South Florida stun Boise State for 1st Top-25 win since 2016 in College football

South Florida opened its season in stunning fashion, routing No. 25 Boise State 34-7 on Thursday night to secure its first victory over a ranked opponent since 2016. Quarterback Byrum Brown ran for two touchdowns and threw for 210 yards, while Keshaun Singleton provided the highlight of the night with a 45-yard touchdown reception on a perfectly executed fake punt. The win snapped the Bulls’ 18-game losing streak against Top 25 teams, their last such triumph coming against then-No. 22 Navy nearly eight years ago.

Head coach Alex Golesh praised his veteran group, saying the victory was a reflection of the team’s resilience and identity. Brown completed 16 of 24 passes and added 43 rushing yards, while Cartevious Norton chipped in with a fourth-quarter touchdown run. Singleton finished with 93 yards receiving and Chas Nimrod contributed 96 yards through the air.


Boise State, meanwhile, struggled to maintain momentum. Quarterback Maddux Madsen went 25 of 46 for 225 yards and connected with Chris Marshall for the Broncos’ lone touchdown, but the offense was undone by three lost fumbles and three failed fourth-down attempts inside USF territory. Head coach Spencer Danielson lamented the lack of explosive plays, citing turnovers as the decisive factor.


The Bulls will next face a challenging slate that includes Florida and Miami before entering conference play. Boise State, expected to fall from the rankings, will aim to rebound quickly ahead of a marquee October 4 matchup with Notre Dame.

Golesh closed by honoring late South Florida basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, telling his players: "This ain’t the same old South Florida anymore."