South Florida Opens Brian Hartline Era With 19-9 Victory Over FIU

Bulls Begin 30th Season With Victory Under New Head

South Florida opened its 30th season of football in impressive fashion Saturday, defeating FIU 19-9 in front of a rocking crowd at Raymond James Stadium. The victory marked the first game for new Bulls head coach Brian Hartline and made him the fifth head coach in program history to win his USF debut.

A crowd of 41,847, including 9,873 students, watched the Bulls extend their home winning streak to eight games. It was South Florida’s largest home-opening crowd since 2021, when 64,692 fans attended the season opener against Florida, and ranked as the seventh largest home opening crowd in program history and the third largest in the past 15 years.

Hartline entered the season with 62 new Bulls and 19 new starters, but the inexperienced roster showed poise throughout the opener. South Florida’s offense, which featured nine new starters, committed no turnovers.

Van Buren Steady in First Start

Quarterback Michael Van Buren became the 12th Bulls quarterback to win his debut and the 17th different quarterback to start a season opener for South Florida. He opened the game by completing his first five passes and finished 11-of-18 for 100 yards through the air while adding seven rushing yards.

Van Buren’s ability to protect the football proved especially important as the Bulls navigated their first game with a revamped offense. South Florida consistently put itself in position to score while relying on its defense and special teams to control the game.

Gramatica Leads the Bulls’ Scoring Attack

Nico Gramatica provided the bulk of South Florida’s scoring, tying his career best with 13 points while making a career high four field goals. Gramatica opened the scoring with a 37-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first quarter. After FIU failed to convert a fourth-and-2 opportunity at the USF 48 early in the second quarter, Bulls defensive back Amarion Fortenberry made a crucial solo stop for a two-yard loss. Five plays later, Gramatica drilled a 53-yard field goal to extend the Bulls’ advantage to 6-0.

The 53-yarder marked Gramatica’s sixth career field goal of at least 50 yards, setting a new program record. He also extended his streak of consecutive made field goals to 11, the fourth longest streak in South Florida history. FIU eventually trimmed the deficit to 6-3 with a 41-yard field goal early in the third quarter, but the Bulls’ defense soon delivered another major play.

South Florida Defense Creates Turning Point

in the third quarter, Bulls defensive back Tayvion Beasley jumped what appeared to be a wide receiver screen and intercepted FIU quarterback JJ Kohl. Beasley returned the pick 25 yards to the FIU 35, giving South Florida excellent field position.

The Bulls capitalized on the turnover. Running back D.J. Crowther broke off a pair of 10-yard runs before Van Buren connected with Wyatt Sullivan for a 12-yard gain. South Florida moved the ball to the FIU 1-yard line, where Crowther powered through behind the Bulls’ offensive line for a one-yard touchdown run. The touchdown gave South Florida a 13-6 lead with 13:07 remaining.

FIU’s next possession produced another turnover. Kohl fumbled on a two-yard run, and Fortenberry recovered at the FIU 36. Runs by Jason Collins moved the Bulls down to the FIU 8, but South Florida settled for another Gramatica field goal, this one from 30 yards, to make it 16-6.

Gramatica added a 29-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining to give the Bulls a 19-6 advantage. FIU scored a touchdown in the closing seconds, but South Florida held on for the 19-9 victory.

South Florida Faces Early Conference Test

With the victory, South Florida begins the Hartline era with momentum and will now prepare for one of the earliest conference openers in program history.

The Bulls will travel to West Point, New York, next Saturday to face Army in a noon kickoff. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.

For Hartline and a South Florida team featuring dozens of new players and nearly two dozen new starters, the 19-9 victory provided an important first step. The Bulls will now look to build on their strong defensive performance, mistake-free offensive effort and reliable kicking game when they face Army on the road.