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The University of South Florida Bulls break their eight game losing streak with an exclamation point in the form of a 55-16 win over South Carolina State University. The losing streak began last season and went two games into this season. A lot of the credit for the win goes to freshman quarterback, Jordan McCloud, who passed for 217 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 56 yards and two more scores.

IT WAS OVER WHEN

In the middle of the third quarter, down 31-3, the Bulldogs started the beginning of a comeback push. Beginning at their own 25, they marched down the field to the USF eight yard line before Datron James ran in the team’s first touchdown of the game and the first offense for SCSU since the first quarter. Later in that period, the Bulls would score on a field goal and a touchdown pass to Mitchell Wilcox to go up 41-9. Any hopes of gaining five touchdowns to catch up were dashed by the Bulls’ ability to score faster.

THE STAR OF THE GAME

It has to be McCloud. A few other guys had good games, but McCloud’s 273 yards of total offense and five touchdowns is just hard to argue with. Throw in the fact that it was his first career start and the competition is over.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

459 yards of total offense is more than the Bulls have had in their first two games of the season. Also noteworthy, is the balance they achieved on offense, which they have struggled with. They had 241 passing yards and 218 rushing yards.

WHAT A PLAY

SCSU’s De’Montre Burroughs had a one handed catch in the second quarter that should make highlight reels everywhere. Burroughs catch got his team to the USF nine yard line, but the drive would end in a fumble at the goal line, recovered by USF.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Bulls end the streak and get a confidence building win. However, this was an FCS opponent and a lot of the positives happened later in the game, when the depth advantage of an FBS team starts to show. Also, USF managed to receive eight turnovers, and they were unable to convert all of those turnovers to points. Still, a win is a win and they really needed one. Whether or not the McCloud led Bulls turn the season around remains to be seen. USF has next week off, after which they will begin conference play against SMU.