TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Byrum Brown threw for 435 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to lead South Florida to a 42-29 victory over Rice on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

Brown’s 1-yard touchdown run gave South Florida a 20-14 lead about a minute into the third quarter. He added a 49-yard touchdown pass to Naiem Simmons late in the third and an 8-yarder to Sean Atkins that stretched the Bulls’ lead to 34-21 with 13:22 remaining.

Nay’Quan Wright’s short-yardage TD run made it 42-21 for USF (2-2, 1-0) with 8:52 to play.

Brown was 22-of-29 passing and had 82 yards rushing on 14 carries. Simmons caught eight passes and finished with 272 yards, good for second on the American Athletic Conference single-game chart and average of 34 yards per catch. Atkins added 73 yards rushing on eight carries.

JT Daniels was 27-of-40 passing for 432 yards and threw three touchdown passes for Rice (2-2, 0-1). Luke McCaffrey had nine catches for 199 yards receiving. Dean Connors added six receptions, two for scores, and finished with 98 yards.