South Florida

The Bulls enter 2026 with a quarterback competition defining their preseason after losing Byrum Brown (178.3 PPA) to Auburn via the transfer portal. New head coach Brian Hartline takes over a program coming off a 9-3 season, inheriting a balanced unit that grades out at 33rd nationally with matching offensive (+3.0) and defensive (+3.2) ratings. The portal exodus hit hard — 34 departures cost 323.1 PPA while 41 arrivals added just 30.9 PPA back — with Auburn raiding the receiving corps by taking Keshaun Singleton (39.0 PPA) and Jeremiah Koger (30.4 PPA) alongside Brown. South Florida countered by adding Colorado State receiver Armani Winfield (13.0 PPA) plus Arhmad Branch from Purdue and Cameron Seldon from Virginia Tech to rebuild the passing attack around whoever wins the quarterback battle.

JP+ projects exactly 7.3 wins for the Bulls, suggesting the talent drop-off won't crater their AAC prospects despite the significant personnel losses. The defensive foundation remains intact while special teams (-0.4, 116th nationally) continues dragging down the overall profile. Road trips to Army, UTSA, and East Carolina represent the season's toughest tests, while home games against UAB, Kent State, and Delaware State should provide manageable tune-ups. If the new signal-caller can quickly establish chemistry with the revamped receiving corps, South Florida maintains its recent momentum under new leadership. If the quarterback situation stagnates and the portal losses compound, the Bulls could slide back toward mediocrity in Hartline's debut campaign.