OGT 2025: Week 2 - #13 Florida Gators vs USF Bulls - 9/6/2025

[Escambia94]

Week 2, 9/6: vs. South Florida Bulls

• Scouting the Opponent: The 2024 USF Bulls were 7-6, 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference. This team will likely perform similarly to last year, where the 2024 Bulls fell to #4 Alabama 16-42 and 3-21 against a Memphis team that is statistically close to Florida. Head coach Alex Golesh is respected as an offensive play caller from the Josh Heupel tree, and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon was able to coach up Brock Purdy into a top-notch NFL quarterback. The Bulls run a spread offense similar to Tennessee’s under Heupel and a small, fast 3-3-5 defense. The Bulls have consistently finished around #63 in recruiting rankings since 2020 and have not made waves in the transfer portal despite their $2M NIL pool.
• Analysis: USF is a Group of Five opponent. While they will be more competitive than LIU, the Gators’ improved offense and defense should still be overwhelming. Expect the Bulls to occasionally threaten the Gators, because Billy Napier likes to keep games close and Ron Roberts has a bad habit of letting explosive plays room steady defense. The USF offense will look like Tennessee’s but with a powerful dual-threat QB. Ron Roberts has faced this style offense in the past and his style of defense has given similar offenses troubles.
• Players to Watch:
  
  • Florida
    • DJ Lagway QB Sophomore 6-2 / 225 lbs
    • Vernell Brown III WR Freshman 5-11 / 170 lbs
    • Jadan Baugh RB Freshman 6-0 / 215 lbs
    • Myles Graham LB Sophomore 6-1 / 220 lbs
    • Ben Hanks III CB Freshman 6-1 / 170 lbs
  • USF
    • Byrum Brown QB Senior 6-3 / 231 lbs
    • Keshaun Singleton WR Redshirt Sophomore 6-3 / 215 lbs
    • Alvon Isaac RB Redshirt Freshman 5-9 / 185 lbs
    • Jhalyn Shuler LB Graduate 6-2 / 230 lbs
    • Chas Nimrod WR Redshirt Junior 6-2 / 198 lbs
• Score Prediction: Florida 24, South Florida 14. No disrespect to the Bulls, but the Gators should dominate this game. This will be one of only three games on the schedule against an opponent not ranked at some point in the season, but the Bulls did receive votes and should garner some respect.

Predicted Stat	USF	FLA
Score	14	24
Total Yards	325	400
Passing	200	250
Rushing	125	150

 

[DRU2012]

A lot of the "same ol' crowd" now have the Bulls at #25 after their (to many) "unexpected" result last Thursday. Whereas MY concern was the danger of a "trap game" situation for fans and (more importantly) possibly TEAM attitude coming INTO this early-season, that seemed less the danger AFTER that outcome than the simple fact that USF MIGHT be further ahead in general health and in-season readiness at this point.
That is STILL a concern: Yes, we remain the generally more-TALENTED squad across-the-board in all three phases of the game, but this Golesh-coached team, with their speed and his willingness to open things up and "throw the book at you" (after where necessary throwing that "book" right out the WINDOW!), with a talented, capable and "wild card factor" kid at QB-1 leading their offense, I anticipate them indeed PICKING THEIR POISON (probably choosing to try and shut down our running game to start with: dare a presumed "still-rusty DJ" to "beat them with his arm").
The assumption is that either way, our strengths in BOTH areas now will result in us eventually controlling clock, play and scoring. And if that holds true early and often, then MAYBE their choosing the OTHER alternative on defense, choosing to shut down our potentially high-flying passing game, instead DARING us to take (what they HOPE will turn out to be) the low SLOW road, the RUNNING GAME, and in this way at least LIMIT explosive plays and leaving the POSSIBILITY of that .relatively "more reasonable" final score you forecast, E--.
But this latter hasn't been Golesh's pattern or inclination in the past...He has generally "gone for the WIN": Unlike other Coaches who will "play things close" (in other words, keep a final score "respectable in a loss" rather than risk a late lopsided loss), he has generally "put it all out there".
This is one more facet that concerns me.
How will this Gator team absorb a punch to the face early, if that were to come, however unexpected?
There are some questions for the Gator offense after Week One--unexpected ones for the O-LINE.
THIS was a much-discussed, expected strength, showing solid depth--this last possibly being a required "saving grace" unless Lovett shows marked improvement in Week 2!
There are of course a number of other questions and early "areas of concern", the kinds of things teams TRY to have identified and begun practical work on smoothly turning into full-on STRENGTHS in the early going of a strong season. It is preferably worked on and (at least MOSTLY) worked THROUGH IN Spring and Fall camps.
We don't really have much time for that NKW, with this schedule, obviously...
Two games--and even this "Game Two" has quickly gone from "step-up Tune-Up" to "fix what came up in Game One--fix it FAST, or this season could get away from y'all in a HURRY!"
I really hope YOU are correct in your calm optimism, E--, and my slight case of "paranoid hysteria" (?) is merely the effect of the lasr four coaches of various broken promise, and THIS one's inconsistency in onfield, in-GAME organization and decision-making.
I really like HIM, along with his ability to find, rate and bring in talent, the steady and clearly superior TEAM-buidling he continues to do, and now can only HOPE that he is indeed putting the finishing touches on his own self-awareness--the realization of his ongoing drive to become a complete snd successful first-tier SEC Coach.
Only time will tell--in this case not much "TIME" at ALL!

