No. 18 South Florida built a two-touchdown cushion and looked in full command … then watched it vanish in the fourth quarter. The Bulls (6-2, 3-1 AAC) fell 34-31 at Memphis on Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium after the Tigers (7-1, 3-1) stormed back with 17 unanswered in the final 15 minutes to extend their home win streak to 11.

USF led 31-17 after three, riding a brilliant night from QB Byrum Brown and a defense that had held one of the nation’s top rushing attacks to just 53 yards through three quarters.

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Brown piled up 390 total yards and three touchdowns (121 rushing, two TD; 269 passing, one TD) and engineered two 92-yard touchdown drives, including a hurdling, tackle-shedding 44-yard sprint to the end zone. Freshman WR Jeremiah Koger continued his breakout with 5 catches for 78 yards and a score, his fourth straight game with a TD, and RB Sam Franklin ripped off a 73-yard touchdown to close the third.

But the fourth belonged to Memphis.

QB Brendon Lewis sparked the comeback, hitting a 57-yard strike to set up a field goal, then guiding the 70-yard, 11-play game-winner capped by a 10-yard TD to Cortez Braham Jr. with 1:07 left. USF’s final push reached the Memphis 24 before a holding call pushed the Bulls back. Nico Gramatica’s 52-yard game-tying attempt drifted wide left as time expired.

USF’s defense, stout most of the night, got huge efforts from Mac Harris (career-best 13 tackles) and Jarvis Lee (7 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack). Key numbers cut the other way late.

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Memphis won the turnover battle (USF’s opening-series INT ended the Bulls’ 15-game takeaway streak). The Tigers gained 76 of their 129 rushing yards in the fourth quarter and USF ran for 295 yards and posted 564 total yards, its fourth straight 500-plus yard game.

After a bye, the Bulls return to Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 6 vs. UTSA at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN2. The loss stings, and so does the reminder that finishing is the final step from good to great.