Bulls move to within one game of bowl eligibility

TAMPA, Fla. - The USF Bulls may be headed to a Bowl game and Mike Lofton is finally feeling at home.

"It's been great, especially now that we're winning," the USF sophomore offensive lineman said.

Though Lofton alum is listed as a sophomore the Bulls' center and Calvary Christian High alum is already playing in his fourth season of college football.

After spending his first two seasons down the road at UCF, Lofton returned home to the Bay Area last year.

It is this year, however, when Lofton noticed a change around his hometown.

"Just being around the city, people are starting to talk about USF a little bit more," Lofton said. "We just have to keep winning and it's eventually back to what it used to be."

Winning has a habit of curing a lot of ailing teams in college football.

And the Bulls have been doing a lot more winning this season than in years past thanks to unsung players like Mike Lofton.

"I don't do much, I just block," the center joked.

Regardless, when Lofton transferred from UCF to USF, he wanted to help the Bulls play meaningful football games late in the season once again.

With a nationally televised game against UTSA this week, and just one win away from Bowl eligibility, Lofton and the Bowls are doing exactly that.

"We've got some good pieces here now. Everyone is starting to buy in and starting to click," Lofton said.

Bowl eligibility is a funny thing, however. And it is something that Bulls head coach Alex Golesh doesn't want his team focusing on with just two games remaining.

"The motivation can't be external and can't be something that's out there," Golesh said. "It's Friday night and we're playing the best team in our league (UTSA) on national TV. What more motivation could you need?"

Bowl game or not, the Bulls do have a lot to hang their hats on.

Sitting on five wins through 10 games, the Bulls are tied with Northwestern (5-5) as the only two teams to win four, or more, games than they did in 2022.

"That's why I always say, it's year one," said Golesh. "Not to lower the standards or lower the expectation. Not in any regard that way."

Now, players like Mike Lofton, and the rest of the Bulls are just one win away from earning at least one more meaningful game late in the season.