Steelersforever.org
Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Times
0
0
Once again, the USF Bulls were playing on a Friday night. This was their second conference game of the season, and their opponent was the North Texas Mean Green. The game took place at DATCU Stadium, home of the Mean Green. It marked North Texas’s first home sellout, and the matchup was nationally televised.
North Texas entered the game undefeated, while USF carried just one loss — a defeat against the No. 2-ranked Miami Hurricanes. The crowd was loud right from kickoff as the Mean Green won the toss and elected to receive. Unfortunately for them, they went three-and-out on their opening drive. But just a few snaps later, the Bulls fumbled, and North Texas capitalized on the turnover to take an early 7–0 lead. The Bulls responded quickly, tying the game at seven.
The Mean Green defense forced another turnover and again drove down the field to take a 14–7 lead. That’s when the game began to shift. The second quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, but USF scored twice and tied the game 21–21 at halftime. The Bulls’ second touchdown came late in the quarter to even things up heading into the break.
As the second half began, USF drove down the field and scored to take the lead — and never looked back. Now it was North Texas’s turn to struggle with turnovers, and the Bulls took full advantage. Another USF touchdown made it 35–21, and before long, the Bulls had doubled the score. The Mean Green finally got back on the board, hoping for a comeback, but by the end of the third quarter, USF led by 21 points.
The final quarter was more of the same, as the Bulls outscored North Texas 14–8 to seal the victory. It was a sloppy game overall, with turnovers on both sides — USF had three (two fumbles and one interception), while North Texas committed five (two fumbles and three interceptions). Notably, quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who had never thrown an interception before this game, was picked off multiple times.
This was a big win for the USF Bulls, who improved to 2–0 in the American Athletic Conference. They now face two crucial road matchups against the Memphis Tigers and the Navy Midshipmen. As for North Texas, their chances of making the conference championship aren’t over — they avoid both Memphis and the Tulane Green Wave, the league’s top teams. Next up for the Mean Green is a road game against the UTSA Roadrunners.
The Bulls, meanwhile, return home for Homecoming against the FAU Owls. Despite back-to-back games with multiple turnovers, USF’s defense once again created takeaways and kept opposing offenses in check. With a win next week, the Bulls can clinch bowl eligibility, something they had to fight for in the final week of the past two seasons.
It was an impressive win for USF, which has now scored 180 points over its last three games. With momentum building and a 7:30 p.m. Homecoming kickoff ahead, the Bulls look ready to make another strong statement.
How impressed were you with the USF win over North Texas? Leave a comment below.
For all your NCAA Football news, log on to ngscsports.com.
For mor,e follow me on social media on Facebook: Bradley Walker, on X: bradwalker3083, on YouTube: The Walker Report, and my two weekly sports podcasts: The P&W Sports Report and The Walker Report.
Author Profile
-
Director of Operations for NGSC Sports
Covers USF Athletics in Football, Baseball, Lacrosse, and Softball.
Also covered both major and minor league baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays and Clearwater Threshers.
He also covers college football bowl and conference championship games.
It might seem like just covers team sports he also covers both the PGA & LIV Tours and writes and announces for the Pinellas Park High School Patriots in football and basketball.
He also has two sports podcasts in the P&W Sports Report and The Walker Report.
Latest entries
High School FootballNovember 1, 2025Pinellas Park Patriots Fall in a Tough Game to Osceola, 23-20
AAC FootballOctober 23, 2025USF Football Hosts Memphis in Clash of AAC Contenders
High School FootballOctober 22, 2025On the Brink of October: Pinellas Park Battles for a Playoff Berth
AAC FootballOctober 12, 2025USF Football Blows Out North Texas, 63-36
About the Author
