Western Carolina @ South Florida preview
Raymond James Stadium
South Florida hasn’t been relevant since qualifying for their last bowl game four years ago, although their recent struggles pale in comparison to FCS foe Western Carolina. The Bulls, who face the Catamounts for the first time on Saturday, capped off a run of three straight postseason wins with a victory over Clemson in the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl. South Florida has managed only 10 wins since and is coming off the worst campaign of its 17-year football history.
The Bulls ended last season on a six-game losing streak under first-year coach Willie Taggart, whose offense finished 122nd out of 125 FBS teams in scoring offense (13.8) and 123rd in total offense (256.4 yards). The Catamounts may present South Florida with an opportunity to start 2014 off on the right foot, having not won more than three games in a season since 2005; three of their four victories over the last three years have come against Division II opponent Mars Hill. Western Carolina has never defeated an FBS opponent and has dropped 21 straight road games since winning at Citadel in 2010.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: None
ABOUT WESTERN CAROLINA (2013: 2-10): Four players have been suspended for the opener due to the violation of the school’s academic standards - an unnecessary setback for a team that is already without receiver Karnorris Benson. The second team All-Southern Conference selection, who will serve a two-game suspension for failing to meet academic eligibility requirements, tied the school’s 30-year-old single-season record with 12 receiving touchdowns. His absence will make quarterback Troy Mitchell's job more difficult; the junior threw eight of Western Carolina’s conference-high 18 interceptions last season.
ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (2013: 2-10): Mike White – one of four different starting quarterbacks last season – begins the season under center after throwing three times as many interceptions (nine) as touchdowns (three) over the final five games. Making matters easier for the sophomore will be receiver Andre Davis, who needs 107 yards receiving to break the school record (1,648). Aaron Lynch – a fifth-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in May – was one of the four defensive ends to leave the program, prompting second-year defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan to switch to a 3-4 base defense.
EXTRA POINTS
1. South Florida committed the sixth-most penalties in FBS (102) last season.
2. The Catamounts, who snapped a 33-game losing streak against Division I foes last year, have only won 13 games away from home since 2000.
3. The Bulls scored as many as 20 points only five times and were held to 10 or fewer in six of their eight losses in 2013.
PREDICTION: South Florida 27, Western Carolina 13