Hicks' 96-yard return sends South Florida past Kent State, 29-2

C.J. Hicks returned a fumble 96 yards for a touchdown, and South Florida's defense kept Kent State out of the end zone in a 29-2 homecoming win Saturday night in Tampa. The Bulls trailed after the first quarter, then scored the game's final 29 points.

Hicks' return changed the lead with 12:32 left in the second quarter. Kent State had reached the South Florida 1, but quarterback Dru DeShields lost the snap on third-and-goal. Hicks collected the ball at the 4 and ran the length of the field to put the Bulls ahead 7-2.

The official South Florida Football post shows the play that reversed the game:

South Florida improved to 5-2 overall and completed a 4-0 nonconference schedule. Kent State fell to 2-5. The Bulls' defense contributed eight points, adding a safety in the final seconds, while holding the Golden Flashes to 228 total yards.

Kent State's early chances go unfinished

Kent State's best work came before halftime. The Golden Flashes drove 77 yards to the South Florida 3 but failed on fourth-and-goal. They still took a 2-0 lead on the next snap when Dion'Dre Taylor tackled D.J. Crowther in the end zone for a safety.

The ensuing Kent State possession reached the 1 before Hicks' return. Another drive reached the South Florida 29, but a 46-yard field-goal attempt missed. Nico Gramatica then kicked a 49-yarder in the closing seconds of the half to extend the Bulls' lead to 10-2.

The Golden Flashes got another opening when South Florida failed on fourth down at its own 43 early in the third quarter. They reached the Bulls' 13, only for a mishandled field-goal snap to end the possession without points.

Two long drives provide separation

South Florida finally scored an offensive touchdown at the end of a 15-play, 73-yard drive that consumed 8 minutes, 30 seconds. Backup quarterback Luke Kromenhoek finished it with a one-yard run with 54 seconds left in the third quarter, making it 17-2.

Michael Van Buren Jr. followed with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Seldon early in the fourth. Van Buren threw for 193 yards; Seldon caught four passes for 60 yards. The Bulls finished with 271 total yards and 78 on the ground.

Gramatica added a 33-yard field goal. A late punt pinned Kent State at its own 1, and Jabari Smith stopped quarterback Nolan Good in the end zone for the final safety.

Kent State converted none of its four fourth-down attempts and managed only 31 yards after halftime. South Florida enters its bye week with its first unbeaten nonconference campaign since 2018, according to the team's postgame report.