After the win, USF enters the AP poll at No. 18 and the AFCA Coaches Poll at No. 23.
The American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, presents the Bear Bryant Awards annually to celebrate excellence in coaching, to honor Coach Bryant’s legacy and to raise awareness and critical funds for its mission. The coaching legend died from a heart attack in 1983, just 28 days after his final victory and retirement.
The win marks the first win in a four-game all-time series dating back to 2010. The win, coupled with USF’s season-opening 34-7 win over then-No. 25 Boise State, not only mark the first time that USF has defeated ranked opponents in back-to-back games; it marks just the third time in program history that USF has beaten two ranked opponents in one season. In both of those wins, USF committed no turnovers. The win also makes USF the first program in the state of Florida to win on the home field of each of the other six FBS programs in the state.
Nico Gramatica’s 20-yard field goal as time expired sealed the victory in a back-and-forth game between the two teams.
After opening scoring with a field goal with five minutes to play in the opening quarter, Florida held the lead until late in the third quarter, when USF’s Byrum Brown connected with Keshaun Singleton on a 66-yard touchdown strike that gave USF its first lead of the game at 13-9. A USF safety in the closing seconds of the third quarter pushed the Bulls’ lead to 15-9, but early in the fourth quarter, Florida reclaimed the lead at 16-15 and held it until Gramatica’s game winner.
USF held Florida to just 355 yards on the day, and until the fourth-quarter score by the Gators, the Bulls had gone six consecutive quarters without surrendering a touchdown.
The Bulls’ non conference schedule gets no easier in week three, as USF heads south to take on No. 5 Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.
The selection of Golesh as National Coach of the Week follows the week one selection of Florida State’s Mike Norvell.
Continuing through the remainder of the regular season, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards will recognize a coach weekly for leading their team to an exceptional victory. The National Coach of the Week award is chosen by a committee of national college football media members.
Fans can follow the lead up to January’s 40th annual Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards Ceremony at facebook.com/bryantawards, x.com/bryantawards or Instagram.com/bryantawards or the hashtag #BryantAwards. To attend the exclusive, VIP experience visit bryantawards.org.
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