This looks like a potential shootout as the South Florida Bulls (4-3) play the Navy Midshipmen (5-1). The AAC’s top rusher, Marlon Mack (689 yards, 3 TDs), is a player to watch in this matchup. South Florida comes into this game looking to add to its recent success, having won three of its last four. The game starts at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct 31 and will air on CBSS.
Navy beat Tulane 31-14 last week. Jamir Tillman had a solid game in the win, registering three receptions for 61 yards. South Florida also got the win in last week’s performance, blowing out SMU 38-14. Quinton Flowers had a good game passing the ball for the Bulls, completing nine of 20 passes for 97 yards. He added 201 yards and three TDs on 23 rush attempts.
The Midshipmen, an 11-point favorite, will be looking to defend their home field when South Florida visits. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is presently unavailable.
Heading into Week 9 of the college football season, the Midshipmen are 5-1 Straight Up (SU) and 4-2 Against The Spread (ATS). In the past five games, Navy is 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS. The Navy rushing attack has averaged 287.8 rushing yards in the last five games. Transitioning to the Navy defense, there are some things to keep in mind when it is on the field. The Bulls will be matching up against a stout Navy pass defense, which only allowed 232.2 passing yards over their last five matchups. Navy has only earned an average of 4.2 penalties per game on the season, making them one of the least penalized teams in the nation (seventh).
On the other side, the Bulls have a record of 5-1-1 ATS and 4-3 SU. In the previous five games, South Florida has a record of 3-2 SU and 3-1-1 ATS. The Midshipmen may be catching the Bulls at the wrong time. They have found their groove on the ground, averaging 245.0 rushing yards during the past five games. The Bulls make it hard on their opponents down the stretch, averaging 10 points in the final quarter.
Predictions: SU Winner – Navy, ATS Winner – Navy
Notes
Navy is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games.
Navy is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home.
South Florida is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games on the road.
South Florida is 4-1 SU when leading at the half this season. Navy is 5-0 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
South Florida is only 1-2) SU in games where it wins the turnover battle, yet 3-1 SU when losing the turnover battle.
The Navy rushing attack is ranked fifth in the nation, while the South Florida run defense is only ranked 30th. The Bulls rushing game is ranked 14th, compared to the 45th-ranked run defense of the Midshipmen.
