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South Florida kicked off its 30th season of football and Brian Hartline’s head-coaching era with a 19–9 victory over Florida International on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium. In front of a crowd of 41,847—the program’s largest home-opening attendance since 2021—the Bulls leaned on a stifling turnover-forcing defense and kicker Nico Gramatica’s four field goals to pull away in the fourth quarter.
| Game Box Score / Team Metric | FIU Panthers | USF Bulls |
| Final Score | 9 | 19 |
| Quarter Scores (1st-4th) | 0 – 0 – 3 – 6 | 3 – 3 – 0 – 13 |
| Total Offensive Yards | 381 | 208 |
| Rushing Yards (Att/Avg) | 80 | 108 |
| Passing Yards | 301 | 100 |
| Turnovers Forced / Committed | 0 / 3 | 3 / 0 |
| Penalties / Penalty Yards | 8 / 50 Yards | 4 / 30 Yards |
Defense and Special Teams Control the Rhythm
Despite FIU outgaining USF 381–208 in total yardage, the Bulls’ defense consistently broke the Panthers’ rhythm by forcing three turnovers and turning FIU away on four separate fourth-down attempts. Carrying a slim 6–3 lead into the fourth quarter, USF capitalized on a game-altering short-field sequence when quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. guided a 9-play, 35-yard drive capped by D.J. Crowther’s 1-yard touchdown run. Shortly after, USF defensive lineman Fortenberry recovered a fumble by FIU quarterback JJ Kohl at the FIU 36-yard line, leading directly to a Gramatica field goal that extended the lead to double digits.
Stars of the Night
- Nico Gramatica (K, USF): Accounted for 13 of USF’s 19 points, drilling field goals from 37, 53, 30, and 29 yards out. His career-long 53-yarder in the second quarter provided USF with momentum into halftime.
- D.J. Crowther (RB, USF): Punched in the game’s decisive lone touchdown for the Bulls on a 1-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter to break open a defensive stalemate.
- JJ Kohl (QB, FIU): Threw for 301 yards on 62% passing and added a 21-yard touchdown strike to James Resar as time expired, but suffered three turnovers (2 interceptions, 1 lost fumble) under persistent pressure.
- USF Defensive Unit: Held FIU to just 80 rushing yards, generated three takeaways without committing a single turnover on offense, and turned eight of FIU’s 11 drives into a punt, turnover, or turnover on downs.
Coaching Debut and Next Steps
Winning his debut, Hartline became the fifth head coach in USF history to claim a victory in his opening game while extending South Florida’s home winning streak to eight games. While the Bulls showed room for improvement in passing efficiency, their zero-turnover discipline and red-zone execution proved the difference against their in-state rival.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida 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 host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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