There’s dominance, and then there’s whatever South Florida’s been on for the past month. The No. 19 Bulls spent Homecoming night turning Raymond James Stadium into their own personal track meet, dropping 48 points on Florida Atlantic and stacking their fourth straight 250-plus-yard rushing game like it’s routine cardio.
By the time the lights dimmed over a crowd of 45,169 — the fifth-largest Homecoming turnout in program history — USF had racked up 522 total yards, buried the Owls in a second-half avalanche, and walked out bowl-eligible for the third straight year under Alex Golesh.
This wasn’t just a win. It was a “we’ve arrived” kind of statement — one that said the Bulls aren’t sneaking up on anyone anymore.
Both FAU and USF came in flexing tempo — two of the fastest offenses in college football — but only one had the horsepower to sustain it.
FAU’s Caden Veltkamp came out sharp, completing his first nine passes en route to a program-record 41 total completions (thanks to some garbage-time stat padding by backup Jordan Magwood). The problem? Most of them went sideways, and USF’s defense made sure nothing went further than five yards without a fight.
Meanwhile, Byrum Brown looked like a quarterback who’s been mainlining caffeine and confidence. On the opening drive, he dissected FAU’s defense in 12 plays before cutting right up the gut for a 22-yard touchdown run. It was surgical — and set the tone for a night that turned into a masterclass in dual-threat chaos.
After a quick FAU field goal, Brown went right back to work, hitting freshman tight end Jonathan Echols for a 19-yard score and a 14–3 lead. Then Golesh — who must have a “chaos plays” section in his playbook — pulled out a trick that would make Lane Kiffin proud.
Punter Chase Leon, lining up for a kickoff, dropped a perfect onside kick over the Owls’ front line. JeyQuan Smith chased it down like his NIL deal depended on it, snagging it at the FAU 35.
A few plays later, the Bulls were at the goal line, where offensive guard-turned-folk-hero Cole Skinner (6’5”, 325 lbs) rumbled in for his second touchdown in as many games. That’s not a typo. A lineman. Two straight games. Touchdowns. Somebody get this man a Heisman vote.
Up 21–3 and running downhill, USF looked ready to end it early. FAU managed a field goal before halftime, trimming it to 21–6, but the damage was already done — the Bulls were averaging 8.4 yards per play and Brown had nearly 100 rushing yards before anyone finished their nachos.
FAU briefly made it interesting. The Owls opened the second half with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by a shovel pass to tight end Michael Kirch to make it 21–13.
And then… the Bulls dropped the hammer.
Brown hit Keshaun Singleton with a 39-yard dime that looked like it belonged on a highlight loop. Nico Gramatica drilled a 41-yarder to make it 24–13. The defense — led by linebacker Mac Harris, who was everywhere with 10 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and a sack — forced another punt.
Then Brown cooked up the play of the night: a 4th-and-1 roll right to tight end Wyatt Sullivan, who turned upfield and dragged an FAU defender eight yards into the end zone like it was a CrossFit challenge. 31–13. Game over, vibes up.
But they weren’t done flexing. Freshman receiver Jeremiah Koger — who’s making “freshman phenom” feel like an understatement — dusted the secondary on a double move, caught a 60-yard bomb, and made it three straight games with a touchdown. He led USF with 90 receiving yards and is quickly becoming Byrum Brown’s favorite “break the game open” button.
Moments later, defensive lineman Jhalyn Shuler tipped a pass that Rico Watson picked off, setting up a short field for running back Nykahi Davenport, who finished with 71 yards and a score.
At that point, FAU was cooked. The Bulls had turned a 21–13 nail-biter into a 48–13 demolition with a 27–0 run that felt like an avalanche in slow motion.
Here’s the thing — South Florida isn’t just winning; they’re erasing people. Four straight games over 40 points, five straight home wins by 25+, and a 6–1 record that has them sitting atop the American like they own the place.
This team has swagger. They’ve got physicality. And they’ve got a quarterback who looks like he’s auditioning for a Power Five heist movie.
The 2018 comparisons are inevitable — that was the last time USF opened 3–0 in conference play and ripped off a four-game win streak. But this version feels different. More sustainable. More intentional. Like Golesh has finally built the identity he’s been hinting at: fast, mean, and allergic to losing focus.
FAU fans might point to the offensive tempo and Veltkamp’s record-setting completion count as silver linings, but it’s like bragging about your Fitbit steps while getting jumped. The Owls moved the ball horizontally but never found rhythm downfield, and the run game was a total no-show.
Defensively, they had no answers for USF’s tempo or creativity — especially when Golesh starts calling plays like a Madden player on Red Bull.
That 4th-and-1 touchdown to Sullivan in the third quarter? That was the dagger. Before that play, it was a two-score game with FAU still pretending to have a chance. After that, you could practically hear the air leave the stadium’s visiting section.
It was Golesh’s brand of aggression — “we don’t kick, we conquer” — and it’s become the Bulls’ identity. Every big play feels like a dare. Every drive feels like a sprint to humiliation.
USF heads to Memphis next week for what might quietly be the AAC’s biggest showdown of the year. Memphis (6–1, 2–1) just lost at UAB, meaning the Tigers will be angry. But right now, it’s hard to find a hotter team than South Florida.
If Byrum Brown keeps putting up video game numbers and the defense keeps turning offenses into memes, the Bulls could be looking at something this program hasn’t had in a long time: real national relevance.
Call it a resurgence. Call it revenge for years of irrelevance. Whatever label you slap on it, South Florida football is back — and they’re not sneaking up anymore.
They’re sprinting straight through the AAC, kicking down doors, and leaving stat sheets in shambles.
And if you’re Memphis? Maybe start practicing your two-minute defense now. Byrum Brown doesn’t stop for traffic.
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