Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET
- Network: The CW Network
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium — Miami Gardens, FL
- Spread: Miami (FL) (-17.5)
- Over/under: 57.5
- All-time series: Miami (FL) leads, 6-1
- Last meeting: Miami (FL) 51, South Florida 15 — September 21, 2024
- Current streak: Miami (FL), 4 (2011-24)
Setting the scene
South Florida’s journey through ranked competition continues. The odds were stacked against the Bulls the first two weeks of the season in trips to No. 25 Boise State and No. 13 Florida, but Alex Golesh’s team minimized the importance of those numbers, dominating the Broncos and stunning the Gators on a last-second field goal for a 2-0 record. South Florida became the first unranked team in 13 years to start its season with two ranked wins, but the job is not finished for the No. 18 Bulls.
No. 5 Miami
(FL) awaits at Hard Rock Stadium as South Florida aims to become the fifth team in the AP Poll era to start a season with three-consecutive ranked victories. Coincidentally, the last team to run through three-straight Top 25 teams was indeed Miami, back in 1987. Miami hopes to cling onto its top-5 status, while South Florida eyes a third-straight upset — looking to tie its highest-ranked victory in program history.
South Florida Bulls outlook
South Florida is the talk of college football now and for good reason. Based on preseason expectations, no program in the country has a better 2-0 résumé than the Bulls. USF dismantled a Boise State team fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance and laden with returning starts, and subsequently slid past a scalding hot Florida squad that won 5-straight dating back to 2024.
What’s different in the Tampa water this year? The defense is firing on all cylinders. South Florida isn’t renowned for its defensive presence, but coordinator Todd Orlando has rewritten the script through two weeks. After finishing 99th or lower in scoring defense for five-straight years, South Florida has only surrendered two touchdowns and 23 total points to a pair of ranked opponents.
Inside linebacker Jhalyn Shuler won the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week after the opener, and he’s been a major reason for the defensive improvement, collecting 21 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery through two games. Sixth-year senior outside linebacker Mac Harris also excels out of the position group, following his longtime teammate with 18 tackles and a forced fumble.
Other standouts of the defense reside in the secondary. Cornerbacks De’Shawn Rucker and James Chenault, as well as free safety Tavin Ward, have been among major contributors forcing aerial stops for the Bulls. South Florida is winning third quarters 23-0 this year, and the team consistently wins the turnover battle, entering Miami Gardens with a 4-0 advantage on the year. Yes, opponents have moved the ball down the field on USF, but the green and gold crank up the intensity when it counts — only allowing two touchdowns in six enemy red zone trips.
South Florida only managed one touchdown at Florida, but the Bulls still outperformed the Gators in that aspect. The return of dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown — who only started five games last year due to injury — has paid dividends. Last time healthy, he was one of two players to throw for 3,000 and rush for 800 in a season (along with Heisman winner Jayden Daniels), and he has an efficient 473 passing yards and 109 rushing yards thus far. Brown’s escapability and knack for extending plays can catch a defense off-guard, although avoiding sacks has been a problem at times. He took four vs. Boise State but that number dwindled down to one at Florida — and not going backward was critical to the Bulls’ three field goal drives.
Brown is USF’s premier rushing threat, although tailback Alvon Isaac has been explosive in limited touches — turning a screen upfield to set the Bulls in position for a game-winning field goal last week. However, the team’s premier skill position savant is Keshaun Singleton. The capturer of two home run touchdowns in consecutive weeks, Singleton boasts 168 yards on seven receptions. Tennessee transfer Chas Nimrod has proven to be a downfield presence as well, securing six catches for 120 yards.
Lastly, the Bulls’ kicking ability must be factored in any matchup, especially a close one. Nico Gramatica sunk a routine, down-the-middle 20-yarder to knock off Florida, but he’s been dynamite from elsewhere this year. The sophomore is 5-of-6 on the year, hitting as long as 52 yards on a team that’s converted more field goals than touchdowns in 2025.
Miami (FL) Hurricanes outlook
Last season was a special one for the Hurricanes. Miami started 9-0 and climbed as high as No. 4 in the AP Poll. Although the Hurricanes lost a slew of talent from the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense including No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Cam Ward, Miami overcame that obstacle in its opener. The Hurricanes defeated reigning National Championship participant Notre Dame, and they’re No. 5 in the rankings. An opportunity at a second ranked win in three weeks awaits, and it’s at Hard Rock Stadium where Miami has rattled off eight-straight victories.
Miami may have lost the Davey O’Brien Award winner in Cam Ward, but the Hurricanes landed impressive quarterback talent in the portal this offseason. Two-year Georgia starter Carson Beck arrived and instantly thrived in Mario Cristobal’s offense, producing 472 passing yards and four touchdowns on a 72.4 completion rate — all without an interception.
Two wide receivers are responsible for the bulk of Beck’s production, one young and one old. The veteran is sixth-year senior CJ Daniels who made his way to Miami by means of Liberty and LSU. The explosive deep threat already turned heads in the opener with a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab, and he enters Week 3 with 10 receptions for 119 yards. The youngster is true freshman Malachi Toney, who ranks atop the Hurricanes in receptions and receiving yards with 12 and 162, respectively. Daniels and Toney will be the main recipients, but Beck is no stranger to spreading the wealth. Through two weeks, 14 different Hurricanes have corralled at least one catch.
The run game is also duo-oriented as Mark Fletcher and CharMar Brown lead the charge. Both members of the tandem moved the ball moderately well against a tough Notre Dame front but exploded for greater production against FCS Bethune-Cookman. Running to the right is often the best course of action for Miami, as Francis Mauigoa consistently wins run-blocking matchups in decisive fashion — bulldozing down defensive linemen in his No. 61 jersey.
Miami’s offense is off to a promising start, but much more needs to be accomplished to replicate the firepower of last year’s 10-3 squad. However, defensively, the Hurricanes appear to be vastly improved. The defensive end duo of Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor is as lethal as there is at the FBS level, and Notre Dame learned that in Week 1. Bain is the team’s leading tackler, providing a rounded stat-line with 1.5 sacks, one interception, and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, Mesidor is second among all FBS players in career sacks and also holds 1.5 to his name this season.
The linebacking corps of Mohamed Toure and Wesley Bissainthe has also excelled in this 4-2-5 defense. Notre Dame’s star running back duo only managed 78 collective yards against this Hurricane front, and as a whole, the Fighting Irish produced just 93 yards rushing on a 3.3 average. The amount of pressure the d-line and linebackers generate certainly promotes takeaways, and just like South Florida, Miami holds a 4-0 advantage in this department in 2025.
Prediction
South Florida and Miami are typically known for offensive production rather than defenses, but this one has the makings of a defensive-oriented struggle. The key matchups determining the victor include (1) Miami’s wide receivers CJ Daniels and Malachi Toney vs. South Florida’s feisty secondary featuring De’Shawn Rucker and Tavin Ward, and (2) South Florida’s offensive line vs. the Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor edge rusher pairing.
Miami’s offense should be able to inflict more damage than Boise State or Florida did, but South Florida’s defense — which has featured sound tackling — should provide solid resistance. But what this comes down to is Miami’s defensive line. That group has potential to overwhelm the Bulls’ offensive line and keep Byrum Brown from his normal free-roam scrambling. USF plays close for a while, but Miami prevents a third-straight ranked win.
Prediction: Miami (FL) 27, South Florida 17
