Hi GoHOUSTON, Texas — In their first-ever game at historic Rice Stadium, the South Florida Bulls (6-6; 4-4 American) fell to the Rice Owls (4-8; 3-5 American) in a hard-fought 35-28 loss to close out the regular season.
Despite the setback, the Bulls secured bowl eligibility for the second consecutive year under head coach Alex Golesh, finishing the season with a strong 4-2 stretch.
Wide receiver Sean Atkins etched his name into USF history, becoming just the second player in program history to surpass 2,000 career receiving yards. Atkins caught seven passes for 110 yards, his fifth career 100-yard game, and moved into second place on USF’s all-time receiving yardage list. He now sits at 2,063 career yards, just 73 shy of Andre Davis’s school record of 2,136.
His standout performance included a 52-yard catch and a 16-yard touchdown that cut Rice’s lead in the third quarter.
Rice quarterback E.J. Warner stole the show, throwing for a career-high 430 yards and three touchdowns, including two in a dominant first half that saw the Owls build a commanding 27-7 lead.
The Bulls struggled to contain Warner, who consistently found holes in the secondary, racking up 294 of his passing yards before halftime. USF’s defense managed to force Rice into two field goals in the red zone, but the damage was done as the Owls tallied 367 total first-half yards.
The Bulls showed fight in the second half, opening with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by Atkins’ scoring grab from quarterback Bryce Archie. However, Rice responded with a quick strike of their own, adding a 33-yard touchdown pass that pushed the lead to 35-14 late in the third quarter.
Archie, who passed for 227 yards and a touchdown, left the game in the fourth quarter after spearheading an admirable effort. Redshirt freshman Keshaun Singleton also impressed, recording seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.
USF’s ground game, which had been electric in recent weeks with 731 combined rushing yards in the last two contests, was limited to just 111 yards. Despite the offensive struggles, the Bulls displayed flashes of brilliance, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Warner’s heroics and a strong Rice start.
With the regular season in the books, USF now turns its focus to their upcoming bowl game. The Bulls will look to build on the progress made in Golesh’s second year while leaning on stars like Atkins, who has a chance to rewrite the record books before his storied career comes to a close.