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USF beats UConn

 
South Florida Bulls wide receiver Rodney Adams (87) is tackled by Connecticut Huskies linebacker Graham Stewart (2) for a gain 7 yards short of the first down in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Friday, September 19, 2014.
South Florida Bulls wide receiver Rodney Adams (87) is tackled by Connecticut Huskies linebacker Graham Stewart (2) for a gain 7 yards short of the first down in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Friday, September 19, 2014.
Published Sept. 20, 2014

TAMPA — The soggy turf, steady rain and sparse audience Friday at Raymond James Stadium initially seemed to forecast three-plus hours of prime-time sloppiness for an ESPN audience.

Few could have projected it would parlay into a darned near perfect storm for USF.

Mixing conservative playcalling with ball security, a little chutzpah, and vastly improved efforts by their most beleaguered units (offensive line, defense), the Bulls sloshed their way out of RayJay with a 17-14 victory against Connecticut before an announced of 28,723.

Senior Marvin Kloss' 19-yard field goal with 6:03 to go — capping an 11-play, 40-yard drive — sealed a performance about as crisp (at least by Bulls standards) as it was conservative. The Bulls committed one first-half penalty, controlled the clock for more than 39 minutes behind freshman Marlon Mack (31 carries, 103 yards, one touchdown), never fumbled, and allowed quarterback Mike White (10-for-18, 113 yards) to get sacked exactly once.

"We rode their backs today," White said of his offensive line. "I don't think I got touched maybe once, and that was probably my fault for holding the ball too long."

USF (2-2, 1-0 American Athletic Conference) finds itself in a tie for first in the league standings. The win was USF's first against a Division I-A foe in 11 months, dating to its 13-10 triumph against UConn in East Hartford in October. It also snapped the Bulls' six-game losing streak in weeknight games, and marked their first triumph in the rain in more than 15 years.

"Considering the conditions, our guys didn't waver … they just kept playing," coach Willie Taggart said. "I'm really happy with the passion our guys played with."

Those conditions featured a rain that essentially never ceased, forcing a game plan heavy on Mack and his motivated blockers. Clearly reinvigorated by the return of left guard Thor Jozwiak from shoulder and toe ailments, the Bulls barely resembled the unit woefully out-muscled in losses to Maryland and N.C. State.

"We want to establish a grinding mentality," Jozwiak said. "No matter what the down was, we were going to hit you. And in practice, we did that all week. … It's a mind-set and it's a mind-set you're going see from the front five for the rest of the year, I promise you that."

Back to things meteorological: Friday's initial mass of high pressure arrived courtesy of cornerback Chris Dunkley.

On the game's fourth play from scrimmage, the converted receiver darted off the edge on a "cat blitz" and blindsided Huskies quarterback Chandler Whitmer, jarring the ball loose. Dunkley emerged from a mini-scrum to scoop up the ball at the UConn 19, setting up four consecutive White handoffs to Mack, who scored from a yard out on the last one.

Suddenly, the Bulls found themselves leading in the opening quarter for the first time all season. The early break was followed by early boldness against the Huskies (1-3, 0-1).

Another Mack-heavy drive on USF's second possession put the Bulls in fourth and 10 at the UConn 30. But instead of summoning Kloss, Taggart kept his offense on the waterlogged field. Moments later White, his feet planted in a uniquely secure pocket, found Rodney Adams in single coverage down the left sideline for a touchdown.