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TAMPA — It was supposed to be an inconsequential game, but USF's 59-0 win against Charleston Southern could also include the Bulls' biggest loss of the season.
Senior quarterback Matt Grothe, who has started the past 41 games for USF, went down with a left knee sprain in the second quarter and winced in pain as he was helped off the field by trainers. The severity of the injury won't likely be known until Monday.
"When Matt went down, I'm not going to lie. The sound of his screaming, it tore me up," receiver Carlton Mitchell said. "As soon as he went down, I went on one knee and started praying. I feel for Matt. I love him. That's my senior, my leader I've been here with for three years."
His backup, redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels, played well in relief, accounting for three touchdowns, but now might be asked to do the same next week in his hometown of Tallahassee when the Bulls face Florida State.
Grothe has been the face of USF football for his four seasons, and the injury came on the kind of play he's known for, a 9-yard scramble for a first down.
"Matt's a franchise guy. We all know that," Bulls coach Jim Leavitt said. "He's one of the great names out there. He's a special, special guy."
Grothe's left leg was bent beneath him as he was tackled, and Leavitt immediately ran out on the field, signaling for trainers. Grothe was helped off, not putting weight on his leg. He later returned to USF's sideline on crutches.
"I'd rather not say until he gets it checked out," Leavitt said of how long Grothe might be out. "We're going to have to wait and see."
Though the injury took the air out of a Raymond James Stadium crowd announced at 38,798, Daniels showed more of the promise he'd shown with two touchdowns in relief appearances in the first two games. Daniels threw a 50-yard score to Dontavia Bogan on his first drive and led the Bulls to touchdowns on his first four possessions.
Two of those were touchdown runs of his own, from 16 and 7 yards, and he had 105 yards rushing, the first USF quarterback to surpass 100 since Grothe did so against Connecticut in 2007.
Grothe was efficient in leading the Bulls to a 28-0 lead, with a 3-yard touchdown to Bogan and a perfect 50-yard TD to Mitchell. USF led 21-0 when safety Nate Allen returned a blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown, and running back Mike Ford, returning from a two-game suspension, scored for a 28-0 lead.
After giving up 100-yard rushers in its first two games, USF held Charleston Southern to 188 yards. It was USF's first shutout since Syracuse in 2005, and the margin of victory was the same for USF as No. 1 Florida had against Charleston Southern in a 62-3 win two weeks ago.
Saturday finished an odd three-game opening stretch that saw the Bulls play two I-AA teams and arguably the worst team in I-A, Western Kentucky. They were the kind of games coaches say they just want to escape without injury, and Saturday was the opposite of that.
The Bulls will have a completely different challenge on Saturday at a Florida State team that dominated No. 7 BYU on the road.
Times writer Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf and follow him at Twitter.com/gregauman.
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