Some games take time to develop, a few series to really get going. This was not one of those games. In this second all-time matchup between these teams, USF got out to a big start, scoring on their first four possessions of the game. The first score, coming just one minute and 11 seconds into the game, was a breakout run by Bulls’ quarterback, Quinton Flowers for a 63 yard touchdown.
Navy’s first drive stalled on the 49 yard line. With a fourth and 1 and lots of confidence, the Midshipmen chose to try convert. The USF defense held, forcing Navy quarterback, Will Worth to a two yard loss.
The Bulls made the most of the great field position given to them by Navy and put another touchdown on the scoreboard, just under three minutes later. This time, it was running back, D’Ernest Johnson, who made the carry, a 23 yard run for the score.
The next Navy drive would, once again, stall at midfield. This time, they opted to punt rather than hand the Bulls another gift.
Field position would not matter, though, because USF had more scoring to do. The Bulls took possession on their own 15 yard line, the result of a punt out of bounds. On the first snap of the drive, USF running back, Marlon Mack, sprinted 85 yards for his first touchdown of the game. One play, thirteen seconds. With just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Bulls had a 21-0 lead.
The next Midshipmen possession was a quick three and out. The 51 yard punt was returned 31 yards by Johnson, who was just a step or two away from finding the open field for another score. He would get tripped up at the Navy 46 yard line. Two plays later, it was tight end, Elkanah Dillon, running for a 41 yard touchdown, to end the first quarter scoring, 28-0 in favor of USF. The Bulls ran for 190 yards in the first quarter, setting a school record for most rushing yards in a quarter.
Navy finally got on the board in the beginning of the second quarter. That drive began on the Navy 28 yard line and featured a big 42 yard reception by receiver, Toneo Gulley, that gave the Midshipmen first down on the USF 25. Five plays later, Navy trailed, 28-7.
The two teams would alternate scoring in sign of good offense or poor defense. USF went up 35-7 on a one yard rush by Flowers. That drive featured a 19 yard reception by receiver, Rodney Adams, and a 13 yard catch by receiver
Navy’s quarterback, Worth, responded with a one yard touchdown of his own on the next drive. The drive featured a 17 yard run by Worth, as well as a 15 yard run by High. With 6:43 left in the first half, the score was 35-14 in favor of USF.
USF began the next drive from their own 25 and sustain one of their longer drives of the game, at nearly five minutes. They grinded down the field in unusual fashion for the Bulls offense, which seems to function on the big plays that so many of them are capable of. The longest play of the drive was the 16 yard touchdown catch by Marquez Valdes-Scantling that extended the USF lead to 42-14, the score that would be taken into the halftime break.
The second half began like the first, with Navy continuing to struggle to convert first downs. They were able to do so once on their first drive of the half, but their drive ended on their own 30 yard line.
Something had changed, however, as the Midshipmen held USF to just a field goal on their first drive. That drive had started on the USF 15 and featured big 26 and 17 yard runs by Flowers. The Bulls got down to the 7 yard line of Navy, but a penalty backed them up to the 12 and they were not able to get the touchdown. Kicker, Emilio Nadelman, made the chip-shot 27 yard kick to put the Bulls up, 45-14.
That small victory for the Midshipmen turned into big momentum for them. The next possession began with a 29 yard pass to Darryl Bonner to give Navy first down on their own 41. Seven grinding plays later, Worth rushed for a one yard touchdown to begin closing the scoring gap. With 4:13 left in the third quarter, Navy trailed 45-21.
Neither team would score again until 10:34 remained in the game, when Gulley ran 3 yards for a touchdown. Previously on that drive, he had gotten a 22 yard gain that got them into the red zone. With just over ten minutes in the game, Navy had narrowed the gap to 45-27.
On the next possession, the Bulls would finally score their first touchdown of the half, a 16 yard run by Johnson. USF had a short field, beginning on their own 46, courtesy of a failed onside kick attempt by the Midshipmen. A 26 yard run by Flowers on first down got the Bulls to the 20 yard line of Navy. The Bulls’ answer put them up, 52-27.
Navy would go on to score three more touchdowns in a futile attempt to win or at least make the game look close. After breaking the half-century mark, the Bulls began to look somewhat apathetic, attempting a 48 yard field goal, which was blocked, and putting in backup players. Whether it was apathy by USF or determination by Navy, the Midshipmen would win the fourth quarter and lose the game. They outgained the Bulls 286-66 and outscored them 24-7 in the fourth quarter. Even more surprising is that Worth passed for 192 yards in the final quarter of play. Contrast that with Flowers, who passed for 219 yards the entire game.
Navy accumulated 616 total yards of offense in the loss, a season high for them, 200 yards more than their season average. Worth passed for 299 yards, for one touchdown and one interception. That marks the highest passing total for him and his team this season, and his career. He also ran for another 129 yards and a career high, four touchdowns. Gulley was second on the team in rushing, with 60 yards and two touchdowns.
For the first time in USF history, the team had three players rush for more than 100 yards in a game. Flowers rushed for 176 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Mack carried for 125 yards and a score and Johnson hit 107 with two touchdowns, a career high in yards for him. The team rushing total of 412 yards sets a new school record. Flowers also passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Bulls over 600 yards of offense for just the third time in program history.
Navy drops to 5-2 (4-1), but still lead the American Athletic Conference West Division. They’ll visit Notre Dame next week to face the Fighting Irish. As the only AAC team currently ranked, their loss may leave the conference with no ranked teams.
The Bulls improve to 7-2 (4-1) on season, putting them back into the AAC East lead. They will be out of action until 11/12, when they visit Memphis.
