Raymond James Stadium was electric on August 28 as USF faced No. 25 Boise State. With 65,000 fans packed, the Bulls entered seeking their first win over a ranked opponent since 2019. Amid the tension and anticipation, one attendee stood out. Cede Sapp, daughter of Buccaneers legend Warren Sapp, was about to experience a night that would blend family pride with football triumph. 

Cede Sapp walked into the stadium to a pleasant surprise she couldn’t keep to herself. On her Instagram story, right below a bold 99 WARREN SAPP banner shot, she wrote, “oh hey dad❤️” Her excitement only grew as she posted about the USF vs Boise State showdown, “WE ARE SOOOOO BACK!!!!” For a die-hard Bucs fan, this is a family moment wrapped in football history.

The highlight of the night for Cede Sapp, however, is the Bucs’ tribute to her father, honoring Warren Sapp as the third best player from the entire history of the franchise. The daughter shared the moment with a full circle caption. “What a way to end the night! Love you dad! Congratulations🧡” Amid the celebration, she also highlighted a viral moment featuring Locklan Hewlett. 

Somebody took a photo of him with a side-eye and nervous posture just before a crucial play. The Bay Area Examiner posted that on X with a caption that read, “Locklan Hewlett internally before that TD: “BE COOL BE COOL BE COOL. BE THE PUNTER. EMBODY THE PUNTER.” At that point, USF led 10-7 with 8:34 on the clock in the third quarter. And this player was about to change the game’s momentum spectacularly.

Locklan Hewlett’s trick play spark USF surge

Locklan Hewlett’s trick play, a fake punt, was genius. Lining up as the punter on fourth-and-6 from the Boise State 45-yard line, he caught the snap and launched a perfect deep pass to Keshaun Singleton who broke three tackles en route to the end zone, giving the Bulls a 17-7 lead with 8:18 left in the third. That single play sparked 34 unanswered points, handing USF a 34-7 rout over No. 25 Boise State and snapping an 18-game losing streak against ranked opponents. 

QB Byrum Brown was a one-man highlight reel. The QB finished 16-of-24 passing for 210 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for another two scores, including a 24-yard bulldozing run over Boise defender Ty Benefield. Cartevious Newton added an 8-yard touchdown, and Nico Gramatica’s 33-yard field goal sealed the 34-7 rout. 

Between Locklan Hewlett’s audacious fake punt, Byrum Brown’s leadership, and a stadium that went from tense to euphoric, including a very emotional Cede Sapp, USF staged a celebration worthy of college football lore.