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What you might have missed from Florida State-USF

 
South Florida Bulls wide receiver Rodney Adams (87), left, strides into the end zone as he is followed by teammate South Florida Bulls wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11), while scoring on an opening drive during the first half at Raymond James Stadium in Saturday, September 24, 2016.
South Florida Bulls wide receiver Rodney Adams (87), left, strides into the end zone as he is followed by teammate South Florida Bulls wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11), while scoring on an opening drive during the first half at Raymond James Stadium in Saturday, September 24, 2016.
Published Sept. 25, 2016

TAMPA

Things went south fast for USF in Saturday's 55-35 drubbing by No. 13 Florida State. But one of the day's biggest blunders involving the Bulls didn't come from their sloppy play defensively. • Instead, it came before kickoff on the set of ESPN's College GameDay, 91/2 hours north in Knoxville, Tenn. • After analyst Desmond Howard and guests Phil Fulmer and Steve Spurrier each picked the Seminoles to win, Lee Corso misspoke on his bold selection of a USF upset, letting the dreaded three-letter acronym of Bulls rival UCF slip. • "Not so fast, AARP members," Corso quipped. "UCF … USC … USF is going to beat Florida State in an upset. They've got the skill people to do it." • With some assistance from Kirk Herbstreit, Corso, a 1957 FSU graduate who lives near Orlando, finally got it right. Unfortunately for the Bulls, his prediction didn't pan out.

Big day for 'Deuce'

Entering the game, USF backup RB D'Ernest Johnson had just one rushing touchdown in 28 career games. But the junior padded that number quite a bit with three on the ground from 24, 4 and 2 yards out.

Johnson, known for his versatility, also made a special teams tackle of FSU's Bobo Wilson on a kickoff return. He has scored at least once in every game this season.

"Whatever Coach (Willie Taggart) tells him to play … he'll do what he has to do," USF QB Quinton Flowers said. "That's what I love about D'Ernest."

That didn't take long

With his third interception of the season, CB Tarvarus McFadden matched FSU's individual high mark from all 2015 in four games. McFadden, who appeared in seven games as freshman last season, picked off Quinton Flowers on an underthrown pass to Ryeshene Bronson in the second quarter. Lamarcus Brutus led FSU with three last season.

Air mail

USF QB Quinton Flowers couldn't have asked for a better start to the afternoon, connecting with WR Rodney Adams (No. 87, left) for an 84-yard touchdown on the game's first offensive play. But not much went well for Flowers from there. After his second completion — an 11-yarder to RB D'Ernest Johnson with a little under 13 minutes left in the second quarter — Flowers went what seemed like forever until his third. At one point, the junior had as many completions to FSU's defense as his team with two interceptions. Flowers eventually found RB Darius Tice with 3:41 left in the third quarter to end his streak of misses. Though he went 5 of 14 passing for 159 yards, all was not lost. Flowers finished with 192 rushing yards on 18 carries.