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
-
Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
Latest entries
BaseballFebruary 26, 2026Tampa Spartans Baseball: Domination Continues Despite Taking First Loss
Beach VolleyballFebruary 21, 2026USF Athletics Adds a New Beach Volleyball Complex
AAC BasbeallFebruary 20, 2026USF Notes: Lacrosse, Softball, and Baseball Roundup
BaseballFebruary 19, 2026UT Spartans Continue Hot Start With Sweep of Post Eagles
About the Author
