The USF Bulls and BYU Cougars do battle Saturday in week 1 college football action from Raymond James Stadium. BYU managed to go 10-3 overall last season, but ultimately fell in the Independence Bowl. As for South Florida, they posted a rough 2-10 overall record in 2021, finishing far down the standings of the AAC. Check back all season long for free college football picks at Sports Chat Place.
BYU had a pretty nice overall season in 2021, but the run ended on a sour note. The Cougars went 10-3 overall, which was just behind Notre Dame (11-2) among independents. BYU nearly equaled their 11 wins from a stellar (and highly irregular) 2020 campaign.
The Cougars started out last year with a nice five-game win streak that featured victories over Utah and Arizona State. After consecutive losses to Boise State and Baylor, BYU rattled off another five straight wins. In the Independence Bowl however, the Cougars eventually fell 31-28 to UAB.
Over on the South Florida side, their 2021 season was quite forgettable—even though it was a step forward from 2020’s miserable 1-8 campaign. The Bulls went just 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the AAC. That left the team ahead of only Temple in the conference standings.
South Florida had some trouble on both sides of the ball last year, but they also faced some tough teams along the way. The Bulls’ two wins were 38-17 over Florida A&M and 34-14 over Temple. South Florida finished off the year with a five-game losing streak.
The Cougars are 2-6 ATS in their last eight overall and 2-6 ATS in their last eight non-conference games. BYU is 0-4 ATS in their last four road games.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five versus independents and 4-0 ATS in their last four at home. USF is 6-1 ATS in their last seven on grass.
PICK: I’m going to stay with BYU in this one. The Cougars are primed for another great season, their final campaign before joining up with the Big 12. BYU has an excellent offensive line and will once again be great at pass protection. Tyler Allgeier is out of the picture, but RB Christopher Brooks should jump right in and contribute. QB Jaren Hall is expected to take another step forward as well; he’ll have a slew of talented receivers at his disposal. There are a few questions on the defensive side of the ball, but all things considered BYU is sitting pretty right now.