How USF 2012 Opponents Fared - Week 2

Every week we'll fill you in on how the other 11 opponents on USF's 2012 football schedule did. Yesterday was not the greatest day ever for the Big East, and the non-conference opponents had issues too.

Where available, the links take you to the SB Nation site and their recap of the game.

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CHATTANOOGA - L 27-24 at Jacksonvile State. Griffin Thomas hit a 37-yard field goal as time ran out to give the Gamecocks the win. It spoiled a strong effort from Mocs quarterback Jacob Huesman, who got his first start. He threw for 181 yards and ran for 171 more, accounting for all three of Chattanooga's touchdowns.

RUTGERS - W 26-0 vs. Howard. Like their win over Tulane last week, Rutgers had another strong defensive showing and another mediocre offensive performance. The Scarlet Knights blocked two punts, returning one for a touchdown and setting up a short scoring drive with the other. Jawan Jamison ran for 110 yards on 10 carries, and Brandon Coleman caught two TD passes from Gary Nova.

BALL STATE - L 52-27 vs. Clemson. The Cardinals were buried under a first-half onslaught by 12th-ranked Clemson. By the time Spencer Benton knocked home a 61(!)-yard field goal with eight seconds to go before halftime, Ball State trailed 45-10. It wasn't all doom and gloom, though, as Horactio Banks ran for 120 yards on only seven carries and scored twice.

FLORIDA STATE - W 55-0 vs. Savannah State. The game ended early after two weather delays. But it was going to wrap up early anyway, because after the Seminoles ran the lead to 48-0 in the second quarter and the first delay hit, the two teams agreed to a running clock for the second half. E.J. Manual threw three touchdown passes, Kelvin Benjamin and James Wilder Jr. scored two TDs apiece, and the Tigers only gained a total of 28 yards.

TEMPLE - L 36-27 vs. Maryland. How bad is Randy Edsall doing if it's a disappointment that Temple lost to them? The Owls fell way behind in this game, trailing 26-3 in the half before attempting a huge comeback. The Terrapins helped them with two fumbles in their own territory, both of which were cashed in for touchdowns. But in the fourth quarter, the Owls had a chip-shot field goal blocked, and Maryland made a huge 38-yard pass play on 3rd and 11 with four minutes to go and their lead down to 29-27. Chris Coyer completed just 7 of 18 passes, and Matt Brown was held to 30 yards rushing.

LOUISVILLE - W 35-7 vs. Missouri State. Teddy Bridgewater had the kind of day you have in 7-on-7 drills in practice. He was 30-for-39 for 344 yards and two TDs against the FCS Bears. The Cardinals nearly doubled up Missouri State in total yards and converted 10 of 16 third downs.

SYRACUSE - L 42-29 vs. USC. Playing at a half-full MetLife Stadium in their misguided quest to claim the New York metro area as their college football fiefdom, Syracuse actually played pretty well. They only trailed 21-16 going into the fourth quarter, before Matt Barkley threw three of his six touchdown passes in the final period. Ryan Nassib (322 yards, two TDs) put up more big numbers because the Orange trailed the entire game and had to throw.

CONNECTICUT - L 10-7 vs. NC State. Wooooof. UConn couldn't block anyone, gained just 35 yards rushing, and committed four turnovers. So even though their defense played a fantastic game, it went for naught. Lyle McCombs left briefly with an injury, but returned to score the Huskies' only TD. But their last-chance drive fizzled out at midfield with a sack of Chandler Whitmer and two incompletions.

MIAMI - L 52-13 at Kansas State. Miami's worst loss since the infamous 48-0 Orange Bowl sendoff in 2007 against Virginia, and the most points they've allowed since the equally infamous 66-13 loss to Syracuse in 1998. The defense was gashed again, allowing 498 yards. The game actually could have been even worse if K-State hadn't been doing stuff like this at the goal line:

Almost everyone I know who was in Reno for the USF game bet K-State heavily. Thanks for all the free money, EcoKat.

CINCINNATI - W 34-10 vs. PITTSBURGH. First play of the season for Cincinnati -- George Winn 58 yards for a touchdown. Then they scored again on their fifth play, on a Munchie Legaux touchdown pass. Legaux also added a 77-yard run, part of his 117 rushing yards and 205 passing. Pittsburgh made horrible mistakes, let the clock run out on an incompletion at the end of the first half, turned the ball over, and took sacks. They're looking pretty good to stay in the Duff'dology Rankings for another week, or maybe the whole damn season.