USF started cold, but heated up quickly. NIU had won the toss and deferred possession until the second half. The Bulls weren’t able to convert a first down on that first possession, going three and out.
The Huskies were able to break into USF territory on their first opportunity, converting three first downs before being forced to punt from their own 47 yard line.
Sophomore quarterback, Quinton Flowers, got things moving on his second drive. A penalty called back a nine yard pass to senior receiver, Rodney Adams, with 2nd and 10. On the next play, Flowers connected with junior receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, for a 45 yard catch and run. That would set the Bulls up in Huskies’ territory for the first time in the game. Six plays later, Adams would rush for an 11 yard touchdown, making the score 7-0, USF.
NIU would have limited success on their next drive, and they found themselves punting from their own 33 yard line. A 51 yard punt unreturned by USF gave the Bulls possession on their own 16.
Bad field position didn’t seem to phase Flowers, who connected with junior receiver, Ryshene Bronson, for 11 yards on second down. On the next snap, Flowers again went to Bronson, this time for a huge 73 yard touchdown, putting the Bulls up, 14-0.
The Huskies could not build any momentum on their next drive, punting from their own 40 yard line. .
They would have some success slowing the Bulls down, forcing them to kick a field goal from the NIU 14. With 2:28 remaining in the first quarter, USF led 17-0.
The next NIU possession would end in a three and out, with them punting out of bounds to the USF 26 yard line. Senior running back, Darius Tice, who had started the game in place of the injured Marlon Mack, chose this drive to shine. Tice took a second down handoff at the USF 34, 19 yards to the NIU 47. On the very next play, he rushed for 21 yards to set up first down at the Huskies’ 26 yard line. Adams had played several downs in running back schemes against Towson, and he was given the ball on the next snap, which turned into a 26 yard touchdown run. With 11:07 remaining in the first half, the Bulls expanded their lead to 24-0.
NIU would take possession at their own 25 yard line, but never be able to move past their own 32. Another short drive and a short 24 yard punt out of bounds, gave the Bulls the ball on their own 44 yard line.
Given their ability to score on big drives throughout the game, it seemed with such good field position they’d score quickly and easily. That was not the case, however, as the Huskies managed to hold them to a 34 yard field goal, going up 27-0 in the process.
With second and five on the NIU 30 yard line, senior quarterback, Drew Hare, connected with fellow senior and receiver, Kenny Galloday, for a 22 yard pass completion. Two plays after entering USF territory, senior tailback, Joel Bouagnon, managed to quickly get behind the Bulls’ defense, rushing for 28 yards to the USF 12 yard line. Five plays later, the Huskies would finally find the end zone when senior receiver, Aregeros Turner, carried the ball four yards for a touchdown. Going into the half, they trailed the Bulls, 27-7.
The Huskies would get the ball first in the second half. Despite junior tailback, Jordan Huff, netting 23 yards of rushing on just three plays, NIU couldn’t push into Bulls territory, punting from their own 46 yard line. They were able to force a three and out by USF on the following possession, but were unable to do much with the ball when they got it back. Four downs and a punt gave the Bulls the ball at their own 21 yard line.
Flowers would find Valdes-Scantling for 17 yards on second down and Bronson on the next snap for 29 more. Four plays later, and it was junior running back, D’Ernest Johnson, who had a 13 yard touchdown reception. With 8:05 remaining in the third quarter, the Bulls lead extended to 34-7.
The next drive for NIU ended the way many others had, three and out. However, they lost their starting quarterback, Hare, to a lower left leg injury on the series. Hare had to be taken from the field on a cart.
The Huskies had punted from their own one yard line, which gave the Bulls excellent field position at the NIU 41. Two and a half minutes later, they would score another touchdown, bringing the score to 41-7. Big plays on the drive were a 19 yard reception by Adams and a nine yard catch by Valdes-Scantling.
It was the same familiar story for NIU, unable to get past their own 45 yard line before punting the ball back to USF. The Bulls would take their next possession into the fourth quarter, scoring another touchdown with 13:31 remaining in the game. It was two 15 yard penalties against NIU and a 30 yard pass to sophomore receiver, Chris Barr, that accounted for most of the yardage.
NIU would find some life on their next series, finding the end zone for the second time in the game to trail 48-14 with 10:09 on the clock. The biggest gains on the drive were courtesy of two USF penalties amounting to 30 yards. The drive ended with Turner ran 11 yards for the score.
USF replaced Flowers with freshman quarterback, Brett Kean, and began to try and run out the clock. They would have three more possessions in the game, but would not score again. That honor would go to the Huskies, who made a 22 yard field goal with 2:34 left in the game.
Flowers had a career day, setting personal and university records. He threw 21-33 for 350 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions and rushed for 53 more. One of those passes, a 73 yard pass to Bronson, was his longest career pass, topping a 71 yard pass he completed against FSU in 2015. His 403 yards of total offense is a career high in a game for him and ranks him eighth all-time at USF. His four touchdowns in the game tie his game best and brings his total career touchdowns to 28, 4th best total in program history. Also noteworthy, USF has scored 104 points in the first two games of the season, the most ever over a two game span.
Valdes-Scantling and Adams tied for the most catches with five, but it was Bronson who led all receivers with 113 yards and a touchdown. Johnson and Adams also had one touchdown apiece.
Tice, who started in place of Mack, had 121 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown. Johnson, who had just three less carries, had 91 yards and no scores.
On defense, its junior linebacker, Auggie Sanchez, who leads the team with 13 tackles and a sack. Senior safety, Nate Godwin, was second with less than half as many tackles, with six.
For the Huskies, it was not a good day. They lost their starting quarterback, Hare, to injury, in a game where he managed just 96 yards of passing and no touchdowns. His backup managed just 65 yards and one touchdown late in the fourth quarter. They rushed for just 157 yards as a team and compiled 318 yards of total offense, less than half of USF’s 658.
The Huskies drop to 0-2 with the loss and will host San Diego State in their next game.
The Bulls move to 2-0 and will hit the road to face former conference foes, the Syracuse Orange.