USF BEATS UAB – USF – USF ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PHOTO
Today at noon, South Florida is set to celebrate its long-awaited homecoming, postponed earlier due to Hurricane Milton. The Bulls are gearing up to face Navy (6-2, 4-1 in the American Athletic Conference), with USF (4-4, 2-2 AAC) looking to extend their two-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Midshipmen arrive after experiencing their first ever loss to Rice.
Today’s match marks only the fifth time these two teams have competed on the football field and the second instance they have played in Tampa. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2, featuring the commentary duo of Roy Philpott and Sam Acho.
After a challenging beginning, the Bulls have managed to rally, now on a two-game winning streak with victories over UAB 35-25 and Florida Atlantic 44-21 last Friday night. Despite facing a tough schedule with losses to nationally-ranked teams like Alabama and Miami, as well as Tulane and Memphis in the AAC, their 4-4 record is respectable. As they enter the less demanding portion of their schedule, they aim to secure more than six wins and earn a spot in a postseason bowl game.
Coastal Carolina’s transfer junior, Bryce Archie, filled in admirably for the injured Byrum Brown (who has returned but did not start against FAU), delivering impressive performances. Archie has completed 71 out of 130 pass attempts, accumulating 739 yards with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. On the other hand, Brown has a record of 78 completions out of 132 passes for 836 yards and 2 touchdowns. Collectively, the USF quarterbacks’ 4 interceptions place them at 17th in the FBS rankings.
Graduate student Kelley Joiner spearheads the USF rushing offense with 453 yards and 7 touchdowns from 73 carries, and fellow graduate student, Florida transfer Nay’Quan Wright, contributes with 379 yards and 3 touchdowns on 74 carries. Leading USF in receiving, graduate student Sean Atkins has secured 42 receptions for 415 yards and a touchdown, while Purdue transfer and graduate student Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen has made 17 catches for 223 yards. Additionally, Atkins ranks 16th nationally in punt returns, averaging 11.5 yards per return.
The USF defense is spearheaded by graduate student outside linebacker Mac Harris, who has achieved 51 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, alongside graduate student linebacker and FAU transfer Jamie Pettway, with 43 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. Junior cornerback and James Madison transfer Brent Austin ranks 10th nationally in passes defended, with an average of 1.3 per game (including pass deflections and interceptions).
The Bulls’ defense ranks 20th in the FBS for fourth down defense, with a .375 conversion rate by opponents, and 24th in red zone defense at .759. They are also 12th in the nation for tackles for loss, averaging 7.6 per game. USF stands 15th in net punting, with an average of 42.3 yards per punt. Their punt return defense is exceptional, allowing only 3.8 yards per return, which is 19th in the country. The USF punt return team is 25th nationally, with an average of 12.4 yards per return. Senior punter Andrew Stokes ranks 18th in the nation with an average of 44.9 yards per punt.
The Navy football team is exceeding expectations, having been selected 11th in the 14-team AAC preseason poll, and is now in 3rd place with a 4-1 record, including a victory over the preseason favorite, Memphis. The Midshipmen, facing three of the top four teams in the preseason poll (Memphis, Tulane, South Florida), have the opportunity to secure their own path to the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. Victories over USF, Tulane, and ECU would guarantee Navy a spot in the championship, as they would hold the tiebreaker over Tulane. This season, Navy has amassed 293 points in 8 games, which is 81 more than the total 212 points scored in the 12 games of the previous year. The Midshipmen have impressively scored a touchdown on the first play of a drive five times this fall, ranking third in the FBS. Averaging 251.4 rushing yards per game, Navy boasts the fifth-highest average in the FBS and the best for the program since 2019, when it set a school record with an average of 360.5 rushing yards per game. In the red zone, Navy has a success rate of 26-29 (.897) this year, with 24 touchdowns; notably, the team’s first 20 red zone visits all resulted in touchdowns before they opted for a field goal against Charlotte. Additionally, Navy is tied for fourth nationwide in red zone touchdown efficiency, with a rate of .830.
FILE – Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) waves after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. Kelce will bring his highly successful music festival called Kelce Jam back to Kansas City. The second annual one-day event held on May 18 will be hosted by the superstar tight end of the Chiefs and headlined by Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Diplo and local legend Tech N9ne. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
RANT SPORTS – As Super Bowl LIX Beckons, Football Fans Gravitate to Key Stats and Storylines
On February 9, 2025, the NFC and AFC Conference Champions will meet at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Super Bowl LIX. Football fans have been piling into the action all season to make their picks and predictions for the winner.
As Super Bowl Sunday beckons, there will be a tsunami of interest in the many different forms of football betting. Last year, the Super Bowl set records for American wagering, with some $23 billion bet. This year, seeing the popularity of the big game, platforms are going all out to appeal to this mass of betting interest.
So, there are plenty of offers bouncing around and unique ways to bet on the outcomes of Super Bowl LIX. Keep reading to explore these novel options and discover some stats to keep in mind for the potential Super Bowl contenders this year.
