USF SURVIVES RAIN, INJURIES, SQUEAKS PAST MEMPHIS
Bulls improve to 10-1 in closer than expect win over Tigers
Saturday November 10, 2029 | 6:45 PM | Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida - The Bulls survived both Memphis and the weather Saturday night, grinding out a 31–24 victory over the Tigers in a game that became more about toughness than style as a torrential downpour soaked Raymond James Stadium for much of the second half.
For No. 7 USF, the win pushed DJ Porter’s team to 10-1 overall and kept the Bulls firmly in control of the American Conference race. It was far from a perfect performance, however. Injuries piled up throughout the evening, most notably to star running back Connor Suggs, who left during the second half after rushing for 153 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. By the time the final whistle blew, every member of USF’s starting offensive line had missed time at some point during the game, forcing constant shuffling up front as players battled through bumps, bruises, and the increasingly miserable conditions.
Yet the Bulls found a way.
"That was a grown-man football game," Porter said afterward. "It wasn't clean, it wasn't pretty, but our guys kept answering. We had injuries all over the field, every one of our starting offensive linemen missed snaps at some point, Connor couldn't finish the game, and nobody blinked. That's the kind of toughness you need in November."
USF struck quickly when Suggs exploded through the middle of the Memphis defense and raced 75 yards for a touchdown less than seven minutes into the game. The long run set the tone for a rushing attack that averaged 6.7 yards per carry and finished with 215 yards despite the difficult weather.
The Bulls expanded their lead in the second quarter with a 24-yard field goal from Dom Bragg before Locklan Hewlett connected with Steven Snead on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Memphis answered when quarterback Rashaun Coleman found Marquez Toudouze for a 6-yard score, trimming the deficit to 17-7.
USF responded immediately. Snead capped a late first-half drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, sending the Bulls into halftime with a commanding 24-7 advantage.
Memphis refused to go away.
Coleman, who spent most of the night operating under pressure from a USF defense missing several key contributors of its own, consistently moved the chains through the air. The senior quarterback completed 27 of 46 passes for 325 yards and a touchdown while accounting for another score on the ground. Although he only crossed the goal line once himself, Coleman's steady play kept Memphis within striking distance throughout the second half.
The Tigers opened the third quarter with a methodical touchdown drive capped by Nelson Weathersby's 2-yard plunge, cutting the lead to 24-14 and giving the visitors life as the rain intensified.
Memphis continued to chip away in the fourth quarter when Stephen Johanssen drilled a 20-yard field goal, bringing the score to 24-17 with under five minutes remaining.
That was when USF found its answer.
With Suggs sidelined, Snead stepped into the spotlight. The versatile playmaker capped a crucial drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, his second rushing score of the night, restoring a two-possession lead at 31-17 with 2:53 left.
Coleman engineered one final drive and scored on a 10-yard quarterback keeper with 1:06 remaining, but the Tigers never got the ball back as the Bulls closed out the victory.
Hewlett finished an efficient 21-of-32 for 232 yards and a touchdown without turning the football over. Snead scored three total touchdowns, while Garrett Camarda hauled in nine receptions for 116 yards to lead the receiving corps.
Defensively, Jalen Hatch and Gavin Jenkins each recorded eight tackles for USF. Kalen Brents and Jace Harris added sacks as the Bulls held Memphis to just 39 rushing yards on 24 attempts, forcing the Tigers to become almost entirely one-dimensional.
The final statistics reflected how unusual the game became. Memphis actually outgained USF through the air, 325-232, and converted 56 percent of its third downs. But the Bulls dominated on the ground, won the field-position battle, avoided turnovers, and generated 560 total yards despite losing personnel throughout the night.
Most importantly, they survived.
"There were a lot of reasons we could've folded tonight," Porter said. "The weather, the injuries, guys moving in and out of the lineup. But this team kept fighting. We finished the game, and that's what good football teams do."
