> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # USF faces major test at No. 13 Florida after Boise State upset - URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/usf-faces-major-test-at-no-13-florida/ - Published: 2025-09-05T18:00:24.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T15:46:40.000Z - Description: Can Alex Golesh and company break through again for a huge win? - Author: Collin Sherwin - Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44 **GAINESVILLE, Fla.** — The University of South Florida Bulls head to Gainesville to face No. 13 Florida on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/9aa93669-fe7f-476b-bcec-a120bdcf5563_5490x3660-heic.jpg) Credit: Vanessa Wenzl | The Bay Area Examiner USF (1-0) comes off its first win over a ranked opponent in eight years after upsetting No. 25 Boise State last week. The Bulls did not crack the AP Top 25 but received 25 points, good for the equivalent of No. 33. [Subscribe](#/portal/signup) Head coach Alex Golesh said his team has already shifted its focus. “Friday we moved on,” Golesh said, referring to last week’s win. Florida (1-0) enters with plenty of momentum. The Gators ended the 2024 season on a four-game win streak that included ranked wins over LSU and Ole Miss. They carried that into their opener, rolling past Long Island University 55-0. The surge has coincided with quarterback D.J. Lagway’s emergence. Florida is 7-1 in games he has started. In 2024, Lagway completed 63.8% of his passes on throws of 20 yards or more and recorded 12 completions of 40-plus yards, though he also threw nine interceptions. The Bulls are accustomed to forcing turnovers, and they will need to continue that trend against Florida. USF forced three turnovers against Boise State and averaged two takeaways per game in 2024, ranking eighth in the FBS. The Gators lost their top two receivers, Chimere Dike and Elijah Badger, to the NFL. They are turning to a committee approach, highlighted by true freshman Vernell Brown III, who made a one-handed catch last week against LIU. Against Boise State, USF’s secondary allowed three completions of 20 yards or more but none longer than 40\. The Bulls limited quarterback Maddux Madsen to a 54.3 completion percentage and a 26.0 passer rating. Florida also brings a strong rushing attack. The Gators return four starters on the offensive line along with running backs Jaden Baugh and Jakobi Jackson. Baugh rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown last week, averaging 11.6 yards per carry. USF held Boise to 122 rushing yards on 3.2 yards per carry. A key player in stopping the run was defensive tackle Devin Lee, a Vanderbilt transfer, who has faced Florida three times already. He was part of the Commodores’ 2022 win over the Gators. The teams last met in 2022, when USF — then coached by Jeff Scott — fell 31-28 in Gainesville. Several players from that roster remain with the Bulls and will look to avenge the loss. A critical matchup Saturday will be USF’s offensive line against Florida’s defensive front. The Bulls managed just 50 rushing yards through three quarters against Boise before breaking out for 67 in the fourth, sparked by Alvon Isaac’s 49-yard run. Still, 19 of USF’s 27 rushing attempts went for two yards or fewer, and quarterback Byrum Brown was sacked four times. Brown, however, impressed in the opener with 210 passing yards, 43 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Florida boasts a stout defensive line, though key lineman Caleb Banks may miss Saturday’s game. Banks sat out the opener, and head coach Billy Napier said his status is uncertain. Several other Gators also missed the opener, with their availability unclear. USF has concerns up front as well. Starting left tackle Derek Bowman (lower body) did not play against Boise and has been ruled out for Saturday. Left guard Thomas Shrader exited last week’s game with an injury, and his status is unknown. Zane Herring filled in for Bowman, while Cole Skinner replaced Schrader. A win over Florida would mark USF’s third all-time against an SEC opponent. The Bulls beat Auburn in 2007 and South Carolina in the 2016 Birmingham Bowl. The Bulls will step into a sold-out Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — “The Swamp” — on Saturday. “It’s a fun environment to play in, but it is an even more fun environment to win in,” Golesh said Tuesday. A victory would give USF back-to-back ranked wins, likely secure a spot in the AP poll and strengthen its College Football Playoff hopes. Saturday marks a massive opportunity for Golesh and the Bulls to take a significant step forward as a program. [Subscribe](#/portal/signup)