USF vs. Miami 2025 Game Recap: Bulls Get Flattened by Miami, 49-12

After a storybook first two weeks, the USF Bulls fell  back down to earth in Week 3. Heading into Hard Rock Stadium for a showdown with No. 5 Miami, the Bulls were blown out by a score of 49-12. The Hurricanes showed their talent level and what makes them one of the best teams in the country. From start to finish, Miami had control of the game on both sides of the ball. With that in mind, let’s go over the USF vs. Miami contest in this 2025 game recap.

USF Bulls vs. Miami Hurricanes 2025 Game Recap

The USF Offense Drives, but Cannot Finish

For their struggles, USF still had some great flashes over the course of the game on offense and defense. The Bulls had opportunities to make this a close contest, but they just could not capitalize on them.

To be frank, there were plenty of things that the Bulls could have done better. The red zone execution was not up to the team’s standard, and the rushing game struggled to generate any kind of success. No one could get anything going on the ground to help create a balanced attack. This also carried over to the offensive line. Against a stout Miami front, the Bulls could not really get a good push.

However, USF was not a barren wasteland on offense, and that was thanks to the passing game.

Quarterback Byrum Brown finished the night with 20 completions on 36 attempts for 276 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He helped the Bulls have a mark of 0.11 EPA per dropback and 7.02 yards per dropback, which are both at least in the 60th percentile. While missing some throws on the night, Brown was ripping throws across the middle of the field and down the sideline. His big plays, especially his superhuman throw to Chas Nimrod while being hit, were a key reason why the Bulls were able to throw some punches on offense.

Speaking of Nimrod, he was impressive against Miami. Facing an ultra-talented Hurricanes secondary, the Tennessee transfer racked up 128 yards on four receptions. He displayed great speed, route running, and contested catch ability whenever targeted.

True freshman Christian Neptune was also impressive once again. Targeted 11 times, the wideout had seven receptions for 32 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Just like last week, he created some nice separation and looked very dynamic with the ball in his hands.

More players outside of those two wideouts flashed, too.

Keshaun Singleton had another big-time reception over the middle of the field and showed his speed. Wyatt Sullivan looked explosive and strong in the open field as a ball carrier, while also showing some great blocking ability. Even Jonathan Echols, the former four-star recruit, flashed some explosiveness, nice blocking skill, and solid overall skill as a player.

On the offensive line, both Cole Best and Cole Skinner allowed three combined pressures and were very effective as pass blockers against the swarming Miami defensive line.

Was this the game that Alex Golesh and company wanted to play? No, most definitely not. But as always, there are positives to take from this game.

As they head toward conference play in the American, the Bulls are on the verge of breaking out as an offensive unit. They have all of the talent to succeed in all aspects of the game, but now it comes down to execution with that talent.

This week may not have shown it, but it’ll be intriguing to see how the offense could look like by the end of the season. And if it reaches its final form, the Bulls’ offense could be something special.

The USF Defense Struggles with Speed from Miami

Speed is the name of the game in college football. And unfortunately, USF’s defense came to realize that the Miami Hurricanes have plenty of it.

USF did have some moments in this game on defense. Jarvis Lee Jr. and James Chenault had great plays to snag interceptions against Carson Beck. Mac Harris and Jhalyn Shuler flew around the field, with Harris notching another sack. Defensive back Kajuan Banks burst onto the scene with great coverage, shutting down multiple deep passing attempts from the Hurricanes.

However, the majority of the game showed the difference between the Bulls and the Hurricanes.

Mark Fletcher Jr. looked like one of the best running backs in the country. He ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts, forcing seven missed tackles and having 87 yards after contact. Fletcher was shifty, explosive, and fast, giving USF problems all night. He also added two receptions for 25 yards.

At wideout, the Hurricanes had plenty of players find success at different points of the game. Freshman Joshua Moore showed good route running and deep speed down the field. He had two touchdowns in this game, including a leaping touchdown grab on a deep pass from Carson Beck. Fellow freshman Malachi Toney was impressive as well, displaying an uncanny ability to get open on his way to six receptions for 66 yards.

Additionally, CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion were impressive in this game. Daniels made multiple great catches in traffic, while Marion was a reliable target across the middle of the field all night.

Bringing it all together was Beck, who had 23 completions on 28 attempts for 340 yards and three touchdowns. Kept clean the majority of the game, the former Georgia Bulldog was decisive, accurate, and deadly as a thrower. It did not matter what the Bulls threw at him, as Beck picked apart the defense by getting the ball into his playmakers’ hands. Additionally, Beck was solid as a runner, racking up 28 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Looking back at this game, the Hurricanes will be a great measuring stick for USF. Miami has everything that the Bulls are pushing for, both on and off the field. And thanks to their efforts, they are approaching the top of the food chain in college football.

USF’s defense will likely not face a harder test than Miami over the rest of the regular season. As a result, this game should be quite valuable to the coaching staff and the players; not only will it help them get ready for conference play, but it will also set a nice benchmark for the team to push toward and overcome down the line.

The Trenches Make the Difference

In this game, the biggest impact came from the trench play on both sides of the ball.

USF struggled to generate any consistent pass rush against Miami, which has one of the best groups of offensive linemen in the sport. The Bulls only had a handful of pressures, with Mac Harris, Josh Celiscar, and Ira Singleton being the only players to even get their hands on Carson Beck in any capacity. Four of Miami’s five offensive line starters, as a result, recorded PFF pass blocking grades of 70 or higher. Specifically, Francis Mauigoa and Markell Bell, let up zero pressures all game.

On the other hand, the Bulls had a hard time dealing with the Miami defensive line. Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor were forces of nature. Armondo Blount, one of Miami’s defensive tackles, also had a very good game getting after the passer.

These efforts caused the Bulls to have some struggles on the bookends of their offensive line. Connor McLaughlin and Zane Herring, who held up very well against Florida, did not have good games against the Bain and Mesidor tag-team. McLaughlin was credited with eight pressures and a sack, while Herring was credited with five. Add in four allowed from Thomas Shrader, who held up a bit better than those two, and it is clear to see why the Bulls had their struggles.

USF will not be facing a team with the pure talent of Miami’s trenches once again in the regular season. But just like the speed of the Hurricanes, the talent of the trench play will be a nice experience for the Bulls to not only learn from, but also figure out how to overcome it when they face a team like Miami again.

Looking Ahead

USF will play host to South Carolina State in Week 4 at Raymond James Stadium. After that, they will take a bye week ahead of their American Conference slate, which begins with the Charlotte 49ers.