It was the kind of game designed for the people who want to spend the final hours of Christmas Eve cheering for a tug-of-war between two Group of 5 programs. The win gives South Florida back-to-back winning seasons and bowl wins, having gone 7-6 last year with a win in the Boca Raton Bowl.

HONOLULU — Bryce Archie found Keshaun Singleton over the middle to give USF the lead in the fifth overtime, and Mac Harris batted down a pass in the end zone to give the Bulls a 41-39 victory over San Jose State on Tuesday night in the Hawaii Bowl.