TAMPA, Fla. – South Florida has proved all season long it can battle back in games, but the 20th-ranked Bulls hope to begin climbing on top and staying there when they host struggling Connecticut for an American Athletic Conference contest Saturday. USF trailed by 14 points with under 8 minutes left last Friday at Tulsa before rallying for a 25-24 victory to give itself a chance to match the school record with a 7-0 start.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: USF -34
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Second-year Bulls coach Charlie Strong told reporters his team never thinks it is going to lose, as South Florida has trailed at one point in each of its last five games - rallying in the fourth quarter three times during that stretch. “I feel like a lot of the games we’ve waited and got slapped in the face first, and then tried to come back and tried to punch and fight,” USF junior running back Jordan Cronkrite, who has four straight 100-yard rushing games, told reporters. “I feel like we need to go out and just be more aggressive as a team - myself included.” UConn has enjoyed a week off after losing 55-14 to Memphis on Oct. 6, but must find answers on the defensive end of the field after allowing an average of 53.3 points in its first three conference games. Senior quarterback David Pindell has had his moments this season for the Huskies, completing 61.3 percent of his passes and recording nine touchdown strikes while leading the team in rushing (467 yards, with five TDs).
ABOUT CONNECTICUT (1-5, 0-3 American)
Pindell has spread the ball around with senior wide receiver Hergy Mayala leading the way at 23 catches and senior tight end Aaron McLean hauling in 20 for a team-high 263 yards - 10 for 161 in the last two games. Sophomore Kevin Mensah is 32 yards short of 1,000 in his career on the ground - 407 this year - and the Huskies are averaging just 4.4 yards per carry overall. UConn is last in the nation in points per game allowed (53.7) and total defense (658.2 yards), but sophomore defensive back Tyler Coyle has been solid while topping the team with 60 tackles.
ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (6-0, 2-0)
Quarterback Blake Barnett was replaced in the third quarter against Tulsa, but came back to lead three scoring drives in the final 15 minutes and record his fifth and sixth touchdowns on the ground this year. Cronkrite has 718 of his 757 rushing yards in the last four weeks along with six TDs and is averaging 8.1 per carry while senior receiver Tyre McCants leads the Bulls with 34 catches and 391 yards through the air. USF, which is led by senior linebacker Khalid McGee (54 tackles), has forced 12 turnovers in the first six contests - tied for 25th in the nation.
EXTRA POINTS
1. UConn announced Monday that LB Eli Thomas suffered a stroke last week and is in stable condition.
2. McCants needs 24 receiving yards to pass Carlton Mitchell (1,648) for third on the school’s all-time list.
3. The Bulls have won the last six meetings, including a 37-20 victory at East Hartford, Conn. last season.
PREDICTION: South Florida 55, UConn 14