Cronkrite keeps running and running in Bulls’ win

Cronkrite set a school record with 302 yards rushing./STEVEN MUNCIE

Sunday, 2 a.m.

They are a hard team to figure out, these USF Bulls.

They are explosive, and sometimes, it as if they are playing with explosives. They eat up yardage in huge chunks, and they give it up the same way. They are near the top 25 in the college polls, and sometimes, they play as if they shouldn't be in the top 75.

They are pretty good.

And they are pretty bad.

You figure it out.

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The USF Bulls ran their record to 5-0 Saturday afternoon, scoring 58 points. But as they did so, they gave up 42 points to a dreadful UMass team. Running back Jordan Cronkrite set a school record with 302 yards rushing, but they gave up 401 yards passing. They scored 31 points to take a 41-14 lead, but they could never quite deliver the kill shot against the Minutemen.

“We’ve got to play better than how we played," said USF coach Charlie Strong. "Cronkrite, big day for him, and we ended up with five turnovers with the defense. But we’re a better football team than what we’re showing right now. We’ve got to put it together.

"We didn't cover people and we weren't getting a pass rush. We have to relax and let the game come to you."

Hey, it isn't bad to score 58 points, a total that UMass had not allowed ... since last week against Ohio. It was the fourth time this season that the Minutemen had given up 50 or more points.

For USF, much of the game was sloppy. USF had two turnovers and 100 yards worth of penalties.

Cronkrite almost doubled his season rushing total (he had 304 yards coming in). He had a 77-yard touchdown run, a 76-yarder and a 30-yarder. He also had a 66-yard non-scoring run.

The Bulls have won all of their gams, but they've looked a little wobbly in doing so. They had to come back to beat Illinois and Georgia Tech. The East Carolina game was tied late. And UMass led 14-10 early.

USF plays at Tulsa on Friday night.