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Haiku and Wrapup: FSU 55, USF 35. And It Wasn’t That Close

Ignore the final score and the saccharin yards & points at the end: this was a beating.

By Collin Sherwin
Florida State v South Florida Photo by Jason Behnken / Getty Images

National TV
All the opportunity
And they just weren’t ready

There’s no shame in losing to a motivated FSU team. They recruit better athletes than USF, and if they play at their best they’ll of course be a challenge for the overwhelming majority of college football teams.

But what USF did today wasn’t about just losing. It was about a lack of effort and preparation. It was about having no reason to show up flat, and still playing like it. It was about missed tackles, busted coverages, mental mistakes, bad passes, and an inability to execute in an even marginally acceptable manner on both lines.

Burn the tape, and hope there’s no carryover for what really matters: AAC play.

  • Dalvin Cook rushed for 266 yards last year vs. USF. This year? 267.
  • USF conceded a record number of yards rushing with 478, previously set vs. Navy with 428 in 2015. A non-triple option team smoked that today.
  • The Bulls conceded 10.0 yards per play in the first half.
  • USF gained 156 yards in the first 3:11, and 45 for the remainder of the first half. The last seven drives saw five 3-and-outs, an INT, and the halftime gun.
  • Quinton Flowers first pass was an 84-yard TD to Rodney Adams. He had 11 yards passing on seven attempts for the rest of the half.
  • USF’s Large Adult Punter Jonathan Hernandez had another fine game, averaging 47.5 yards per boot with two inside the 20.
  • USF Women’s Soccer is the nation’s only undefeated and untied team. YOU SEE WE’RE STILL A FOOTBALL SCHOOL YOU GUYS!!

More later, but this was about as bad as it gets with the lights on.

And you’ll totally forgive it if the Bulls can refocus and win out, and they’ll still be favored against every remaining opponent.