BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- When South Florida sacked Jake Bentley to clinch a 46-39 win over South Carolina in Thursday’s Birmingham Bowl, bedlam ensued. The players rushed the field, followed by some of the fans who made the trip. The overtime victory capped an 11-2 season for the Bulls.
But the happiest person on the South Florida sideline might not have been any current coach or player. It might have been Charlie Strong.
Strong, who agreed to become South Florida’s next head coach on Dec. 11, didn’t coach the bowl game. He did, however, make the trip to Birmingham to watch his future team.