TAMPA, Fla. -- USF coach Alex Golesh repeated the same thing after both of his team's first two wins -- a stunning blowout in the season opener against Boise State , and another shocker last weekend against Florida -- "This ain't the same ol' South Florida , my brother!"

The 2-0 Bulls are ranked for the first time since 2018, notched the first win in school history over the Gators and are an early favorite to win the Group of 5 automatic berth into the College Football Playoff.

But there is more meaning behind those words, more than just a statement about big nonconference wins. Those nine words are a nod to one of Golesh's close friends.

On the side of his headset, Golesh has the initials AAR, for the late USF men's basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim.

Golesh and Abdur-Rahim were

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