USF upset talk ends if Florida hits these 4 keys

The University of South Florida shocked the country last Thursday, upending No. 25 Boise State in dominant fashion. The Bulls knocked off the Broncos 34-7 behind some highlight plays from quarterback Byrum Brown, a fake punt touchdown and hard-hitting defense.

The Gators are next on the list of teams USF is looking to surprise, as Florida welcomes the Bulls to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday.

Here are things Billy Napier and the Gators must do to hold off the charging Bulls.

Be disciplined on defense

This could be broken up into three individual keys, but they all fall under the discipline umbrella.

Byrum Brown can't be tackled like any other quarterback. He's actively looking to truck defenders and is strong enough to run over or through would-be tacklers.

Breaking down and tackling fundamentally will be imperative to getting Brown on the ground.

While most of Brown's rushing production comes on designed runs, Florida needs to be disciplined in its rush lanes. If they are too eager to get into the backfield and leave a hole in the line, Brown won't hesitate to take off.

Finally, the Gators secondary needs to limit or eliminate big plays in the passing game. USF wants to drag defenders up toward the line of scrimmage, then take the top off with a 30-to-50 yard completion.

Florida can't get caught leaning forward and should instead make the Bulls beat them by making consistent, steady gains to sustain a drive.

Get push on the defensive interior

I'm not sure you can call what Byrum Brown does after the snap a "dropback." The quarterback will take one, maybe two small steps to adjust his feet after receiving the football before settling into the pocket.

That means he's usually scanning the field from 5-8 yards behind the line of scrimmage rather than the usual 8-10 yards.

That means the pocket gets a whole lot tighter if the opposing defensive interior can get a yard or two of push.

Brown isn't like other mobile quarterbacks who will take off at first notice of pressure. He wants to hang in and find the big plays downfield that makes USF's offense so dangerous.

If players like Michai Boireau and Jamari Lyons -- or Caleb Banks if healthy -- can displace their opposition, Brown will have no room to step up into those deep throws and will have to look and throw over massive offensive lineman.

Take care of the football

USF's defense played fast and physical in Week 1. They swarmed to the football and weren't afraid to go right at the football, forcing and recovering three fumbles.

They were also aggressive in pass defense, breaking up four passes and using their hands and bodies to prevent completions.

It's clear the Bulls are focusing on creating turnovers and big plays at the expense of tackling.

While Florida's numerous offensive weapons can capitalize on a USF defense that ranked 108th of 136 teams in tackling during Week 1 according to PFF, they cant afford to turn the ball over.

DJ Lagway must be especially risk averse after throwing nine interceptions last season, while running backs and wide receivers alike must protect the football when accepting contact.

Establish the run

Boise State, one of the most prolific running teams in 2024, never had any consistency in the run game against USF and was quick to abandon the run after falling behind.

Their propensity to pass could have been due to a pair of early fumbles or the lack of success by RBs Malik Sherrod and Dylan Riley, who combined for 47 yards on 18 carries (2.6 ypc). Sire Gaines' nine rushes for 44 yards were solid, but it was still an underwhelming attack.

Florida must fare better in the run game early on, and even if they don't, feeding Jadan Baugh touches is necessary to keep the Bulls defense on their toes.

From an offensive standpoint, the Gators offense is lethal when it can beat you in the run and pass.

If Florida can force USF to keep players in the box, it has more than enough talent on the perimeter to torch the Bulls' secondary.