TAMPA — The early stage of Saturday's proceedings inside Raymond James Stadium weren't bereft of a bright side for USF fans.
Any administrator from Oklahoma or Texas who joined the ABC viewing audience at that point saw the Bulls brandish a product ideally suited for the Big 12: quick strikes on offense, cameo on defense.
But as things unfolded on this sweltering afternoon, a glaring question presented itself: Forget the Big 12. Is USF ready for the big time?
The result of this 31/2-hour referendum was negative after 13th-ranked FSU (3-1) atoned for last weekend's humiliation at Louisville with a 55-35 triumph before what was announced as USF's sixth-largest home crowd (61,665).
"We played sloppy in all phases of the game," said USF coach Willie Taggart, whose team hadn't allowed 50 points to an opponent since a 53-21 loss to McNeese State in his Bulls debut Aug. 31, 2013. "Didn't play very well fundamentally, did a p--- poor job tackling once again, and … it's all back on me."
USF (3-1), which didn't allow more than 20 points in any of its first three games, surrendered 28 in less than a quarter Saturday. The Seminoles' offensive line, tied for 113th nationally with 11 sacks allowed going in, conspired with junior tailback Dalvin Cook to expose USF's defensive front at will.
Cook, who ran for 266 yards in last year's 34-14 win against USF, improved on that performance by 1 yard (on 28 carries). His 334 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Power Five conference player in two years, ESPN said.
The Seminoles finished with 647 total yards, 478 of them on the ground.
"I just let the game come to me," Cook said. "Coach (Jimbo) Fisher called my number, and I just got the job done."
Amid it all, USF's execution and schemes (going from two to three linebackers, run blitzing, etc.) languished. "Not in a million years I thought our guys would play that way," Taggart said.
"I think we did terrible, if you want me to be quite frank with you," Bulls middle linebacker Auggie Sanchez said.
FSU's defense, meantime, held USF scoreless on its final seven possessions of the first half after a promising Bulls beginning.
And, oh, what a commencement.
Twenty-nine seconds into the game, two touchdowns had been scored. Less than five minutes in, the score was tied 14-all.
On the game's opening play, the Bulls lined up in a stack-receiver formation on both sides. From there, quarterback Quinton Flowers found receiver Rodney Adams behind his coverage on the right side and hit him in stride for an 84-yard touchdown.
"We worked on it in practice every day," said Flowers, who completed only five of 14 passes but finished with 159 rushing yards. "Coach always told me, 'Read it. If it's there, take it, get your eyes back on the safety,' and that's what I did."
Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene
Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter
You’re all signed up!
Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
Explore all your optionsOn the next play from scrimmage, Cook dashed around his left side on a simple counter for a 75-yard score. The teams again traded scoring drives before Flowers and Co. entered a lengthy funk against FSU's assortment of pressure.
At halftime, the Bulls had more than twice as many punts (five) as Flowers had completions (2-of-8, 95 yards, one touchdown, one interception). FSU, meantime, scored on five of its eight first-half possessions for a 38-14 lead.
"We didn't do a good job on first down in that little rut that we went through," Taggart said. "That killed us there in that little spell."
But if the Bulls displayed any sign of forward progress in their program Saturday, it was in how they finished. USF scored touchdowns on its last three drives, all spanning 75 or more yards.
Now for the next long drive for USF — toward national acclaim.
"You're on national TV and you've got a chance to go out and play and show everyone and earn the respect that you're trying to get," Taggart said. "We didn't take advantage of that. Again, we played sloppy, and the results shows."