TAMPA, Fla. — Wisconsin’s 2019 season got off to an ominous start Friday night at Raymond James Stadium.

The finish, however, was precisely what Paul Chryst and has staff wanted but probably didn't anticipate: A comfortable 49-0 victory over South Florida.

The game, set to start at 6 p.m., was delayed 55 minutes because of lightning near the stadium.

Chryst’s fifth UW team wasted little time after the delay. Jack Coan had two big completions, for a combined 25 yards, and Jonathan Taylor capped the 77-yard drive with a 37-yard touchdown run just 4 minutes 12 seconds into the game.

By the end of a dominating first half, UW held a 28-0 lead, Taylor had 128 total yards and three touchdowns; two receiving and one rushing; and UW’s defense had recorded a touchdown on a fumble return and limited the Bulls to 53 yards on 25 plays.

"Certainly proud of the way guys played and handled the uniqueness of the night," Chryst said. "A lot of guys contributed. A good start.

"Certainly things to build off that were positives and enough to clean up ... I was proud of the way they handled everything tonight."

Taylor for Heisman?

Junior tailback Jonathan Taylor was fantastic in helping UW build the 28-0 halftime lead.

He rushed 14 times for 80 yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for 48 yards and two scores.

Taylor had a combined 16 catches for 155 yards, 9.7 yards per catch, and no touchdowns in his first two seasons.

He turned a screen into a 36-yard score to help UW take a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter and then powered through two defenders for a 12-yard score with two seconds left in the half and UW out of timeouts.

Taylor played less than three quarters and finished with 183 total yards and four touchdowns on 18 touches. He rushed 16 times for 135 yards and two scores and added two catches for 48 yards and two scores.

More:The five biggest Week 1 games that will impact the College Football Playoff

More:Bold predictions for Week 1 of the college football season

Taylor has rushed for 100 or more yards in 23 of 28 games at UW. The only UW backs to have more games of at least 100 yards are Ron Dayne (33), Montee Ball (26) and Anthony Davis (24).

Cephus makes early mark

Redshirt junior wide receiver Quintez Cephus wasted little time in his first game action since November 2017.

Cephus came in on UW’s third offensive play of the game and on the sixth play recorded a 13-yard reception. That came on third and 7 and gave UW a first down at the South Florida 49.

Taylor broke off a 37-yard touchdown run two plays later to help UW take a 7-0 lead 4 minutes, 12 seconds into the game.

Cephus finished with three catches for 39 yards. He was not expected to be made available to reporters afterward, however.

Coan the picture of efficiency

Friday was Coan’s fifth college start, all away from home. He completed 14 of 19 attempts for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the first half for an efficiency rating of 181.4.

Coan finished 19 of 26 for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

Defense finds the end zone

In 2017, UW’s defense recorded 42 sacks, intercepted 20 passes and generated six touchdowns (five interceptions, one fumble return). Last season? UW had just 19 sacks, 16 interceptions and zero defensive touchdowns.

Jim Leohard’s crew in the first half got a 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown by end Matt Henningsen, who benefited from Zack Baun’s sack, and interception by safety Eric Burrell.

Henningsen's touchdown helped UW take a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

UW limited South Florida to 157 yards on 56 plays, 2.8 yards per play, and forced three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble).