
[FSU] B. Gates, 3 Yd run (5:30)
[FSU] B. Gates, 39 Yd run (2:09)
[USF] A. Frank, 24 Yd pass from J. Spence (0:34)
Quarter 2
[FSU] S. Nelson, 39 Yd FG (3:55)
[USF] S. Washington, 3 Yd pass from J. Spence (0:20)
Quarter 3
[USF] C. Wallace, 8 Yd pass from J. Spence (5:47)
Quarter 4
[FSU] J. Morris, returned fumble 22 Yds (7:50)
[USF] B. Jackson, 2 Yd run (2:49)
[USF] B. Jackson, 20 Yd run (1:08)
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#1 South Florida Bulls
QB Joey Spence: 22 of 29, 322 yards, 3 touchdowns, interception, sacked twice, fumble (lost).
HB Bobby Jackson: 17 carries, 71 yards, 2 touchdowns.
TE Chris Wallace: 7 receptions, 102 yards, touchdown.
WR Sam Washington: 7 receptions, 99 yards, touchdown.
LB Stephen Dixon: 10 tackles.
S Wesley Adams: 6 tackles, tackle for loss, fumble recovery.
LB Travis Thomas: 5 tackles, tackle for loss, sack.
DT Matt Bush: 5 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks.
DE Kevin Beck: 3 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, sack, forced fumble.
Florida State Seminoles
QB Tim Smith: 15 of 16, 134 yards, sacked 5 times, 3 fumbles (lost one).
HB Brad Gates: 21 carries, 151 yards, 2 touchdowns.
HB Jimmy Thomas: 4 carries, 25 yards.
WR Charles Singleton: 4 receptions, 26 yards.
WR Josh Hobbs: 2 receptions, 46 yards.
S Phillip Francis: 7 tackles, tackle for loss.
LB Bryce Matthews: 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack.
DE Randy Fagan: 3 tackles, tackle for loss, sack.
LB Blake Roberson: 1 tackle, tackle for loss, interception.