Tulane's job against South Florida is to take down Byrum Brown | Tulane

In an opening American Athletic Conference matchup featuring 2-2 teams that have endured a grueling September schedule, Tulane knows exactly what it needs to do to recharge before October.

Stop Byrum Brown.

Brown, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior quarterback who hurts opponents with his arms and feet, was the spark that helped South Florida go from 2-10 to 7-6 last season under new coach Alex Golesh – the second-largest earnings improvement among FBS programs. He joined Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU as the only 2023 quarterbacks to throw for at least 3,000 yards and rush for at least 800 yards. His playmaking ability is the main reason the Bulls are considered a dark horse after four years in the league.

A 41-15 home loss to Tulane in November 2018 was the second of six straight losses after a 7-0 start and the start of a stunning 8-43 streak through the end of 2022 for the Bulls.

Brown is 9-8 as the starting quarterback heading into Saturday's game at Yulman Stadium (11 a.m., ESPNU).

“He’s the straw that stirs the drink,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said. “He’s a big guy, linebacker size, has a huge arm, runs physically and has good speed. He's a tough tackle. He extends plays with his feet, even plays that aren't called runs. He's just a weapon. He acts with a really high level of confidence.”

That confidence increased throughout 2023, as Brown threw 14 touchdowns while completing 121 of 172 passes (70.3%) for 1,427 yards in South Florida's final five games. He also ran for 100 yards on 23 carries on his finishing kick against Memphis, and three weeks ago he topped that total with 108 yards on the same number of attempts against Alabama.

His passing numbers have dropped in the last four games, but that may be due to the opponents. He didn't suffer much in blowout wins against Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss, and the Bulls were outmatched at times against top-10 opponents Alabama and Miami.

“I definitely feel like he's going to hit the ground running if his early results aren't there,” Tulane safety Jalen Geiger said. “We have to be there to contain him and when we attack him we have to use our arms because on shoulder tackles he will definitely break through.”

Brown operates behind a four-wide receiver split, spreading opponents out and then hitting them with the ground game. Golesh, co-offensive coordinator at Central Florida in 2020 and sole offensive coordinator at Tennessee for the next two years under Josh Heupel, imported Heupel's hyper-fast system to Tampa.

This plan involves a similar penchant for trick-taking games. Brown's 12-yard catch from wide receiver Sean Atkins against Miami last Saturday was his third reception in two years.

Behind creativity lies a more fundamental approach. South Florida has totaled 160 runs and 147 passes in four games, with Brown's 281 yards rushing on 60 carries both team highs.

“Everyone thinks teams that play at that pace are pass, pass, pass,” Sumrall said. “They play the ball at a really high level. They run to win games and do it very consistently, and when you add the quarterback it's an extra hat, so sometimes you have to put people in the box to stop the run.

“He (Brown) is a challenge. He's the guy. They have good players everywhere, but it starts with him.”

Stopping the run was a problem for Tulane. The Green Wave ranks 96th out of 133 FBS teams in rushing defense (170.5 yards per game) and 110th in yards per carry allowed (4.98), with UL on the first offensive play of the second half Last Saturday, a 73-yard burst up the middle was a prime example.

Defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato said he would minimize his roster to keep things simple for a defense with seven first-year starters. The talent is there. It's about being more coherent.

“It's not a single player, it's not a position and it's not a single decision,” Gasparato said. “There is a mistake here and there. It happens that once or twice you play a game that you wish you could get back, but then you don't have a fit, you go the wrong way, or you don't understand the situation in the game. At this point these guys need to start getting a little annoyed, and they do. We have to work at the highest level we can.”

Neither team is fresh for the start of the league. Tulane has back-to-back tests against top-20 opponents Kansas State and Oklahoma before playing a road game with UL in brutally hot conditions.

“We’re a little banged up, a little bruised, a little banged up,” Sumrall said. “At the same time, it prepares you for the long haul. We compared ourselves with good people, but I’m still not satisfied with all the details.”

Two weeks after then-No. 4 Alabama scored three touchdowns in the final six minutes to secure a 42-16 win over South Florida. The Bulls were playing No. 4 at the time. 8 Miami was tough for half an hour last Saturday in an emotional home game. The Hurricanes scored the final 36 points in a 50-15 loss.

“It was a physical, physical deal on Saturday,” Golesh said. “There are some bumps and bruises and people pushing through things.”

Whichever team recovers faster should feel significantly better in the afternoon. The Bulls want to prove that they are legitimate championship contenders. The Wave, which won its last 10 AAC regular-season games under former coach Willie Fritz, plans to pick up where it left off.

“It’s really big,” Geiger said. “We want to start 1-0 and then stack good games on top of good games.”