TAMPA, Fla. - USF football will try to end a two-game losing streak when it heads up to Cincinnati this weekend.

Quick Facts

  • USF vs. Cincinnati is on ESPNU (Spectrum Ch. 151, HD 1131) at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night.
  • USF has won three straight meetings over Cincinnati.
  • USF will face its first ranked team since UCF during Thanksgiving weekend 2017.

Torello is Thinking Out Loud

Well, USF fans, if you didn’t like these last two weeks you are going to really loathe these these next three. I’m not trying to be cruel or funny. I’m being honest. The Bulls could lose their final three remaining games of the regular season. I mentioned before the season that Cincinnati and Temple just seemed to always get it right with head coaches. Look at the track record for both schools and you find names like: Brian Kelly (Cincinnati to Notre Dame); Butch Jones (Cincinnati to Tennessee); Al Golden (Temple to Miami); Steve Adazzio (Temple to Boston College); Matt Rhule (Temple to Baylor). These schools’ current head coaches are brilliant hires. I’ll get into Geoff Collins next week when USF heads to Philadelphia to take on Temple. Luke Fickell (former defensive coordinator at Ohio State) is in his second season at the helm of the Bearcats’ program. After a 4-8 season in 2017, Fickell has Cincinnati ranked and sitting at 8-1 this season. If the Bearcats win this week they will set themselves up for a showdown with UCF to grab control of the AAC East Division.

It almost makes you wonder if USF is missing the mark on these coaches. Almost. I think Charlie Strong was the best hire back in the 2016-17 offseason. He is currently 17-4 as the head coach of USF and is a CEO-type coach who runs a clean program and focuses on character development and graduating his players. Strong has a solid foundation being built at USF. Strong’s recruiting classes are strong (pardon the pun) and he has a great relationship with athletic director Michael Kelly. The two have been working nonstop to built the on-campus indoor football facility the program so desperately needs. I know some USF fans want Strong’s head on a platter. But the man is actually BUILDING something in Tampa. He came in and had the greatest gift a head coach could get: a senior-laden group that had been winning and leading for two seasons.

On Monday, Strong spoke about how when he was at the Birmingham Bowl with USF in late 2016 he watched the locker room. “You expect seniors to do the talking” but Strong saw juniors speaking up. He saw Quinton Flowers and Auggie Sanchez talking up the guys. He saw Deatrick Nichols, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Deadrin Senat, Mike Love, and Cameron Ruff all bringing a quality of swagger to the USF team. A group of juniors leading the way meant a special senior season was in store. The Bulls would have back-to-back double-digit wins for the first time in program history.

Then they all left. Leaving behind a team in search of leaders. In search of a voice. That voice has been a whisper, maybe an occasional chirp this season. But Strong and his coaches have worked to change that. It hasn’t been easy. This has been a season of frustration and comebacks. Now it could be one of constant letdown. The Bulls have been pushing luck’s limit and it has caught up with them. If the Bulls want to win any of their final three games then they need to find their talent, their rhythm on both sides of the ball, and their voice.

Getting Hot in Cin-City

Cincinnati had the worst scoring offense in the American in 2017. The Bearcats averaged just 20.9 points per game. This season Cincy is a top five offense and putting up 35 points per game. They’re also averaging 44 points per contest at home this season. This offense has found its groove under former Notre Dame offensive play-caller Mike Denbrock. Cincy is led by redshirt freshman quarterback Desmond Ridder who is one of the most efficient passers in the AAC. He might only average 191.8 passing yards per game and have 13 passing touchdowns this season, but the young man can play. It also helps to have running back Michael Warren who is second in the conference with 14 rushing touchdowns this season. USF’s defense has been burned by Houston and Tulane because of solid rushing attacks. Cincy has 238 rushing yards per game, which should scare USF fans. Tulane racked up 365 rushing yards in last week’s 41-15 win. USF’s rush defense gives up 248 yards per game.

Clawing Bearcats on Defense

Cincinnati has the best defense in the American this season - allowing just 273.4 yards per game. They are the only team in the conference to hold opponents to a average of less than 300 yards. Cincinnati has the 5th-best defense in the country heading into this weekend. Cincinnati only allows 102.6 yards per game - first in the AAC and top 15 in the nation. USF’s Jordan Cronkrite will likely pass the 1,000-yard mark this weekend. Can he and Johnny Ford carry the load for the Bulls. Can they open up the passing game? My guess is USF will have its opportunities to score.

Prediction Time

Cincinnati is good. They can be beat. Temple proved it a couple weeks ago. Heck, Temple gave UCF a run for its money last week. But at home, with weather expected to be 33 degrees around kickoff at 7 p.m.

Houston lost to SMU. UCF has been tested by Memphis and Temple. USF can beat Cincinnati. But the Bulls won’t.

Cincinnati 44 USF 27

BONUS: The entire coaching staff’s heads will be called for following this loss. Not just Sterlin. Not just Brian Jean-Mary. EVERYONE! Strong included.

Sad.