USF’s Conference Title and College Football Playoff Hopes Halted in Loss to Navy

USF had everything in front of it — a first conference championship game appearance and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

On Saturday, those aspirations were dashed in the Bulls’ 41-38 loss to Navy.

“It’s tough. We’re obviously upset the game didn’t go the way it should have gone,” senior USF offensive lineman Cole Best said. He later added that the team is going to “stick together.”

USF put itself behind the 8-ball with another slow start on the road. The Bulls trailed 24-9 at halftime. Navy scored the opening touchdown of the game, and USF has now allowed its opponent to score first in all five of its road games this season. The Bulls have been outscored by 30 points in the first half of road games this season.

The Midshipmen never trailed, and their offense used explosive plays to continuously hurt the Bulls. Navy had seven plays of 20 yards or more, including three that topped 60 yards.

On Senior Day for the Midshipmen, it was the seniors who helped Navy build its first-half lead. Senior running back Alex Tecza opened the scoring with a 76-yard touchdown run through the middle of USF’s defense on Navy’s first possession. On the Midshipmen’s next drive, senior quarterback Blake Horvath found senior slotback Eli Heidenreich for an 82-yard gain. Senior slotback Brandon Chatman punched it in on the next play to make it 14-3. Horvath later connected with Tecza on a 14-yard touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, Horvath was injured, and junior backup quarterback Braxton Woodson replaced him. Woodson scored touchdown runs of 20 and 64 yards to help Navy salt the game away. It was Woodson’s second straight week seeing significant action after playing the entire game last week against Notre Dame.

The Bulls’ defense struggled all afternoon against Navy’s triple-option attack. The Midshipmen totaled 524 yards, including 338 rushing. Navy averaged 6.4 yards per carry — exactly double what USF’s defense had allowed entering the game.

USF’s offense, which mustered just nine points in the first half, stormed out of the locker room with 29 second-half points. The Bulls scored touchdowns on four of their five second-half possessions.

Senior quarterback Byrum Brown had 327 passing yards, 136 rushing yards and four total touchdowns — his sixth straight game with at least 200 passing yards, 80 rushing yards and both a passing and rushing touchdown.

In the second quarter, Navy sophomore cornerback Philip Hamilton intercepted Brown, but the Midshipmen came away with only a field goal. However, the Bulls were stuffed on 4th down at the Navy 31 on the very next drive, which ended up being a very consequential second frame of the Bulls. Mac Harris recovered a Navy fumble in the first quarter, the Bulls’ lone takeaway.

In the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Nykai Davenport threw his first career touchdown, connecting with sophomore receiver Jeremiah Koger. It was the second touchdown thrown by a USF position player this season; the other came when freshman Christian Neptune hit sophomore Keshaun Singleton against North Texas.

Koger led USF with nine receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Singleton added five catches for 86 yards and a score. Graduate receiver Mudia Reuben had a dazzling 41-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter.

Heidenreich led Navy with five receptions for 146 yards. Tecza rushed for 126 yards, and quarterbacks Woodson and Horvath combined for 163 rushing yards.

To compound the issues on offense and defense, the Bulls also struggled on special teams. Sophomore kicker Nico Gramatica missed an extra point, and freshman punter Luke Goater averaged just 39.5 yards per punt. Navy’s average starting field position was its own 37-yard line, compared with USF starting at its own 28.

USF now sits behind North Texas, Navy, Tulane and potentially East Carolina with a 4-2 conference record. The Bulls will need chaos down the stretch for any chance at their first conference championship appearance.

“Special group of dudes. A bunch of them stayed when it wasn’t cool to stay. And I’m forever indebted to them, and I love them like crazy, and we’re going to keep coaching them hard because that’s what this program is about. We have to find a way to be more detailed,” head coach Alex Golesh said.

USF will take on UAB at Protective Stadium next Saturday looking to bounce back.