Florida Sports Wires

TAMPA -- Season offensive records were shattered as USF put on a show in a 45-35 shootout loss to No. 25 Western Kentucky at the Miami Beach Bowl on Monday afternoon. The Bulls (8-5) exploded for 597 total yards in its impressive postseason return and nearly came back from a 17-point second-half deficit in front of a crowd of 21,712 filled with roaring Green and Gold at Marlins Park. “The future is bright for USF football. There are a lot of guys returning next year,” said head coach Willie Taggart, who signed a three-year extension after bringing the Bulls back to their winning ways with seven victories in their final nine games this season. Miami native Quinton Flowers put on a dazzling performance in his return home, throwing for a career-high 273 yards and a touchdown and rushing for two scores. The sophomore totaled 108 of USF’s 290 yards on the ground and set a new USF quarterback season record with 991 yards rushing, the sixth-best season mark overall, and 12 TD runs. So...

Willie Taggart TAMPA, Fla.  – The USF student section was a big part of the Bulls posting a 5-1 home record, equaling their best in 13 years, and Head Coach Willie Taggart wants to bring that energy to the Miami Beach Bowl. The third-year head coach of the Bulls will cover the ticket costs for 500 USF students to attend the Bulls’ first bowl game in five seasons on Monday, Dec. 21 at Marlins Park in Miami.  The first 500 USF students to purchase a bowl game ticket, including those already purchased, will have the $20 cost of that ticket reimbursed after attending the bowl game by Taggart.  “I just want to say thank you to all the USF students that made Ray Jay rock this season and I can’t wait to see them all in Miami and turn Marlins Park into Ray Jay South,” Taggart said. “The students are a huge part of our success and we want them to come down and get No. 9 with us.  The Bulls (8-4) will take on Taggart’s alma mater and No. 25-ranked Wes...