After four consecutive losing seasons, two with Willie Taggart at the controls, the Bulls rose up and began playing to their potential in 2015. USF shook off a slow start to finish the regular season with seven wins in eight games, while darn near leapfrogging Temple in the AAC East. The campaign ended on a sour note with a bowl loss to Western Kentucky, but the hot finish could wind up being the turning point this program was desperately seeking.
South Florida Bulls Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bulls Over 8.5 Wins -110
Bulls Under 8.5 Wins -110
2015 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS SEASON REVIEW
It seemed like Taggart was done in Tampa. His first two years had resulted in excellent recruiting and a 6-18 record. A 1-3 start made it feel like doom was on the way, that Taggart's long-term role would be bringing in talent with which his replacement could win.
USF had shown brief signs of life, though. The Bulls were tied 7-7 at halftime with Florida State before falling victim to Dalvin Cook's 266 rushing yards, and they went up 10-0 on a Memphis team at its peak before falling late. There was nothing appealing about an 18-point loss to Maryland, but there were hints of quality play. And the hints became shouts when Syracuse came to town.
USF beat the Orange and SMU by 24, took down UConn on the road, won at East Carolina, then kicked things up one more gear. They finished the regular season beating Temple by 21, Cincinnati by 38, and UCF by 41. Even with a bowl loss to Western Kentucky, USF finished as one of the hottest teams in the country.
WHAT CHANGED
It wasn’t just the offense that flipped the script in 2015. The D did as well, improving in just about every statistical category. However, a lot of the credit went to Tom Allen, who was so good in his lone year in Tampa that he used it as a launching point to the Big Ten.
After one successful season leading the Bulls defense, Allen up and left for the same job at Indiana. Taggart quickly promoted Raymond Woodie, who won’t mess too much with the attacking 4-2-5 system that produced dividends in 2015. Woodie is aiming to coach up his kids and then turn them loose, allowing them to maximize their range and speed.
2016 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Sep. 3: vs. Towson
Sep. 10: vs. Northern Illinois
Sep. 17: at Syracuse
Sep. 24: vs. Florida State
Oct. 1: at Cincinnati
Oct. 8: vs. East Carolina
Oct. 15: vs. Connecticut
Oct. 21: at Temple
Oct. 28: vs. Navy
Nov. 12: at Memphis
Nov. 19: at SMU
Nov. 26: vs. Central Florida
2016 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS SEASON PREVIEW
After being one of the hottest teams in November last season, Taggart lost to his alma mater in the Miami Beach Bowl. But that should just be a bump in the momentum that is in Tampa right now. Expectations are the highest they’ve been in recent memory, and with running back Marlon Mack and quarterback Quinton Flowers returning, it will be a must-watch fall for USF.
If South Florida stumbles in 2016, it will not be a personnel issue. Too many key parts return for that to happen. The offense welcomes back the exciting backfield pair, along with a receiving ensemble that became much deeper in the offseason. It’s the O-line that could be worrisome.
The D will also be an asset, even without the support of a handful of veteran linemen and the coordinator who put it all together. There’s an all-league contender at every level, and enough athleticism to halt most American teams.
South Florida has momentum and as much talent as anyone in the AAC. Plus, it’s conceivable that the Bulls will be favored – or no worse than a slight underdog – in all but the Sep. 24 visit from Florida State. If USF can gel on both lines in its early games, there are enough playmakers away from the line to reach double-digit wins for the first time in program history.
College Football Odds: South Florida Bulls Over 8.5 Wins
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