SAN JOSE, Calif -- Quinton Flowers threw two touchdown passes and D'Ernest Johnson had two TD runs in a dominant second quarter that helped No. 19/21 USF overcome an early 16-point deficit to beat San Jose State 42-22 Saturday in the first game under new coach Charlie Strong.
The tides turned for USF when Josh Black stuffed Malike Roberson for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the USF 33 in the closing minute of the first quarter with San Jose State leading 16-0.
It took less than nine minutes for the Bulls to turn that big early deficit into a lead with help from a pair of interceptions off deflected passes by Josh Love. Flowers started the comeback with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Salomon, Johnson followed with a TD run on fourth-and-goal from the 2 and Flowers followed with a 49-yard scoring strike to Temi Alaka.
Johnson capped the four-touchdown, 271-yard quarter with a tight-rope act down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown run that made it 28-16 and the rout was on in the second half.
Flowers added a touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished 11 for 23 for 212 yards passing and 70 yards on 18 carries.