Tampa, FL—Nico Gramatica provided the legwork on the scoreboard while South Florida’s defense delivered the turnovers that helped the Bulls pull away from Florida International.
Gramatica connected on four field goals, and USF scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat FIU 19-9 on Saturday night, giving first-year head coach Brian Hartline a victory in his debut.
Hartline, who spent years on Ohio State’s coaching staff, took over the Bulls after Alex Golesh departed to become Auburn’s head coach.
The game remained tight through three quarters, with USF holding a 6-3 advantage before a pivotal interception changed the momentum.
Tayvion Beasley picked off FIU quarterback JJ Kohl and returned the ball to the Panthers’ 35-yard line. USF quickly capitalized, relying on running back D.J. Crowther to carry the offense.
Crowther touched the ball eight consecutive times on the ensuing possession before powering across the goal line from 1 yard out with 13 minutes remaining. His teammates helped push him into the end zone as the Bulls finally broke through for their first touchdown of the night.
FIU had opportunities to respond but continued to hurt itself with turnovers.
A fumble on the Panthers’ following possession gave Gramatica another chance, and the kicker calmly drilled a 30-yard field goal to extend USF’s lead.
The Bulls added another three points late in the fourth quarter after Tavin Ward intercepted a tipped pass. Gramatica converted from 29 yards with 1:44 left, putting the game out of reach.
Gramatica, the son of former NFL kicker Martin Gramatica, also connected on attempts from 53 and 37 yards earlier in the game.
Despite controlling much of the yardage battle, FIU couldn’t turn its offensive production into points.
The Panthers finished with 381 total yards compared with just 208 for USF, but four turnovers on downs and three turnovers proved costly.
Kohl threw for 301 yards but was intercepted twice and also lost a fumble. His final pass of the night produced FIU’s only touchdown, a 21-yard connection with James Resar as time expired.
The late score provided little consolation for a Panthers team that repeatedly came away empty-handed when opportunities were available.
USF, meanwhile, relied on field position, its defense and a strong fourth quarter to secure Hartline’s first victory as a head coach.
Up Next
FIU: The Panthers return home next Saturday to host Buffalo.
USF: The Bulls travel to Army next Saturday for an American Conference matchup.
