Crushing Mistake ... And We’re Tied

Posted Sep 11, 2010 by Joey Johnston

Updated Sep 11, 2010 at 01:53 PM

GAINESVILLE—After playing an incredibly impressive first half, the University of South Florida Bulls don’t have nearly enough to show for it.

USF is tied with the Florida Gators, 7-7, at halftime.

The Bulls seemed poised to take a 7-0 lead into the locker room. But on third-and-6 from the USF 26-yard line, Bulls QB B.J. Daniels inexplicably rolled right and threw an interception into the arms of Gators DB Ahmad Black with one minute remaining. The Gators needed just four plays to score, getting a 6-yard touchdown pass from QB John Brantley to WR Carl Moore with 44 seconds remaining.

The Bulls, who had done such a magnificent job of establishing the running game all afternoon, were understandably deflated by the turn of events. Not sure who Daniels was throwing to on the errant pass attempt. Actually, he might have been trying to throw it away, but it was a bad, bad mistake.

Still, the Bulls so far are playing nose-to-nose with the No. 8-ranked Gators and that’s more than many people (outside of Bulls Nation, that is) expected for this matchup.

USF coach Skip Holtz came in with a terrific game plan. The Bulls were intent on running and winding down much of the play clock in the process. The result was a 17-play, 96-yard drive on USF’s first possession, culminating in Daniels’ 2-yard touchdown pass to TE Andrew Ketchel.

At halftime, the Bulls have 162 total yards to 157 for the Gators. USF has 136 rushing yards to 42 for the Gators. USF’s offensive line, for the most part, is dominating at the point of attack and playing with poise, a point of emphasis for Holtz leading into the game.

Florida has defeated 50 consecutive unranked non-conference opponents at home—a streak that dates to 1988—but this is clearly going to be a struggle the rest of the way. Daniels’ late mistake, though, has given a considerable lift to the Gators’ hopes.