The University of South Florida Bulls fall to the East Carolina University Pirates for just the third time in the all-time series by a score of 29-14. The Bulls seemed in control for the first half, only to get shutout, 23-0 in the second half. They failed to convert a single third down conversion all game and struggled to get off the field on defense.
The game began with a fairly uneventful first quarter. The two teams traded field position, with each team having a fumble recovered by the other and both teams taking their chances on fourth down.
Early in the second quarter, ECU broke the scoring drought with a 13 yard touchdown run by Rahjai Harris. Harris’ score was set up by a 19 yard run by quarterback, Holton Ahlers, who was facing a 3rd and 12 on the USF 32 yard line. Own Daffer missed the PAT wide left. With just under 15 minutes to go in the first half, ECU led 6-0.
USF got on the scoreboard three drives later when Jaren Mangham rushed for a 24 yard touchdown to put the Bulls up 7-6. A 47 yard run by Kelley Joiner Jr. on the second play of the drive put the Bulls into ECU territory.
ECU would get the ball back with a little less than nine minutes left in the half. The kickoff was fielded by Tyler Snead, who returned it 22 yards to the ECU 22, where he then fumbled the ball, which was recovered by USF’s Timarcus Simpson. It took Katravis Marsh, who started at quarterback in place of the injured Timmy McClain, and the USF offense just three plays to score again. This time, it was Xavier Weaver with a 13 yard touchdown catch. Less than a minute had run off the game clock between the USF touchdowns. With just over eight minutes remaining in the second quarter, USF led 14-6.
The Pirates would drive for the next seven-plus minutes down to the USF 6 yard line. Ahlers ran for a five yard pickup down to the goal line. Officials ruled that he was down before crossing the goal line and their official review wasn’t clear enough to overturn. Facing a fourth and less than one, Ahlers lines up under center to try to push into the end zone. The USF defensive line hit hard and fast, causing the center to quarterback exchange to be fumbled, which was recovered by Demaurez Bellamy for the Bulls with just 35 seconds left in the half. USF ran one play and allowed the game clock to expire, giving them a 14-6 lead at halftime.
Snead received the second half kickoff for ECU and returned it 43 yards to the ECU 43. Nine plays and another fourth down conversion and the Pirates found the end zone on a 17 yard catch by Audie Omotosho. With more than ten minutes to go in the third quarter, USF led 14-13.
Later in the third quarter, the Bulls began a drive on their own 21 yard line when Marsh’s pass on second down was intercepted by Malk Fleming and returned for an ECU touchdown. With over two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Pirates held a 19-14 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, ECU extended their lead to 25-14 on a Keaton Mitchell 25 yard touchdown run. A 21 yard catch by C.J. Johnson and a 14 yard catch by Mitchell helped set up the score.
Marsh threw his second interception of the game on the next USF possession, setting up the next ECU score. The Pirates were able to get down to the USF 19, but opted to kick a field goal instead of trying to convert with 4th and 7. ECU led 29-14 with more than five minutes to go in the game, but neither team would score again.
Marsh threw a third interception with 4:45 on the game clock, but ECU went three and out on the possession. The final Bulls’ drive of the game ended on a failed fourth down conversion on the ECU 17.
Marsh finished the game with 192 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Weaver led the team in receiving yards with 91 and one touchdown. Miller had as many catches (5) as Weaver and totaled 57 yards receiving. Joiner was the top rusher with 103 yards, while Mangham added another touchdown to his total, while also rushing for 67 yards.
Ahlers passed for 220 yards and a touchdown for ECU. Harris was the top rusher with 100 yards and a touchdown and Johnson topped the receivers with 84 yards. The Pirates totaled more than 400 yards of offense in the win.
ECU outgained the Bulls 471-391 and had 30 first downs compared to just 19 for USF.
USF head coach, Jeff Scott, took questions from the media after the game.
“Definitely a disappointing finish for guys,” said Scott, “that I really felt like we're in a position to go out and play well, tonight. Obviously, we didn't know we needed to do and they're in the second half.”
