It was “Flashback Friday” at Raymond James Stadium, but there was nothing old school about USF’s explosive performance.

The South Florida Bulls (4-1, 1-0 American) dominated Charlotte (1-4, 0-2 American) in a 54-26 rout on Friday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, kicking off their 13th season in the American Athletic Conference with authority. Behind 631 total yards of offense, including a jaw-dropping 407 rushing yards, the Bulls looked like a team built for both nostalgia and the future.

Quarterback Byrum Brown put on a clinic for the second straight week, accounting for five total touchdowns — four through the air and one on the ground — while posting a career-best 162 rushing yards. Brown now has six career 100-yard rushing games, a number that would make most running backs jealous.

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Freshman wideout Jeremiah Koger introduced himself in style, catching a 38-yard touchdown on his first career reception, finishing with four catches for 75 yards.

The USF defense channeled the program’s vintage grit, forcing four turnovers, allowing just 13 yards on Charlotte’s first eight possessions, blocking a punt for a safety and extending their streak to 13 straight games with a takeaway.

It was a flashback to the hard-nosed defenses that helped build the Bulls’ identity in their early years.

🏁 FAST START, NEVER LOOKED BACK

USF wasted no time getting started:

• Cartevious Norton, a former Charlotte player, broke off a 37-yard TD run on the first drive

• Brown followed with a TD to Koger

• Jair Murphy’s blocked punt for a safety pushed the lead to 16-0

• A 10-yard strike to Mudia Reuben capped a dominant 23-point first quarter

The Bulls had 21 explosive plays on the night and ran a season-high 97 plays, racking up the second-most yards of the Alex Golesh era.

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📊 KEY STATS:

• 631 total yards, including 407 rushing

• 23-0 first quarter lead — most since 28-0 vs. Tulsa in 2024

• USF has now rushed for 832 yards vs. Charlotte over two seasons

• Each team committed 4 turnovers and combined for 18 penalties

🧍‍♂️ NOTABLE PERFORMERS:

• QB Byrum Brown: 211 pass yards, 4 TDs, 162 rush yards, 1 TD

• WR Jeremiah Koger: 4 rec, 75 yards, 1 TD

• LB Jhalyn Shuler: 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble

🔜 NEXT UP:

USF hits the road for another Friday night showdown against North Texas on Oct. 10 in Denton. The Mean Green (4-0, 1-0) are coming off a bye week and are undefeated. The clash kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.