In Game The TBP Official In Game Thread: USF Bulls vs Syracuse Orange - Boca Raton Bowl

[MikeG]

Welcome to

TheBullsPen.com's

Game 13

South Florida Bulls
(6-6, 4-4 AAC)
vs
Syracuse Orange
(6-6, 2-6 ACC)

December 21, 2023

8:00 PM EST - ESPN

Boca Raton Bowl

FAU Stadium    Boca Raton, Fla.

Link to prediction contest

This will serve as our official  in game thread for in game discussions and commentary.  Stand alone topics should still be posted in a new thread.  The board functions work well on mobile phone, tablet or desktop.  The BullsChat chat room is also available.

 

 

GAME DAY vs. Syracuse

USF posted victory No. 100 in Raymond James Stadium on Senior Night to post the Bulls’ 18th winning record at home in 27 seasons and earn the 11th bowl bid in program history, first since a 2018 appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl. It will mark the Bulls’ fourth Bowl appearance in the state of Florida, adding the Boca Raton Bowl to Gasparilla (2018), Miami Beach (2015) and St. Petersburg (2008) bowl appearances.
I REMEMBER YOU: USF and Syracuse were both members of the BIG EAST Conference from 2005-2012, meeting every season during that span with USF posting a 6-2 mark in conference play. The teams rekindled the series in 2015 and 2016, with USF claiming victories in the home-and-home and the Bulls’ 45-24 victory in 2015 serving as a major turning point for the program, beginning a run of four-straight bowl games and propelling USF to 11-2 (2016) and 10-2 (2017) records in the following seasons, the best in program history.
WHAT A TURNAROUND: USF’s 5-win improvement over 2022 (6-6 from 1-11) is the second-best in the nation among 130 FBS teams behind only Northwestern (+6, 7-5 from 1-11) and the largest in program history, eclipsing a 4-win improvement from 2014 to 2015.
RECORD SETTING OFFENSE: Alex Golesh’s offense enters the bowl game having posted: 1) the program’s first 3,000-yard passer, 2) the individual record for season receptions, 3) the record for season receiving yards, 4) the team season passing yardage record, and 5) the sixth 5,000-yard team total offense season, while looking to post: 1) the second individual 4,000-yard total offense season in program history, 2) the best individual season pass completion percentage, 3) the program’s first 1,000-yard receiver in a season and 4) third 6,000-yard season.
ATKINS DIET: Sean Atkins has set program records for receptions and receiving yards while injecting reliability and explosiveness into the Bulls’ offensive diet. Atkins has seven or more receptions in each of the last SEVEN games, as he is shattering USF’s season receptions record (67) with 86 catches and USF’s season receiving yards mark (879), now with 961, just 39 shy of the first 1,000-yard receiving season at USF.

 

SERIES: USF leads, 8-2
IN TAMPA: USF leads, 3-2
IN SYRACUSE: USF leads, 5-0
LAST TIME: USF won, 45-20, in Syracuse in 2016
BOWL GAME RECORD: 6-4, last, L, 2018 Gasparilla

TV: ESPN: Matt Barrie (P-by-P), Dan Mulllen (Analyst) & Harry Lyles (sideline)
AUDIO: 102.5-HD2 The Strike ; TuneIn (Bulls Unlimited); ESPN National (locally on 620 AM/95.3 FM WDAE): Chris Carlin & Harry Douglas

USF RADIO NETWORK
FLAGSHIP: 102.5 FM & 102.5-HD2 (BAY AREA), TUNEIN RADIO (DIGITAL) - BULLS UNLIMITED; Jim Louk, play-by-play Sam Barrington, analyst Joey Johnston, sideline
PREGAME SHOW (1.5 HRS PRIOR TO KICK): Jim Lighthall & Darek Sharp
BULLSEYE: USF COACHES SHOW Thursdays: Bulls Unlimited (audio), Youtube, Facebook

TheBullsPen.com: Major In Game Twitter Feeds   Football Page 
Bulls on Social Media
Twitter: @USFFOOTBALL
Instagram: USFFOOTBALL
Facebook: facebook.com/SouthFloridaFootball
Hashtags:  #ComeToThe Bay, #StayInTheBay

USF official site:  Football - USF Athletics (gousfbulls.com)

Syracuse official site:  Boca Raton Bowl Central: Syracuse vs. USF

 

Live Stats

South Florida Game Notes - South Florida Depth Chart - South Florida Stats

Syracuse Game Notes - Syracuse Depth Chart - Syracuse Stats

Go Bulls!

[Gatorbull325]

 

Go Bulls 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Gatorbull325

[MikeG]

[79 Bull]

CFN prediction...

collegefootballnews.com

COLLEGEFOOTBALLNEWS.COM

 

[Cat941]

 

[Brad]

"I haven't been this excited about a bowl game in five years."
                                                                               - @Brad, 12/21/23

 

[Brad]

Disclaimer:  @Brad has never played or coached collegiate football

 

Having coached basketball, if I had a team going into a mostly ceremonial game, I would have spent the time in between changing up our team a bit.  We'd have fun in practice putting in new quick-hitters that aren't on film anywhere.  We'd have some new defenses and twists.  Etc.  Fun, educational, different and still preparing for next season.

I sense Coach Go is going to throw out some wrinkles or some new trickeration.  Probably harder to do in CFB, but I expect it.

 

[Cat941]

51 minutes ago, Brad said:

I sense Coach Go is going to throw out some wrinkles or some new trickeration.  Probably harder to do in CFB, but I expect it.

 

I hope so.   We've used the wide receiver pass a few times successfully so what other trick plays might we anticipate?  

[Bullsaficianado]

hopefully not the fumblerooski!

[Brad]

AKA the Illegal Forward Propulsion play that we allegedly practiced - per Chris Fowler, I think it was.