There were several questionable calls made by officials which significantly impacted the play of the game. One of those calls was to rule that a safety didn’t occur, when the player appeared to be downed the end zone.
“The guys upstairs were pretty emphatic that it was a safety,” said Scott. “They were 1,000%. So I really thought it was going to get overturned. But obviously, it wasn't they took a lot of look at it. And they felt they saw enough that came out.
“Yeah, there's no doubt that was, that was a big play, that definitely could change the second half there. But at the end of the day, the next play was still second out of the one. And we gave up a big play, you know, so there's still opportunities there.”
ECU converted 6 of 17 third downs and was 5-6 converting on fourth downs. Scott was asked about USF’s inability to get off the field on third downs, despite the Pirates’ low third down conversion rate.
“Yeah, that was really the difference in the game,” said Scott. “And you got to give them credit that quarterbacks a really good player, headsy player knows where to go with the ball. And at the end of the day, we were not able to execute on third down.”
When asked about the success rate of rushing three versus four defensive players, Scott seemed to defend the strategy. The example given was a pair of plays where Harris picked up 12 yards against a three man rush and one yard against a four man rush.
“I think that's what we need to do. I think if we line up just all four down or all three down it’s a little bit too predictable, or that's not in our advantage,” said Scott. “So, that we mix it up and sometimes you're going to win sometimes they're going to win.
“But, you know, that was the third and ten. You know, gutsy call by them, they're able to execute it. We definitely should have been able to tackle with our backers behind that three man front.”
Scott was asked about the three interceptions thrown by Marsh.
“The one to Weaver,” asked Scott. “That’s just bad luck. Weaver makes that play. Weaver was out there playing with a beat up shoulder and giving good effort and all that. The other one, I think he got away with it. I think we had a guy open on the deep one.
“And we had a guy open up the ball slipped out of his hand or he didn't see it, just forced it.”
After talking about the interceptions, Scott defended Marsh and suggested the loss was more because of third down on defense. ECU converted just six of their 17 third down attempts. The Bulls were 0-7 on third down on offense.
“Well, we didn't lose the game because of Tra,” said Scott. Tra had nothing to do with our third down defense. At the end of the day. Getting a situation of a wet game, late in the game, got to throw it every down. It is what it is. But I'm not putting this on Tra.
“I thought overall, I thought he managed the game really well. But at the end of the day, we weren't able to convert enough third downs.”
Scott did address the lack of any third down conversions of the offense when asked what he would attribute that to.
“Well, firstly, I think we were not efficient on first and second down,” said Scott. “We felt like we had some opportunities for some big passes on first and second down, and we took some chances and we just didn't hit them.
“So all of a sudden, that puts you a second long and then you may run the ball, and now it's third and six, third and seven. And this is not the kind of defense that you want to be in third long against, with their exotic blitz packages and different variations of coverages and all that.”
Mangham and Boyles also met with the press after the game. Boyles was asked about the safety that was overturned and if he thought it was a safety.
“Yeah,” said Boyles. “I think it was.”
Boyles was asked about how it felt to lose that safety and then to have ECU use that lifeline to complete a big play to get down the field.
“It is what it is. We just got to keep on moving on and play football.”
Mangham was asked about what he saw on third down in the second half.
“I felt like we just had some M.A.s (missed assignments) across the board,” said Mangham. “Some of our guys were kind of banged up. I feel like we came out kind of sluggish in the second half and feel like we need to play better, bottom line.
“We just need to clean up some certain stuff and we are going to get back to work.”
ECU will get back to work against Temple on November 6th. Kickoff is at 3 PM eastern with television broadcast available on ESPN+. The Pirates are now 4-4 (2-2) and no longer winless at home against the Bulls.
The 2-6 (1-3) Bulls will return home to prepare for a visit from Houston on the 6th. Kickoff for that game is at 7:30 PM eastern, with broadcast on ESPNU.
