It was ugly. Honestly, there is no other way to describe the Alabama South Florida 2023 matchup at Raymond James Stadium. If you're a Bama fan, you probably spent three hours staring at your TV in a state of mild hypothermia or deep existential dread. If you’re a Bulls fan, you were likely screaming because your 15-point underdog squad actually had the "Greatest Show on Turf" shaking in their cleats for three and a half quarters.
Rain. Mud. A quarterback controversy that felt like a fever dream.
Most people expected a blowout. Usually, when Nick Saban took a high-profile SEC roster down to Tampa, the result was a clinical dismantling of the opponent. But September 16, 2023, didn't follow the script. Instead of a coronation, we got a swamp fight.
The Quarterback Room Was a Total Mess
Coming off a stinging loss to Texas the week prior, Saban decided to bench Jalen Milroe. It was a bold move. A "message" move. He turned to Tyler Buchner, the Notre Dame transfer, hoping for stability.
He didn't get it.
Buchner looked lost. He went 5-for-14 for 34 yards. Think about that for a second. An Alabama quarterback in 2023 threw for 34 yards in nearly a half of football. It was painful to watch. The offensive line, which was supposed to be a "mashing" unit, looked like they were standing on roller skates. They couldn't pick up basic stunts.
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Then came Ty Simpson.
Simpson didn't exactly light the world on fire immediately, but he brought a certain "don't lose the game" energy that Buchner lacked. He finished 5-of-9 for 73 yards. The offense was stuck in the mud, literally and figuratively. The sky opened up, a lightning delay pushed everything back, and the field turned into a slip-and-slide.
Why the Bulls Almost Pulled It Off
South Florida’s defense deserves a massive amount of credit. Head coach Alex Golesh had those guys playing like their lives depended on every snap. Daquan Evans was a nightmare in the backfield. The Bulls' defensive front didn't care about the star ratings or the Crimson A on the helmets. They saw an offensive line that was confused and they attacked.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the score was a nauseating 10-3.
USF’s quarterback, Byrum Brown, was a dual-threat headache. He wasn't efficient—going 14-of-28—but he was gritty. He ran the ball 23 times. He kept the chains moving just enough to keep the Alabama defense on the field and the Tampa crowd screaming. You could feel the upset in the air. It smelled like humidity and desperation.
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The Turning Point Nobody Talks About
Everyone remembers the final score being 17-3, which looks "fine" on paper if you didn't actually watch the game. But the real shift happened when Alabama finally stopped trying to be fancy.
They realized they couldn't pass.
They realized the rain wasn't stopping.
So, they just started handing the ball to Roydell Williams. He was the only reason Alabama avoided the most embarrassing loss of the Saban era. Williams racked up 129 yards on 17 carries. He ran like a man who knew his season was on the line. When Simpson finally tucked the ball in for a 1-yard touchdown with 33 seconds left, the collective sigh of relief from Tuscaloosa was loud enough to be heard in Georgia.
What We Learned About Alabama South Florida 2023
This game was a massive wake-up call. It was the moment the "Milroe is the guy" realization finally set in for the coaching staff. By trying to see what they had in Buchner and Simpson, they realized that despite Milroe’s flaws at the time, his ceiling was the only thing that could save their season.
It was also a testament to the Alabama defense.
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While the offense was tripping over its own feet, the defense held firm. They didn't allow a touchdown. Not one. Malachi Moore and Dallas Turner played like first-rounders. If that defense had blinked for even one series, South Florida would have walked away with a win that would have crashed every sports betting app in the country.
The Statistical Oddities
- Total Yards: Alabama only outgained USF 310 to 233. In a "normal" year, that gap is usually 300 yards.
- Third Downs: Bama went 5-of-15. That is abysmal for a program of that stature.
- Time of Possession: It was almost dead even. USF actually held the ball for nearly 30 minutes.
The Alabama South Florida 2023 game was the ultimate "survive and advance" moment. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't "Bama Standard." But it was the crucible that eventually led them to an SEC Championship later that year.
How to Analyze Games Like This in the Future
When you're looking back at games that defy the spread, stop looking at the jersey and start looking at the environment. A rain-soaked road game with a backup quarterback is the universal equalizer in college football.
If you want to understand the 2023 season, you have to watch the USF tape. You have to see the frustration on Saban's face during the lightning delay. It was the low point that forced the internal changes necessary for their eventual playoff run.
Next Steps for Deep-Dive Analysis:
Check the official NCAA box scores for the specific defensive snap counts from that afternoon. You'll see how thin Alabama's rotation got during the humid stretches. Also, go back and watch the sideline footage of Jalen Milroe during the game; his body language while being benched told the whole story of his eventual comeback. It’s a masterclass in how a team finds its identity by almost losing it entirely in a Tampa rainstorm.