TAMPA, Fla. — Darius Tice rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns as No. 21/17 USF beat 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 American Championship.

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.

Defensive end Jacob Martin scored Temple's only touchdown, sacking Flowers and forcing a fumble that the defensive end returned 44 yards in the second quarter.

The teams have developed a little bit of a rivalry over the past three seasons. USF knocked off the then-No. 21 Owls 44-23 in Tampa two years ago and Ryquell Armstead rushed for 210 yards and two TDs to key Temple's 46-30 victory in Philadelphia last October.

Head coach Charlie Strong inherited a USF team that won a school-record 11 games and has the Bulls off to their first 4-0 start since 2011.