Time to start talking USF. I’ll go first.
If I knew which UH team was going show up, I’d make a score prediction. I’ll be happy if we don’t embarrass ourselves or the school like at Tulsa or 2nd half of Memphis for our defense. If we play two good halves of football on both sides, I think we have a shot. If we try to jam the ball down USF’s throat, we’ll be in for a long day. If I were Applewhite, I’d start #9 Lark and #4 King at WR (both are fast but King is only 5’10", Lark 6’2" is a better option deep), Bonner or Dunbar (I like Dunbar b/c he’s 6’3" vs 6’0") at slot, and our TE with the best hands (don’t know who that is b/c we throw to them so little). We have another WR with speed, #18 Corbin, but he has hands of stone smeared with butter. The other fast guy, #85, Leday is good running straight but he has trouble laterally (Maybe from a blown knee a few seasons ago, hat-tip Pray). We also have a fast freshman who hasn’t played any and probably won’t at this point. Game plan would be send Lark and King, or their subs Leday and, God forbid, Corbin, deep every play, and Bonner/Dunbar across the middle at 15-ish yards, and flare the TE to the flat if he isn’t needed to block a blitz (which I expect to see a lot of), and just run that sort of play from a dozen or more different looks (if we have that many), and sometimes curl up the WR instead of going deep. Maybe once every 3 or 4 completions we go with the same action but give to an RB or have the QB run. Trying to pound the middle runnig won’t work against USF, but, I’m afraid that’s what will happen. So, in the end, we have too many 3rd and longs and the D tees off on our QB and we have to scramble, throw some picks, get sacked and USF wins. Nonetheless, I am a loyal UH fan so…GO COOGS!!!
I think UH can keep this game close for a half. USF will pull away not only because of talent, but better coaching. Charlie Strong actually knows how to make adjustments. I’m not sure if MA or his crew know what that is. The second half vs. Memphis took me back to the dark days of UH football. Ugly stuff.
USF is a tough read because they haven’t really played anyone up to this point. However, I have a feeling they’ll be amped for this one as we still have a name.
They’ve got tons of speed everywhere, which doesn’t bode well for our defense (see Memphis). Key will be containing Flowers and the running game and forcing him to throw; he hasn’t been very accurate this year. Basically, the game plan from Louisville last year would probably work here.
I don’t see us winning this one though. Think we lose 35-20.
We are going to get blown out. I don’t mean that in a negative-“everything sucks” kind of way. USF is really good, and we are not. Strong is a good coach with a good staff, and Applewhite is not and the staff isn’t.
USF likes to take the ball away. We like to give the ball away. Not a good combination for a successful outcome.
Is there even a question? Charlie wins, Apple loses.
I’ll say this for Charlie…he was smart enough in Austin not to retain CMA !!
At least i don’t think he did !!
I think we lose in a blowout-on the road, USF is better, they have a better coach and staff. I’m thinking something like 49-14 with postma having around 4 turnovers (which will be brushed off after the game as "good decision/bad throw, bad rb blocking, etc.)
We will lose any game that we don’t have at least a 28 point lead at half time.
My only prediction is we’ll get the life beaten out of us in the 2nd half.
A close loss. This team has shown it’s talented enough to hang around with the top teams in the conference, but not enough to finish the job. I kind of wish the UH brass would have considered Strong a little more during the coaching search.
UH 38 - USF 31
Bring on the “you’re crazy, out of your mind” comments 
Well we certainly have the underdog mentality all right to go. Go Coogs!
USF 51
UH 28
U of H 31-20, underdogs play with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, coaching gets more creative in the firast game that they are not picked by vegas to win, D makes 2 big turnovers. However if they lose I wont be too depressed, I want the AAC to have a good overall year
USF is beatable. I bet they lose vs UCF. USF is the most penalized team in D-1, which will help us if we don’t make our own stupid penalties. Their special teams aren’t that great either. Their D’s efficiency is comparable to ours. Their O’s efficiency is of course much better.
They intercept a lot passes. The way they pick off passes, I would just run it again on 3rd and long (or quick kick it…Postma can punt too, remember?) rather than take a chance at a pick. Those passes we throw to the flats, bubble screens and such? Pick six, baby. I predict USF will take at least one of those to the house, sadly.
Expect a close game, less than 10 point final score.
Last four (and only) meetings:
11/1/2014 won 27-3
10/31/2013 won 35-23
11/23/2002 lost 32-14
11/3/2001 lost 45-6
I would be happy with a good 2nd half performance no matter what the score is
A convincing loss here unfortunately. Probably close in the first half followed by a complete collapse in second half.
45-28
USF win
Spread is -11 USF.