Tampa, Fla. — South Florida turned a competitive first half into a runaway victory Saturday, riding a third-quarter scoring outburst to a dominant 63-14 win over FCS opponent South Carolina State at Raymond James Stadium.
Quarterback Byrum Brown led the way for the Bulls, tossing four touchdown passes and finishing 14-of-20 for 236 yards. Wide receiver Chas Nimrod emerged as his top target, hauling in four receptions for 119 yards and two scores. Running back Sam Franklin added a pair of touchdowns on the ground, racking up 91 rushing yards on just four carries.
But it was the defense that set the tone early. South Carolina State opened the game with a promising 70-yard drive, only to have Mac Harris step in front of a pass and take it 93 yards to the house, putting the Bulls (3-1) on the board. Harris finished the day with a monster stat line: 10 tackles, two sacks, and the game-changing pick-six.
South Florida entered halftime with a 21-7 lead—but the third quarter was where the floodgates opened.
The Bulls scored five touchdowns in the third quarter alone, turning the game into a rout. The offensive fireworks included:
Two touchdown passes from Brown to Nimrod (42 and 22 yards),
A 43-yard touchdown run by Nykahi Davenport,
A blocked punt returned 4 yards for a score by Ashton Mosley, and
A 30-yard touchdown sprint by Franklin to cap the blitz.
Franklin later added a 54-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on the win.
South Carolina State (2-2) managed two scores—a 1-yard touchdown run by Kacy Fields in the second quarter, and a 17-yard scramble by Julian Milligan late in the fourth. Quarterback William Atkins IV went 18-of-28 for 151 yards, but the Bulldogs struggled to find consistency against a relentless Bulls defense.
The dominant performance improves South Florida’s all-time record against FCS programs to 29-1.