With the win, USF remains on track for a potential conference championship appearance, while Memphis falls to 4-6 overall despite another strong effort from Coleman and a passing attack that never stopped challenging the Bulls' secondary.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
USF – Connor Suggs 75-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 8:15
Second Quarter
USF – Dom Bragg 24-yard field goal, 8:19
USF – Steven Snead 9-yard pass from Locklan Hewlett (Dom Bragg kick), 5:27
MEM – Marquez Toudouze 6-yard pass from Rashaun Coleman (Stephen Johanssen kick), 2:26
USF – Steven Snead 2-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 1:03
Third Quarter
MEM – Nelson Weathersby 2-yard run (Stephen Johanssen kick), 5:21
Fourth Quarter
MEM – Stephen Johanssen 20-yard field goal, 4:48
USF – Steven Snead 4-yard run (Dom Bragg kick), 2:53
MEM – Rashaun Coleman 10-yard run (Stephen Johanssen kick), 1:06
USF Stat Leaders
Passing
L. Hewlett – 21/32 232 Yds 1 TD
Rushing
C. Suggs – 13 Car 153 Yds 1 TD
G. Shembo – 10 Car 39 Yds
S. Snead – 8 Car 32 Yds 2 TD
Receiving
G. Camarda – 9 Rec 116 Yds
L. Dragos – 5 Rec 58 Yds
L. Sweet – 3 Rec 19 Yds
G. Shembo – 2 Rec 18 Yds
C. Suggs – 1 Rec 12 Yds
S. Snead – 1 Rec 9 Yds 1 TD
Defense
J. Hatch – 8 Tkl
G. Jenkins – 8 Tkl
S. James – 6 Tkl
K. Brents – 3 Tkl 1.0 Sck
J. Harris – 1 Tkl 1.0 Sck
Special Teams
D. Bragg – 1/1 FG 4/4 XP
D. McSurdy – 3 PT 115 Yds
R. Boireau – 4 KR 77 Yds
E. York – 1 KR 14 Yds, 2 PR 22 Yds
Memphis Stat Leaders
Passing
R. Coleman – 27/46 325 Yds 1 TD
Rushing
J. Addai – 10 Car 23 Yds
M. Toudouze 6 Car 11 Yds
R. Coleman – 7 Car 3 Yds 1 TD
N. Weathersby – 1 Car 2 Yds 1 TD
Receiving
R. Gee – 4 Rec 87 Yds
A. Diaz – 5 Rec 63 Yds
A. Omenihu – 6 Rec 55 Yds
M. Toudouze – 4 Rec 54 Yds 1 TD
Defense
B. Crumpler – 12 Tkl
J. Thompkins – 11 Tkl
P. Haddad – 9 Tkl
A. Woodhead – 5 Tkl 0.5 Sck
M. Donahue – 4 Tkl 0.5 Sck
Special Teams
J. Johanssen – 1/1 FG 3/3 XP
D. Dile – 4 Pt 153 Yds
S. Hoge – 2 KR 48 Yds
| Category | Memphis | USF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 24 | 31 |
| First Downs | 23 | 23 |
| Total Offense | 364 | 447 |
| Total Plays | 70 | 64 |
| Yards Per Play | 5.2 | 7.0 |
| Rush | Yards | TD | 24 | 39 | 2 | 32 | 215 | 3 |
| Yards Per Rush | 1.6 | 6.7 |
| Comp | Att | TD | 27 | 46 | 1 | 21 | 32 | 1 |
| Yards Per Pass | 7.1 | 7.3 |
| Passing Yards | 325 | 232 |
| 3rd Down Conv. | 9 | 16 (56%) | 5 | 11 (45%) |
| 4th Down Conv. | 1 | 1 (100%) | 2 | 2 (100%) |
| 2 Pt Conv. | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 (0%) |
| Red Zone TD | FG | % | 3 | 1 | 100% | 3 | 1 | 66% |
| Turnovers | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 0 |
| PR Yards | 0 | 22 |
| KR Yards | 48 | 91 |
| Total Yards | 412 | 560 |
| Punts (Avg) | 38.3 | 38.3 |
| Penalties | 2 | 10 | 4 | 40 |
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