South Florida Bulls football
Encyclopedia
The South Florida
Bulls are a Division I FBS college football
program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida
. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus. Jim Leavitt
, previously the defensive coordinator
at Kansas State
, was hired as the team's first head coach.
After competing their first four years as a Division I-AA (now Division I FCS) independent, the Bulls moved to Division I-A, now Division I FBS, in 2001 but remained independent. They joined Conference USA
in 2003 until becoming a member of the Big East
in 2005.
The Bulls' starting quarterback for the 2007 South Florida Bulls football team
was sophomore Matt Grothe
, who was awarded the Big East Rookie of the Year award in 2006 after being the most productive freshman in total offense with 258.5 yards per game. South Florida is also home to senior defensive end
George Selvie
, who was named the school's first Consensus All-American in 2007.
South Florida received increased press coverage for their upsets of Top 25 ranked teams such as West Virginia
(in 2006
and 2007
), Louisville
(in 2005) and Auburn
(in 2007) and the Florida State Seminoles (2009). The 2007 football season marked their first ascent into the AP Poll
, first placing at #23, rising to #18 in Week 4, jumping to #6 after the win against West Virginia, rising one more spot to #5 in week 6 after a victory over Florida Atlantic University
, and jumping 3 more spots to #2 with 11 first place votes after beating the University of Central Florida
. The Bulls' high ranking was short lived, as South Florida lost its next 3 games and tumbled out of the rankings. However, the Bulls rebounded towards the end of the season, finishing the regular season ranked #21 in the BCS standings and #23 in the AP poll. Following their final regular season game, they faced the unranked Oregon Ducks
in the Brut Sun Bowl. Oregon defeated the Bulls by the score of 56-21, in which USF set a Sun Bowl record for most points allowed to an opponent. USF was dropped from the national rankings in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today polls following the loss in this bowl game.
USF won its first bowl game in its second bowl appearance with a victory over former Conference USA
rivals, the East Carolina Pirates
on December 23, 2006 in the Papajohns.com Bowl. The previous year, USF lost to the NC State Wolfpack in the Bulls' first-ever bowl appearance, the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl
.
Leavitt remained as the team's head coach throughout this period. He was fired on January 8, 2010 after an investigation revealed that during halftime of a game against Louisville, he grabbed a player by the shoulder pads and struck him across the face two times. The investigation also claimed that Leavitt interfered with the investigation by telling several coaches and players to change their stories http://www.usf.edu/pdf/Enclosure-1-Leavitt-Review-Final.pdf. Leavitt maintains he never struck the player, but was merely trying to console him, and is currently suing USF.
On January 14, 2010, Skip Holtz
was named head coach.
Raymond James Stadium
is a $168.5 million facility which opened September 20, 1998 with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Chicago Bears. Two weeks later, the Bulls debuted in their new home with a 45-6 win over Citadel in front of 32,598 fans. From 1998 to 2007, only the lower half of the stadium has been typically opened for USF games, allowing for a capacity of 41,441, (although the upper deck has been opened numerous times to accommodate crowds in excess of what the lower bowl can handle). However, as of 2008, USF has opened the upper deck for every home game and is selling season tickets in the upper deck as well. The largest crowd to see the Bulls play a home game came on September 28, 2007 against then #5 ranked West Virginia, when 67,012 saw the #18 Bulls win. The Bulls played at Houlihan's Stadium
in 1997.
The Bulls have continued to enjoy a winning edge in Raymond James, building a 43-11 record since 1998.
, including one streak of 21 straight victories at home.
Arena Football League (7)
Canadian Football League(1)
United Football League(4)
Free Agents(11)
in the booth for the broadcasts. Many of the televised games air locally on ESPN Plus
outlet WFTS-TV
. Some replays of the games can be seen on Bright House Sports Network. Due to USF's affiliation in the Big East Conference, most games can be seen on one of the many channels ESPN
owns.
has expressed interest in extending their four game series with the Bulls' by establishing an annual home-and-home series. However, according to the Tampa Tribune report released on 7 July 2007, USF does not plan on renewing the game with UCF after 2008.
