The senior transfer started at middle linebacker and posted USF’s most tackles in a game since 2013 with 15 stops (10 solo) along with four tackles for loss, a sack and forced fumble.
USF fell to Wisconsin, 49-0, before a crowd of 46,704 at Raymond James Stadium in the Bulls’ first home loss to start a season since 2013.
TAMPA, AUG. 30, 2019 – Senior transfer Patrick Macon had a monster USF debut with 15 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, a sack and forced fumble but the Bulls’ fell 49-0 to No. 19/17 Wisconsin on Friday night.
USF’s season-opening crowd of 46,704 at Raymond James Stadium saw the senior middle linebacker from Memphis, Tenn., post the most tackles in a game for the Bulls since DeDe Lattimore’s 18 stops against Rutgers in 2013.
Macon, who made 10 solo tackles, was one of four upperclassman transfers who started on defense. Junior cornerback KJ Sails (Tampa) recovered Macon’s forced fumble, totaled two tackles and had a 17-yard punt return after becoming eligible this week. Senior Devin Studstill (Riviera Beach, Fla.) started at strong safety and tied for second on the team with five tackles in his first game with the Bulls since transferring from Notre Dame.
Following a 55-minute lightning delay, Wisconsin Heisman hopeful Jonathan Taylor’s three touchdown first half helped power the Badgers to a 28-0 lead by the break. While several dropped passes dashed USF’s chances to get its new offense rolling. Taylor’s 37-yard TD run got Wisconsin on the board first. The Badgers later stripped Bulls quarterback Blake Barnett(Corona, Calif.) and returned the fumble 16 yards for a touchdown and 14-0 lead. Barnett finished 13-of-30 for 109 yards and two interceptions on the night.
Taylor scored on runs of 36 and 12 yards to give the Badgers the halftime margin. Macon shined on defense in the first half with nine tackles and a forced fumble recovered by Sails. The Bulls recovered that fumble on their own 43, but failed to move into Wisconsin territory on the ensuing possession.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jordan McCloud (Tampa) made his first USF appearance in relief of Barnett. McCloud completed all three of his pass attempts for 22 yards and rushed for 17 yards on three carries during USF’s final drive that resulted in a missed field goal.
Key Stats
433 – Wisconsin’s yardage total after Heisman Trophy candidate Jonathan Taylor rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
28-0 – The Badgers’ first-half lead following a 21-point second quarter.
Notables
- A total of 46,704 fans attended Friday’s game, which marked the Bulls’ 18th-best home attendance total in program history.
- Friday was USF’s first home loss in a season opener since 2013.
- The start of the game was delayed 55 minutes due to lightning.
- Four upperclassman transfers started on defense – senior LB Patrick Macon, senior DE Darius Slade, junior CB KJ Sails and senior S Devin Studstill.
- Patrick Macon started at middle linebacker in his productive USF debut that included 15 tackles, USF’s most in a game since DeDe Lattimore’s 18 stops against Rutgers in 2013. Macon made 10 solo tackles and totaled four tackles for loss, a sack and forced fumble KJ Sails recovered in the second quarter.
Quotable
Head coach Charlie Strong’s thoughts after USF’s season opener:
“It just shows you, we’ve got a lot of work (to do). We’ve still got a season in front of us and we just got to get ready. The thing I told our team just a few minutes ago is, ‘You don’t point fingers. Now, we’ve got to go back to work.’”
Strong on the standout performance by senior transfer and starting middle linebacker Patrick Macon along with USF’s other upperclassman transfers:
“Macon has practiced well. Ever since Nico (Sawtelle) went down, we knew what type of player we were going to get out of him. All those guys we got, even (Darius) Slade played pretty well, I think he had some plays. (Devin) Studstill had some plays and KJ (Sails), KJ picks up the fumble. Those guys have made our team better.”
Up Next
USF travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. (TV: ACC Network).
The Bulls return to Raymond James Stadium to host South Carolina State on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
Having completed just its 22nd season of football, and 19th at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program’s 150th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.
Follow @USFFootball on twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.
– #GoBulls –