A Diverse Landscape for Super Bowl Fans
Every year, betting lines light up with a whole range of quirky selections. For the Super Bowl, prop markets are always a point of interest – and not just for the player lines. The length of the national anthem, style of the halftime performer’s attire, and the color of the winning team’s Gatorade douse are all in the odds.
In daily fantasy sports betting, the lines can also see a bit more variation. With some platforms, you’ll be able to bundle in these once-a-year kind of props. Many will also offer boosts on certain players hitting or missing their under-over lines. Others are adapting the formula entirely for the big game.
At Sleeper, the emphasis is on collaborating with your squad to make top fantasy picks. You’ll all get to select the DFS player lines that you think will happen, bundle them into a picks list, and watch the stats move in real time. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, savvy DFS teams will be claiming a Sleeper promo for NFL betting like this.
With the offer, each player will get a $55 bonus cash offer after playing $5. So, naturally, many teams will open an account, make the $10 deposit, play $5 on an upcoming game of the NFL, NBA, or anything else, and then get their 11 $5 bonus wagers to use on the big game.
What to Keep in Mind for the Super Bowl
On the NFC side, coming into the Conference Championships, Jayden Daniels absolutely had the upper hand on the Eagles’ QB, who’d suffered a concussion and then a leg injury. However, the Philadelphia defense ranked as the best in the NFL by quite some margin, only allowing 278.4 yards on average. It was Philadelphia that romped to an easy 55-23 victory.
Over in AFC territory, the Super Bowl machine that are the Kansas City Chiefs might have a shot at history with the unheard-of three-peat, after their 32-29 win over the Bills. There’s also Travis Kelce’s shot at unseating one of Jerry Rice’s long-standing records. With just three receptions in the big game, Kelce would overtake Rice’s haul of 33 takes at the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIX promises to be a fascinating game, with a second matchup of these two teams in three years. That contest came down to the final seconds, but who will win this one?
The bigger question here is, where will fans be placing their bets for the colossal event?
William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
RANT SPORTS – NASCAR likes to open with a short track exhibition
A week before heading to Daytona for the 2025 NASCAR season, they will kick off the year with an exhibition race on Saturday night under the lights. The event, known as The Cookout will take place at Bowman Gray Stadium, a NASCAR-sanctioned quarter-mile asphalt flat oval short track and a historic football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The race, also known as The Clash, will mark the debut for several new drivers. Two of the top young talents making their NASCAR Cup Series debuts are Tim Brown for Rick Racing and Burt Myers for Team Amerivet.
This race also features the Front Row Motorsports debut for Noah Gragson and the return of Zane Smith that team. Additionally, Todd Gilliland will be driving the flagship No. 38 after three seasons in the No. 34. Furthermore, Josh Berry iin the iconic Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford.
Some familiar names with new and full season rides
AJ Allmendinger has returned to Kaulig Racing full-time, while Riley Herbst has joined 23XI Racing. Cole Custer is back now full time at the Haas Factory Team. Cody Ware is also time in the family-owned No. 51.
Ryan Preece is debuting for RFK Racing and Michael McDowell has moved to Spire Motorsports. Shane Van Gisbergen is racing full-time in Cup for Trackhouse Racing
Here is the full list of cars the teams
1 | Ross Chastain | Phil Surgen | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
2 | Austin Cindric | Brian Wilson | Team Penske | Ford
3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Boswell | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet
4 | Noah Gragson | Drew Blickensderfer | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
24 | William Byron | Rudy Fugle | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
34 | Todd Gilliland | Chris Lawson | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
35 | Riley Herbst | Davin Restivo | 23XI Racing | Toyota
38 | Zane Smith | Ryan Bergentry | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
41 | Cole Custer | Aaron Kramer | Haas Factory Team | Ford
42| John Hunter Nemechek | Travis Mack | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota
43| Erik Jones | Ben Beshore | Legacy Motor Club | Toyot
45 | Tyler Reddick | Billy Scott | 23XI Racing | Toyota
47| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Mike Kelley | HYAK Racing | Ford
48| Alex Bowman | Blake Harris | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
50 | Burt Myers | Tony Eury Jr. | Team Amerivet | Chevrolet
51 | Justin Haley | Billy Plourde |Rick Ware Racing | Ford
54 | Ty Gibbs | Tyler Allen | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota
60 | Ryan Preece | Derrick Finley | RFK Racing | Ford
66 | Garrett Smithley | Carl Long | Garage 66 | Ford
71 | Michael McDowell | Travis Peterson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
77 | Carson Hocevar | Luke Lambert | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Stephen Doran | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
99 | Daniel Suarez | Matt Swiderski | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
Where to watch and listen to the race
Practice and qualifying is set for 6:10 on FS1 and heat races are set for 8:30 on FS1. The last chance race is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday on FOX and the main event is scheduled for 8 on FOX.
