South Florida (1-0) at No. 11 Florida State (1-0), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN)
Line: Florida State by 28
Series Record: Tied 1-1
WHAT’S AT STAKE
With Florida State beginning Atlantic Coast Conference play next week, coach Jimbo Fisher is looking for his young offense to continue to play consistently along with maintaining balance. Defensively, getting pressure on the quarterback remains a priority after they had only 17 sacks last season. It has been a trying week at South Florida after the death of former DT Elkino Watson last weekend. Watson, who played from 2011-14, was stabbed in an incident outside a Tampa nightclub hours after the Bulls defeated Florida A&M. The team will wear gold stickers with No. 53 on their helmets.
KEY MATCHUP
South Florida RB Marlon Mack against Florida State LB Terrance Smith. Mack was the Rookie of the Year in the American Athletic Conference last season and had 131 yards last week against Florida A&M for the fifth 100-yard game of his career. Smith had seven tackles for Florida State against Texas State.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
South Florida: QB Quinton Flowers earned the starting job after a strong preseason camp and directs a spread offense that has some elements of read option. The sophomore accounted for 204 total yards last week (141 rushing, 63 passing) and three touchdowns.
Florida State: QB Everett Golson threw for 302 yards and four second-half touchdowns in his Seminoles’ debut.
FACTS & FIGURES
The home team has not won in this series. South Florida upset Florida State 17-7 in Tallahassee in 2009 and then Florida State won in Tampa in a 2012 game (30-17). … Florida State RB Dalvin Cook has four straight 100-yard games. He rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns last week. … CB Jalen Ramsey normally wears No. 8 but he switches to No. 15 on kick returns. Ramsey has to switch numbers because Kermit Whitfield also wears No. 8. … South Florida’s 48-point win last week over Florida A&M was its highest margin of victory in four years. … Sean Price, who has 58 career receptions, needs three catches to become South Florida’s all-time leader for catches by a tight end.