Game 2 Preview: Florida Gators (1-0, 0-0) vs. USF Bulls (1-0, 0-0)

Florida faces a tough test in a USF team playing with a lot of confidence after a huge win.

By Loren Meadows, GatoirBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst, Host of The Lowdown with Loren Meadows

Quaterback DJ Lagway (Chris Spears photo)

The Florida Gators are a team that has taken on a one week contract mentality since Week 6 or so of last season. The Gators faced with an uncertain future shed the old skin of the past and renewed a commitment to a physical, team oriented game of football where getting the win at all cost was the order of the day.

That mentality will need to continue as a matchup with in-state foe USF has taken on a different mode after USF’s dominant win over a Boise State team that played into December last season and looking for a return trip this season. However you view the upset of Boise by USF, I can guarantee it garnered the attention of the Florida Gators organization. There will be no looking past USF with bigger things on the horizon. No taking what I believe is the best quarterback in the “Group of 5” lightly. No lack of care for the football, and no special teams miscues. Because if there is, Saturday’s game could have historical implications for the second straight week and not in a good way. Should Florida check all the boxes, there

isn’t a team within its borders that has a chance.

USF Offense

Key Players: #14 QB Byrum Brown (6-3, 232, Sr.), #5 RB Cartevious Norton (5-11, 222 Sr.), #2 WR Chaz Nimrod (6-2, 198, Sr.), WR #11 Keshaun Singleton (6-3, 215, Jr.)

Matchups To Watch: Byrum Brown v. Florida Linebackers, Florida Secondary v. USF Receivers

USF Quarterback Byrum Brown is the key to everything USF does. Similar to Hendon Hooker when USF coach Alex Golesh was at Tennessee, USF gets in and out and looks to keep the defense off balance with tempo, misdirection, and sleight of hand. Combine that with a quarterback that runs to contact and the USF offense can be a problem. Despite playing in a fast paced system Brown has also been careful with the football throwing his last interception late in the 2023 season. Running back Cartevious Norton runs hard and is threat out of the backfield. Now on his third school, he has the experience you like for a back in a game like this. At receiver USF has two solid options for Brown. Tennessee transfer Chaz Nimrod had six starts in Knoxville, and had three catches for 96 yards against Boise St. Keshaun Singleton was a Preseason American Conference selection and physically looks like an SEC receiver. He was on the receiving end of the fake punt that broke the game open last week so Florida will need to identify him on special teams to eliminate any shenanigans. 

Florida has struggled against mobile quarterbacks under Napier so this will certainly be a test for a defense that is playing their best ball since 2019. The Gator front will certainly flush Brown and force him to move, but moving is what he does best. Graham, Chiles, and company will have to be great on the second level to limit the YAC (yards after contact) that Brown likes to get into and the defensive secondary will need to remain connected and eliminate the tempo induced big plays that can come from a Golesh offense. Look for Florida to employ some of the good from past contests against Tennessee as a road map of how to defend USF on Saturday.

USF Defense

Key Players #24 LB Mac Harris (6-0, 235, Gr.), #22 CB De’Shawn Rucker (6-0, 195, Sr.), #7 LB Jhaylen Shuler (6-3, 230, Gr.), #34 DL Rico Watson (6-0, 238, Gr.)

Matchups To Watch: Jaden Baugh v. Mac Harris, Austin Barber v. Rico Watson

Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando has a good group of players at every level and it showed last Thursday night. Despite being on the field for over 80 plays, the USF defense limited Boise St. to only 4.4 yards per play and forced three turnovers. Mac Harris is the heart and soul of the defense and could be the best linebacker in the American Conference. Harris had 8 tackles, a QB hurry and a forced fumble last week. Last season he recorded five or more tackles in 12 of 13 games including seven at Alabama. Linebacker Jhaylen Shuler was the American Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a 14 tackle performance last week. One of the top defenders in the American the last two seasons, the matchup between the deep Florida running back room, Harris and Shuler will be one to watch for sure. Cornerback De’Shawn Rucker is another former Volunteer that followed Golesh to Tampa. At 6-0, 195 he has good size and is familiar with SEC-level talent. The Gators could get Dallas Wilson back this Saturday to add to its deep receiver rotation and it will be interesting to see how Rucker and the USF secondary fair against a huge jump in talent.

The Florida offensive line was called out by many for a lackluster effort last week. LIU recorded 11 tackles for loss against a unit that was rated as one of the country’s best. If they should struggle again then USF’s Rico Watson could have a repeat of his performance last week where he had five tackles, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss consistently causing issues for the Boise offensive front. Jake Slaughter and Austin Barber are not one’s to take criticism lightly and will look to bounce back against the USF defensive line. 

The Gator offense-Weapons galore (Chris Spears photo)

The Skinny: After watching USF handle Boise St. in Tampa last Thursday I texted a fellow media member who played at Florida and told him I thought Florida was in for more than they bargained for when the schedule was released. A game that many called a tune-up now has taken on a different tone. To quote Admiral Ackbar of the Star Wars franchise, “it’s a trap!”. With a trip to the bayou on the horizon Florida would do well to improve on last week’s performance and get to it early and often. The more you let a talented USF team with SEC pedigree hang around, the more it will begin to look like 2022 all over again where a far less talented team almost pulled a fast one on the Gators. That game was full of missteps, turnovers, and confusion, but hey that’s football. Florida could have scored 60-plus last week and there still would have been work to do. Certainly after watching USF on film they worked a little harder. Through thick and then the Gators have always listened and bought into Napier’s message, and now they have the talent as well. I think USF will play better than the 17.5 point spread that was offered for this game. I think Byrum Brown has some wow moments because he is just that good. The issue is that Florida creates so many matchup problems on offense that USF can’t handle them all. Lagway throws for three again, Baugh and Jackson add one each, tack on a pick for Devin Moore and Florida flies to the Bayou 2-0.

Predication: Florida 31 USF 17