 

[Leakfan12]

I'm mixed with this, I live in the Tampa Bay Area where USF is the hometown team. I actually went to the Boise State-USF game. However, this isn't Boise State so I believe the Gators will win.

 

[DRU2012]

I'm mixed with this, I live in the Tampa Bay Area where USF is the hometown team. I actually went to the Boise State-USF game. However, this isn't Boise State so I believe the Gators will win.

Welcome back, LF.
I understand--I normally root for USF (unlike ANYONE ELSE among the in-state programs, whom are to varying degrees "persona non grata" to ME) when WD are not playing them.
No doubt about my loyalties, but I AM concerned about this matchup: Simply hard to say HOW "good" or "bad" the various squads and their levels of readiness ARE at thus early point in time here.
Just gotta hunker down, wait and SEE.
Even if we win, do so handily, I suspect I will be feeling this way going into MOST of this year's contests! I mean, I get a weird tight feeling in my gut every time I even LOOK at the 2025 Gator schedule.
I know--"Spot the BALL!"
"Won't Back Down"!
And more than ever, I am ready to support this particular UF team, as built and Coached in so unique fashion--a "TEAM", in a time of "collecting mercenaries". I want so BADLY for this to WORK...Perhaps that is why it means so much this time, all the MORE so given these times and where things otherwise appear headed.
A "noble challenge", almost quixotic.

 

[DRU2012]

Y'all saw the same things I saw on that drive.
DOMINANT on ground all the way to the red zone, coupla more rusty passes from DJ missed, then that perfect one to Livingstine DROPPED, THEN of COURSE the first penalty of the year is a false start by Lovett (our weak link on the O-line, it would appear)...leasing to the 3 pointer that FEELS like a disappointing LET down, right?

 

[DRU2012]

We are the better, more talented team; that is already seemingly confirmed. But we cannot let them stay close here in the early going.
Maybe best to let defense and outer run gane wear them down while we get and widen a lead.
Here's where our defense has gotta step up.

 

[DRU2012]

Missed tackle--gives then tge first down.
Damn.

 

[DRU2012]

Really love to see us get a turnover here.

 

[DRU2012]

I don't like this. They are moving the ball.

 

[DRU2012]

Brown gets it on 4th and one.
Can NOT let them get that close to begin with.
Brown BARELY made that.

 

[DRU2012]

This uptempo IS effective so far.

 

[DRU2012]

We STOPPED them--but Coaches got that substitution penalty.

 

[DRU2012]

This is exactly what I was afraid of.
They are actually starting to exert control here.

 

[DRU2012]

This is our chance to at least force the fg.
They throw the ball, maybe we can get the INT.

 

[DRU2012]

That's more like it to start things.
OK. BOTH RBs looking like they can do some good work here today.

 

[DRU2012]

The offensive plan looks viable.
This running game is nice.
This last wildcat play was a loser though.
Come ON, Gators. Take one to the HOUSE!

 

[DRU2012]

Thi s USF team has a good plan on BOTH sides of the ball. DJ getting sharper.

 

[DRU2012]

Jackson with the nice run for TD--but it's coming BACK on the holding call. DAMN.
We sure aren't playing so clean THIS week.

 

[DRU2012]

SAVED--By THEIR penalty.

 

[DRU2012]

Now let's go get those points back.
And there they are:
Now THIS one called back on PIR PI.
Ridiculous.
TWO big scores off the board!
Boys, this us how you lose a gane ya shoulda WON.