The eighth-ranked Miami Hurricanes (3-0) will have a good challenge against the South Florida Bulls (2-1) on Saturday, September 21 at 7:00 PM ET. This showdown will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, where the Hurricanes are favored with a point spread at -16.5 (-110).
The Hurricanes put up a 62-0 victory over the Ball State Cardinals. Their third consecutive win was a blowout, but they might have a tougher matchup against the Bulls.
Against the Cardinals, Cam Ward completed 19 of 28 passes for 346 yards and five touchdowns. Ajay Allen pushed their offense on the ground, rushing for 104 yards on seven carries with a touchdown.
The Hurricanes had an astounding 750 yards and 31 first downs. Their defense held the Cardinals to 115 yards, nine first downs, and forced a turnover. They will be in great shape if the defense can smother the Bulls.
They are scoring a crazy 53.0 points per game and allowing just 8.6 points per game. This is an incredible spread, but it will be tough to keep up against better teams.
The Bulls bounced back after their first loss with a 49-24 victory over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The game started off close, with a 28-21 lead at the half, but the Bulls were stronger defensively in the second half to keep the Golden Eagles at bay.
Byrum Brown completed 19 of his 29 pass attempts, which led to 193 yards and two touchdowns. Kelly Joiner was strong for their presence on the ground, with 10 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulls put up 562 yards and 27 first downs but did have a turnover. They allowed the Golden Eagles to accumulate 487 yards and 19 first downs but were able to force three critical turnovers. They will need to have a much better performance on the defensive end against the Hurricanes to have a chance at success.
Offensively, they have averaged 37.6 points a game while allowing 23.0 points from opposing teams in each contest. This is a solid difference, but they cannot allow the Hurricanes to find consistency early.
The college football betting odds are ready for the Miami Hurricanes vs. South Florida Bulls, courtesy of MyBookie. The Hurricanes are 16.5-point favorites to succeed on the road. Market analysis suggests the Hurricanes have an 85.2 percent chance of winning this battle.
The Bulls were held to 16 points against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but more importantly, they allowed 28 points in the fourth quarter after keeping a close battle for most of the game. They have the tools to keep this one close and possibly win, but look for the Hurricanes to apply consistency on offense to cover the spread.
