Primetime College Football: Bulls vs Huskies

TALENT

The Connecticut Huskies will try to continue their solid play when they host the South Florida Bulls  in a Big East Conference battle at Rentschler Field.

Jim Leavitt Bulls began their season with five straight wins, but since then the team has fallen apart, losing four of its last six matchups. The last time South Florida was in action the team was no match for Miami, as the Hurricanes stormed over USF, 31-10. Surprisingly though the Bulls have played well on the road this year, posting a 3-2 ledger as the visitor.

As for the Huskies, they have won back-to-back matchups on the heels of a three-game skid. after defeating Notre Dame in thrilling fashion 33-30 OT, the Huskies clobbered Syracuse 56-31. With the win over the Orange, the Huskies are now bowl eligible for the fifth time in the last seven seasons.

This will be the seventh meeting all-time between the two schools, and the fifth as members of the Big East Conference.

Offensively, the Bulls have done a respectable job on the season, averaging 26 ppg, thanks 363.1 total ypg. The ground game is churning out 167.3 ypg on the season with the majority of the damage being created by the tandem of BJ Daniels and Moise Plancher. Daniels is leading the team with 710 rushing yards and six scores, while Plancher has rushed for 539 yards and five touchdowns. Daniels has not been as consistent under center for the Bulls, as the quarterback has thrown for just 1,606 yards and 12 scores against nine interceptions.

The Bulls defense is holding teams to just 20 ppg on 326.6 total ypg. South Florida has been able to live off the big play this year as well, as the team has forced 21 turnovers (12 interceptions and nine fumbles), and also comes into this game with 24 sacks.

The success for the Huskies this season has come from the ground game, which is churning out 176.9 ypg on 4.3 yards per attempt. Out of the 40 touchdowns scored by this unit, 27 have come via the run. Overall this offense is producing 402.6 total ypg and that has translated into 32 ppg. Leading the way on the ground has been the dangerous duo of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. Todman is currently leading the team with 1,079 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Dixon has rumbled for 917 yards and 11 scores. Zach Frazier the quarterback has been a bit inconsistent on the year and comes into this game with just seven touchdowns against nine interceptions.

Defensively coach Randy Edsall’s Huskies have struggled at times throughout the season and come into this game allowing 24 ppg. The Huskies are surrendering 132.5 ypg on the ground, but the real issue has come against the pass for UConn, as the defense is being torched for 252.5 ypg on the year. Lawrence Wilson is leading the team with 130 tackles.

The Bulls have a slim 4-2 edge over the Huskies, and one of those victories came last season when South Florida defeated UConn, 17-13.

PICK: University of Connecticut Huskies