South Florida @ Connecticut preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 15, 2016 ) Connecticut 27, South Florida 42

With the possibility of an undefeated regular season gone, No. 23 South Florida looks to stay on course for a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game when it visits improving Connecticut on Saturday. The Bulls suffered their first defeat 28-24 against Houston last Saturday after giving up a touchdown with 11 seconds left, but they still have destiny in their own hands.

“I told our team, our goals are still in front of us,” USF coach Charlie Strong told reporters after his team’s 12-game winning streak ended. “We’ve just got to go win our next three conference games and we’ll get to where we need to get to.” South Florida defensive back Deatrick Nichols told reporters the team has a chip back on its shoulders as they take on the Huskies in a game that was rescheduled from Sept. 9, due to the effects of Hurricane Irma. Strong said UConn is a better football team than it was in early September and the Huskies have won two straight AAC contests, allowing 38 points combined, after giving up 160 while losing their first three league outings. UConn is led by senior quarterback Bryant Shirreffs, who has thrown for more than 2,000 yards in three straight seasons and put up 306 against the Bulls in a 42-27 setback last year - the Huskies’ fifth straight loss to USF.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: USF -23.5

ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (7-1, 4-1 AAC): The Bulls, who came in averaging more than 300 yards per game on the ground, managed a season-low 137 against Houston last week and senior quarterback Quinton Flowers was held to seven on 14 carries with two touchdowns. USF’s defense, which leads the nation in interceptions (16), gave up 255 yards rushing to the Cougars last week despite season highs of 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks from senior lineman Deadrin Senat. Senior receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling recorded career highs of 10 receptions and 186 yards in the loss and leads the team with 38 and 568, respectively, on the season.

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (3-5, 2-3): Shirreffs has completed 65 percent of his passes and boasts 13 TD passes to go along with four interceptions while freshman receiver Quayvon Skanes stepped up the last two weeks with nine catches for 102 yards. Senior Arkeel Newsome is out (sternum) a few more weeks and freshman Nate Hopkins (seven TDs) is questionable with a shoulder injury, which should give most of the rushing attempts to freshman Kevin Mensah (274 yards, two TDs). Senior defensive back Jamar Summers is suspended for the first three quarters after taking an undisciplined penalty in the 52-12 loss to Missouri last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Flowers needs 211 yards passing to become the seventh player in FBS history with at least 7,000 yards through the air and 3,000 on the ground.

2. Coach Randy Edsall’s one victory against a ranked team while at UConn was against USF in 2007.

3. USF LB Auggie Sanchez needs seven tackles to pass Kavika Mitchell (367) for the top spot on the school’s all-time list.

PREDICTION: South Florida 45, Connecticut 21