Their collegiate journey has featured only rare stretches of even terrain.

Most of the USF seniors being honored today in their final home game have scaled the mountain top and sloshed through the mire. Their tussles with Power Five opposition have resulted in conquests and humiliation. They know the feeling of winning and losing eight in a row.

Yet through all the ebb and flow, that nucleus never seemed to waver. Today, it’s the adhesive mostly responsible for keeping the 2019 team intact amid a disappointing season.

“I love this group of seniors. And even the guys that have just come in this year, because they’ve fit in so well with our culture,” defensive coordinator Brian Jean-Mary said. “But when you go with the guys that have been here since the beginning with us…you really admire those kids.”

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Those who have been with the program for their entire career (between four and six years) are scholarship seniors Billy Atterbury, Stanley Clerveaux, Kirk Livingstone, Marcus Norman, Greg Reaves, Trevon Sands, Nico Sawtelle and Mitch Wilcox.

They’ll be joined by walk-ons Matt Nelson, Hal Roberson, Trent Shaw and Kyle Trina; and transfers Blake Barnett, Jordan Cronkrite, Patrick Macon, Darius Slade and Devin Studstill.

“I just appreciate everything they’ve done for this university,” coach Charlie Strong said. “And I’d just love for the fans to come out and support ‘em, because it’s senior day and just a good way to send them away the right way.”

Here are a few prominent facts about the group that will be honored before today’s 4 p.m. kickoff against No. 18 Memphis:

* Seven seniors have experienced the winningest four-year stretch (36-15) in program history, from 2015-18.

* A majority of the group experienced bowl victories over two Power Five foes (South Carolina, Texas Tech) and the two winningest seasons in program history (11-2 in 2016, 10-2 in ’17).

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* Counting their redshirt year (’15), Atterbury and Norman have had four different position coaches in five seasons.

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* Norman and Atterbury have combined for 81 career starts.

* Wilcox has set USF career records for receiving yards (1,314), receptions (97) and touchdown catches (11) by a tight end; and season tight-end records for catches (43) and receiving yards (540).

* Despite playing only two seasons at USF, Cronkrite already stands as the No. 8 rusher in program history (1,808 yards).

* Aside from Clerveaux (a sixth-year guy), none of the seniors have experienced a homecoming loss at USF.