South Florida Bulls Face Tulsa Golden Hurricane in Critical College Football Matchup

The South Florida Bulls are set to compete against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in a crucial college football matchup at Raymond James Stadium this Saturday. Both teams are preparing for week 13 action, with South Florida vying for a victory to secure bowl eligibility.

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane, with a current record of 3-7, are coming off a recent loss to UAB. They are looking to recover from a three-game losing streak in away games and will face FAU in their next matchup. Quarterback Kirk Francis has completed 58.7 percent of his pass attempts, accumulating 1,249 yards along with seven touchdowns and five interceptions this season. The team’s offense has relied heavily on receivers Kamdyn Benjamin and Joseph Williams, who together have accrued 1,091 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Tulsa’s ground game averages 152.6 yards per contest, led by Bill Jackson with 318 yards from 66 carries. However, the team has struggled defensively, allowing an average of 38.4 points and 458.1 yards per game. On defense, Gavin Potter leads with 64 tackles, R.J. Jackson Jr. has three sacks, and Jehlen Cannady has managed two interceptions.

The South Florida Bulls, holding a balanced 5-5 record, have faced challenges of their own, recently losing to Navy and winning another game in their recent outings. They are set to play Rice following this contest. Quarterback Bryce Archie has a completion rate of 57.1 percent, throwing for 1,147 yards, six touchdowns, and seven interceptions to date. Sean Atkins and Michael Brown-Stephens have contributed significantly with a combined total of 755 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Leading South Florida’s rushing attack, Kelley Joiner has achieved 616 yards on the ground with nine touchdowns, fueling an average of 187.6 rushing yards per game. On the defensive side, the team concedes an average of 28.3 points and 421.1 yards per game. Key players include Mac Harris with 62 tackles, Jhalyn Shuler with 3.5 sacks, and Brent Austin with two interceptions.

Despite South Florida’s superior talent and urgent need for a win to remain bowl-eligible, concerns persist about their defense, ranking 112th nationally in total defense and 94th in scoring defense. As such, some analysts remain uncertain about the 17.5-point spread against Tulsa, given South Florida’s track record in previous situations as a double-digit favorite.