CHARLOTTE, N.C., – South Florida (5-5; 3-3 American) posted its third road win of the season and moved within a victory of bowl eligibility for the second-straight year Saturday as the Bulls rolled to a program-record 425 rushing yards in a 59-24 rout of Charlotte (3-7; 2-4 American) in North Carolina.
The dominating rushing effort and four turnovers collected by the defense, including two scores, led to a runaway victory in the Bulls’ first-ever trip to Jerry Richardson Stadium on Charlotte’s campus. It marked USF’s most road wins in a season since going 4-1 in road games in 2017. Head coach Alex Golesh now has five road wins in two seasons with the Bulls. USF had not won a road game in the three seasons prior to his arrival and had totaled four in the five seasons before he took over the USF program.
With two games remaining on the regular-season schedule – vs. Tulsa (Nov. 23) and at Rice (Nov. 30) – USF needs one more win to reach bowl eligibility and secure the program’s 12th bowl appearance in 24 seasons of play at the FBS level.
The Bulls fifth 200-plus yard rushing effort on the year and third of more than 300, all coming on the road, was led by senior Kelley Joiner who had a career-best 140 and two touchdowns on just nine carries, a 15.6 yard per carry average. It marked his sixth career 100-yard game and second of the year as he upped his total touchdown total on the year to 11, nine on the ground. Nay’Quan Wright logged two touchdowns on the ground as six Bulls ran for 30 or more yards
Quarterback Bryce Archie was one, running for a career-best 72 yards on six carries (12 ypc) while passing for 126 yards and leading a USF offense that committed just one turnover, on its first possession of the game.
The Bulls’ defense was dominating in the second half and held Charlotte to just 91 yards rushing and 5-of-14 on third down. Sophomore safety Tawfiq Byard had nine of his career-best 11 tackles in a close first half and added a big third quarter sack that set up a touchdown. Cornerback Paco Austin had an interception return for a touchdown and linebacker Mac Harris had a fumble return for a touchdown, both coming in an explosive third quarter in which the Bulls scored a program record 31 points.
After a stop by the USF defense to start the second half, Joiner extended USF’s slim 14-10 halftime lead to 21-10 with a career-long 54-yard touchdown run through the left side just two minutes into a third quarter in which the Bulls would blow the game open.
Charlotte answered as quarterback Deshawn Purdie hit Sean Brown for a 42-yard completion to the USF6. Three plays later the 49ers ran it in to pull within 21-17, but it was all Bulls after that.
Archie hit tight end Payten Singletary for a career-long 34-yard gain into Charlotte territory on the first play of USF’s next possession. Wright finished the drive with three carries, punching it in with a 6-yard run and the Bulls led 28-17.
Harris sacked Purdie on Charlotte’s next possession, forcing the quarterback to fumble. Bernard Gooden recovered at the UNCC32. Penalties stymied the Bulls’ drive, but John Cannon knocked through a 33-yard field goal for a 31-17 lead.
Byard sacked Purdie at the UNCC3 and a play later Austin picked him off on an out-route, running it in untouched for a 38-17 lead.
On Charlotte’s next possession, Jhalyn Shuler blitzed Purdie and stripped him of the ball. Harris scooped it up and scored on 25-yard return to push the lead to four touchdowns, 45-17, as the game went to the fourth quarter.
After Charlotte closed to within 45-24, Joiner ripped off another long touchdown run. This time he went 45-yards right up the middle to make it 52-24. A late nine-yard touchdown run from freshman Alvon Isaac set the final margin in the Bulls’ highest scoring game of the Golesh era. The Bulls 59 points marked their most since a 61-31 win at ECU in 2017.
