USF Offense Stalls as Temple Shocks Bulls

The South Florida Bulls entered Saturday night undefeated and hoping to keep their strong start rolling. Instead, Temple exposed an offensive problem that USF could no longer overcome. The Owls stunned the Bulls 17-13 at Raymond James Stadium, handing USF its first loss of 2026. Temple entered the game with a 1-3 record. Meanwhile, USF entered at 4-0 and atop the American Conference standings. An overcast sky hung over Raymond James Stadium before kickoff.

Stadium lights came on early as darkness settled over Tampa. USF wore white jerseys, gold pants, and white helmets featuring the gold Bulls logo. Temple countered with red uniforms and white helmets. However, the crowd looked surprisingly small for an undefeated team playing a conference home game. Temple won the coin toss and elected to receive.

Unlike the previous week against Bowling Green, USF found points during the opening quarter. Nico Gramatica drilled a 35-yard field goal with 9:06 remaining. The kick gave USF an early 3-0 advantage. Unfortunately, that early scoring drive never sparked the Bulls offense. Temple tied the game early in the second quarter. Carl Hardin connected from 34 yards to make it 3-3. USF later gave Gramatica another opportunity from 54 yards. However, he missed the long attempt and left the game tied.

The Bulls continued struggling to establish any offensive rhythm. Temple finally broke through during the closing minute before halftime. Quarterback Ajani Sheppard connected with JoJo Bermudez for a 24-yard touchdown. The score capped an eight-play, 55-yard drive. That touchdown gave Temple a 10-3 halftime advantage. USF needed an answer coming out of halftime. This time, the Bulls delivered one. USF took the second-half kickoff and marched down the field. D.J. Crowther eventually finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The score tied the game at 10 with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Crowther once again provided an important spark for an offense desperately searching for consistency. He entered Saturday as USF’s leading rusher with 325 yards and five touchdowns. The Bulls defense also continued giving the offense opportunities. USF recovered a Temple fumble in the end zone during the third quarter. However, the Bulls could not turn that opportunity into points. The score remained tied at 10 after three quarters. Once again, USF needed its defense and special teams to keep the game within reach. Gramatica delivered another huge kick early in the fourth quarter.

He connected from 49 yards with 12:51 remaining. That field goal pushed USF ahead 13-10. At that point, the Bulls needed their defense to make the lead stand. The unit had repeatedly rescued USF during recent offensive struggles. USF entered Saturday allowing only 14 points per game through four contests. The Bulls also allowed Bowling Green just six points the previous week. However, Temple finally found the decisive touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Sheppard helped lead the Owls down the field and into the end zone. Temple grabbed a 17-13 advantage and put enormous pressure on USF’s struggling offense.

The Bulls still had opportunities to steal the game. In fact, USF possessed the ball twice during the final three minutes. Neither possession produced the winning touchdown. That failure told the story of the night. The defense kept USF alive for most of the game. Gramatica also supplied seven valuable points with two field goals. However, the Bulls offense never found enough explosive plays. The warning signs appeared one week earlier against Bowling Green. USF managed only 214 total yards and needed a fourth-quarter rally to escape with a 14-6 victory.

Saturday night brought another sluggish offensive performance. This time, the defense could not completely bail the offense out. Temple deserves plenty of credit for making critical plays when the game reached its biggest moments. Sheppard delivered the necessary throws, including the first-half touchdown to Bermudez. The Owls defense also refused to surrender the decisive score late. USF’s undefeated season ended because the offense never solved its growing problems. The Bulls cannot continue asking their defense to carry such a heavy burden every week.

USF showed resilience during its first four victories. However, resilience cannot always overcome repeated offensive mistakes and stalled possessions. The Bulls finally learned that lesson against Temple. Now, head coach Brian Hartline must find answers quickly. USF still has plenty left to play for within the American Conference. However, the offense must improve before another close game arrives. Temple proved exactly what happens when it does not.