College football: South Florida defeats Temple for school-record ninth consecutive win

Darius Tice rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns as No. 21 South Florida dominated defending American Athletic Conference champion Temple 43-7 on Thursday night for its school-record ninth consecutive victory.

The Bulls (4-0) have not lost since falling by 16 points to Temple last October in Philadelphia — a setback that wound up costing them a berth in the AAC championship game.

Tice scored on runs of 47 and 3 yards. Quinton Flowers, coming off accounting for 386 yards and five TDs in a 24-point blowout of Illinois, also ran for two touchdowns to take sole possession of first place on the Bulls’ career rushing TD list with 34.

USF’s defense, meanwhile, forced six turnovers, including the first three interceptions of the season thrown by Temple’s Logan Marchi.

The Owls (2-2) were held to minus-4 yards net rushing and were outgained 408 yards to 85. Marchi threw for 767 yards, five TDs and no interceptions in his first three starts for Temple, but was just 3 of 13 for 32 yards on Thursday night.

Clemson loses starting kicker

No. 2 Clemson lost its kicker for the season after he was injured on the last play of practice.

Coach Dabo Swinney said a defensive lineman rolled into Greg Huegel’s leg Wednesday after he kicked during a two-minute drill. Swinney said the junior walked off the field, but tests Thursday showed he tore his anterior cruciate ligament.

Huegel has started all three seasons with the Tigers, making 78% of his 55 field-goal attempts.

Swinney said junior Alex Spence will be the kicker Saturday against Boston College. Spence’s only kicks in his career have been two extra points.

Old Dominion turns to freshman at QB

Old Dominion coach Bobby Wilder was looking to spark his anemic offense when he turned to 17-year-old freshman Steven Williams Jr. during last weekend’s game against North Carolina.

What he found was his new starting quarterback this week.

Williams directed three scoring drives, one on a beautifully thrown 71-yard scoring pass, and had a 19-yard scramble in the Monarchs’ 53-23 loss . That earned him his first start for the Monarchs (2-1) on Saturday at No. 13 Virginia Tech.

“When I decided to make the change right before halftime, it was because we didn’t have any energy,” Wilder said, having tried both Jordan Hoy and Blake LaRussa at quarterback this year before turning to Williams. The Monarchs trailed 39-7 and their only points had come on Isaiah Harper’s 100-yard kickoff return.