The Big East Conference has been competitive from top to bottom this year. While both Syracuse and South Florida are eyeing bowl eligibility, they meet Friday night in upstate New York, battling to get out of the Big East cellar.

These teams have combined for 10 games decided by seven points or fewer, and several of those games have meant the difference between being a contender in the league and being a cellar-dweller.

The Bulls won five of six all-time meetings, including all three in the Carrier Dome. The Orange won last year in Florida, 13-9, to break the five-game USF streak to start the series.

As Syracuse hosts South Florida this week, the college football odds show the Bulls as 3.5-point favorites, while the total is set for 52 points.

South Florida

After a bullish 4-0 start that included a win at Notre Dame, South Florida lost its fourth straight game, a 20-17 overtime decision at Rutgers last week, to fall to 0-4 in league play. Each of the last three losses, though, has come by six points or fewer.

The Bulls rank 36th nationally in scoring (32 ppg), while recording 467 yards per game (267 passing, 200 rushing).

B.J. Daniels completes 59 percent of his passes and has thrown for 2,008 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 12 sacks.

Sterling Griffin is the top receiver for Daniels with 40 catches, 493 yards and two scores.

The running game is a three-headed machine headed by Darrell Scott, who has 611 yards and five TDs—5.7 yards per carry—while Daniels has 440 yards and four TDs and Demetris Murray with 346 yards and five scores.

The South Florida defense ranks a respectable 43rd nationally in scoring defense—23 ppg—while allowing 345 yards per contest—237 passing, 108 rushing.

The group has 28 sacks and has forced 20 turnovers with three returned for TDs (Kayvon Webster and Mark Joyce, fumbles; Sam Barrington, interception).

DeDe Lattimore leads the group with 61 tackles, adding 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one recovery and one INT. Mike Lanaris has 57 tackles with one sacks and one pick. Webster and Jerrell Young each have two interceptions, while Jon Lejiste has two fumble recoveries and Ryne Giddins has three forced fumbles.

Syracuse

Syracuse returns home after losing consecutive games, the last a 28-21 loss to Connecticut. The Orange is 4-1 at home and upset West Virginia in its last home date, 49-23. Syracuse is used to close games—it has played three overtime games and six games decided by seven points or fewer.

The Orange rank 63rd nationally in scoring defense—27 points per game—while allowing 383 total yards per contest—268 passing, 115 rushing.

The unit has recorded 24 sacks and forced 19 turnovers with one returned for a TD—Ri’Shard Anderson, fumble. Phillip Thomas leads the team with 68 tackles with a team-best six interceptions and a forced fumble.

Chandler Jones and Dyshawn Davis have combined for 8.5 sacks, Anderson and Marquis Spruill each have two fumble recoveries, while Jones and Dan Vaughan each have two forced fumbles.

The Orange ranks 66th in the country in scoring offense—27 ppg—while compiling 339 yards per game—223 passing, 116 rushing.

Ryan Nassib captains this group by completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,960 yards, 18 TDs and six INTs. His offensive line has allowed 19 sacks.

His top targets are Alec Lemon (47 catches, 531 yards, four TDs) and Nick Provo (39, 410 yards, six scores) with nearly 950 receiving yards and 10 TDs combined.

Antwon Bailey paces the rushing attack with a solid 798 yards and six TDs on the season.

Dorian Graham has a 98-yard kickoff return for a TD this year, and Jeremiah Kobena is averaging more than 23 yards per kick return.