> ## 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. # “We didn’t look like ourselves”: Miami thumps USF 49-12 - URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/we-didnt-look-like-ourselves-miami/ - Published: 2025-09-14T18:28:23.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T15:46:32.000Z - Description: Miami outplays USF from start to finish to give the Bulls their first loss of 2025 - Author: Collin Sherwin - Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44 **MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. —** The No. 18 South Florida Bulls (2-1) were blown out by the No. 5 Miami Hurricanes (3-0) 49-12. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/c1890aaa-2b35-473d-966d-ba5972465520_4740x3160-jpeg.jpg) Vanessa Wenzl | The Bay Area Examiner Miami handled the Bulls on both sides of the ball with a dominant performance. The Hurricanes were in control from the opening kickoff. “I thought we didn’t look like us,” said USF head coach Alex Golesh after the game. The only thing that slowed Miami was a 1-hour, 42-minute weather delay with 13:45 left in the second quarter. Miami led 14-3 when the game was paused. When play resumed, USF tried to mount momentum when senior quarterback Byrum Brown found senior wide receiver Chas Nimrod for a 53-yard connection. However, USF had to settle for a field goal, cutting the deficit to 14-6\. After that, Miami scored 14 unanswered points to finish the half and put the game out of reach. “I thought we handled it really poorly. We never got composed. It wasn’t until we got into half until it was like everybody take a deep breathe and settle down,” Golesh said of the final 13:45 of the first half. That segment was played with no TV timeouts, making it hard for USF to stop the bleeding. USF allowed 23 points combined in its first two games. Miami scored 28 in the first half Saturday. The Hurricanes finished with 576 total yards, their second consecutive year over 500 against USF. Miami had 592 yards in its 50-15 win over the Bulls in 2024. Miami senior quarterback Carson Beck improved to 25-3 as a starter. He went 23 of 28 for 340 yards and four total touchdowns. The Hurricanes had five wide receivers record 50 or more receiving yards. USF did intercept Beck twice. Sophomore cornerback James Chenault got his second interception in as many weeks, and junior cornerback Jarvis Lee recorded the first of his career. Miami’s offensive line was clinical. Beck was sacked once, and USF recorded just one quarterback hurry. The Hurricanes also imposed their will on the ground with 205 rushing yards, averaging 5.4 per carry. Miami’s leading rusher was junior Mark Fletcher Jr. with 120 yards and two touchdowns. Fletcher averaged 7.5 yards per carry. Once again, senior linebacker duo Jhalyn Shuler and Mac Harris led the way for USF’s defense. Harris had eight tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss. Shuler had eight tackles as well. Offense was also a struggle for the Bulls. Their attack has been reliant on explosive plays early this season, and Saturday was no different. Six explosive pass plays accounted for 184 of USF’s yards. On the other 62 plays, the Bulls mustered just 148 yards. It was another dormant night for USF’s rushing attack. The Bulls finished with 40 rushing yards. At halftime, they had 18 on 13 attempts. “We’re living and dying by explosives and that’s a tough place to live. Anybody that’s watched us play knows we hang our hat on the ability to run the ball. When you can’t efficiently move the sticks it’s really hard,” Golesh said. Brown completed 20-of-36 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown. In the second quarter, he threw an interception for the first time since 2023\. Brown had the nation’s longest streak of 252 pass attempts without an interception before Miami freshman cornerback Bryce Fitzgerald picked him off. Brown also lost a fumble. Nimrod had four receptions for 128 yards, a career high for the Tennessee transfer. True freshman wide receiver Christian Neptune made his second consecutive start and led the team with seven receptions for 32 yards and his first career touchdown catch. USF played in front of 66,591 at Hard Rock Stadium. Saturday’s game concluded USF’s three-game gauntlet to start 2025\. The Bulls faced three teams ranked in the AP preseason top 25\. They were underdogs in all three but emerged 2-1. Up next, the Bulls return home to Raymond James Stadium to play South Carolina State, their final nonconference game before a stretch of eight straight in the American Athletic Conference. “As a program we’re going to be in that same exact situation again. Maybe this year maybe not,” Golesh said. “We’re building something special in Tampa Bay.” Saturday’s game was a gut punch for the Bulls. Now all eyes are on how they will fight back.