South Florida has been one of the best teams in the FBS to watch this year.
The Bulls started out with a 34-7 upset win over No. 25 Boise State, the preseason favorite to make it to the College Football Playoff among Group of Five teams.
But one upset win over a ranked opponent wasn’t enough. USF then went on the road and beat in-state opponent Florida 18-16 last week.
USF is now the No. 1-ranked team in the HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 media poll and is ranked No. 18 in the country in the Associated Press Top 25.
But it’s not like USF’s season will get easier this week. Now the Bulls go on the road again, this time against No. 5-ranked Miami.
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USF vs. Miami Betting Odds
Miami is a -17.5 college football betting odds favorite against USF, with the Over/Under being 56.5.
The moneyline for USF is +600, while it’s -900 for Miami.
USF vs. Miami On TV
The matchup between USF and Miami will be televised on The CW Network.
The game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 13. The contest is taking place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
USF vs. Miami Prediction
I predict Miami will win but USF will cover the 17.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 56.5 total points.
I think USF absolutely has what it takes to win this game, even on the road. Which is why I believe the Bulls will keep this game to within two touchdowns.
But I also don’t know if the Bulls can pull off a third consecutive win over a ranked opponent, especially on the road again (not that USF has had to travel very far this month).
And this Miami team is likely the best one the Bulls have faced so far this year. One could make an argument that Boise State and Florida were ranked like they were because of past seasons and preseason hype. But the Hurricanes have already beaten Notre Dame, so they’re tested and could very well be the best program in the ACC this season.
But I believe this will still be an exciting game. And that’s especially because of what both teams are capable of on defense.
Miami has allowed just 27 points so far this year. Against two ranked teams, USF has given up just 23.
As for USF’s offense, I think quarterback Byrum Brown will make some important plays through the air and on the ground as he has already this year. He’s completed 65% of his throws for 473 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions while leading the team with 109 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. But I also don’t know if USF’s offense will be explosive enough to win again.
The Bulls are a team that deserve to be ranked as highly as they are. But I think Miami, led by experienced quarterback Carson Beck, is going to be better.