Likely candidates for a future rivalry game include Louisville
, another former member of Conference USA
before its move to the Big East; West Virginia
; Rutgers
; and Miami
, with whom USF has announced a 6-year series to be played on Thanksgiving
weekend. The last 4 games of the USF/UM series (2010–2013) will be televised by one of the ESPN networks on Thanksgiving weekend. With UM locked up for 6 years, USF appears very unlikely to continue the series with UCF, but instead seems focused on potentially establishing a rivalry with Miami. After the 2009 win against #18 Florida State University (USF-17 FSU-7), FSU is another potential candidate for a huge in-state rival.
Recently the Big East Conference plans to create a 12 team model that includes the UCF Knights. While the conference expansion landscape of college football is fluid, the addition of UCF to the Big East would indeed jump start the "The War on I-4" again. A rivalry between South Florida and UCF will easily reform, especially if UCF is able to knock off the Bulls in their first few seasons in the league.
To date the most likely rivalries grow in the future for South Florida include West Virginia, Rutgers, Miami, and UCF.
For more on the USF-UCF games, see The War on I-4
.
Alma Mater
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
Bulls are a Division I FBS college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus. Jim Leavitt
Jim Leavitt
Jim Leavitt is a former American football player and current linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He served at the head coach at the University of South Florida from the football program's inception in 1997 until 2009, compiling a record of 95–57.-Early years:Leavitt grew up in St...
, previously the defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
, was hired as the team's first head coach.
After competing their first four years as a Division I-AA (now Division I FCS) independent, the Bulls moved to Division I-A, now Division I FBS, in 2001 but remained independent. They joined Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
in 2003 until becoming a member of the Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
in 2005.
The Bulls' starting quarterback for the 2007 South Florida Bulls football team
2007 South Florida Bulls football team
The 2007 University of South Florida Bulls football team represented the University of South Florida in the 2007 college football season. Their head coach was Jim Leavitt, and the USF Bulls will played all of their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL...
was sophomore Matt Grothe
Matt Grothe
Matt Grothe is a professional quarterback who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Storm. He has been with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He played college football at South Florida....
, who was awarded the Big East Rookie of the Year award in 2006 after being the most productive freshman in total offense with 258.5 yards per game. South Florida is also home to senior defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
George Selvie
George Selvie
George Selvie is an American football defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of South Florida. He was drafted by the St...
, who was named the school's first Consensus All-American in 2007.
South Florida received increased press coverage for their upsets of Top 25 ranked teams such as West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
(in 2006
2006 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2006 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the season with a 11–2 record. The Mountaineers had a regular season Big East record of 5–2.-2006 Schedule:-Rankings:- References :...
and 2007
2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team began play on September 1, 2007. The team was coached by Rich Rodriguez until he announced on December 16, 2007 that he was leaving West Virginia to coach the Michigan Wolverines. The head coaching position remained vacant after his announcement,...
), Louisville
2005 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2005 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2005 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his third year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
(in 2005) and Auburn
2007 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2007 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Tommy Tuberville returned for his ninth season at Auburn, the third longest tenure among SEC head coaches in 2007. He was joined by returning offensive coordinator Al...
(in 2007) and the Florida State Seminoles (2009). The 2007 football season marked their first ascent into the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, first placing at #23, rising to #18 in Week 4, jumping to #6 after the win against West Virginia, rising one more spot to #5 in week 6 after a victory over Florida Atlantic University
2007 Florida Atlantic Owls football team
The 2007 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL...
, and jumping 3 more spots to #2 with 11 first place votes after beating the University of Central Florida
2007 UCF Knights football team
The 2007 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach is George O'Leary...
. The Bulls' high ranking was short lived, as South Florida lost its next 3 games and tumbled out of the rankings. However, the Bulls rebounded towards the end of the season, finishing the regular season ranked #21 in the BCS standings and #23 in the AP poll. Following their final regular season game, they faced the unranked Oregon Ducks
2007 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2007 Oregon Ducks football team represents the University of Oregon in the college football season of 2007. The team is coached by Mike Bellotti and plays their home games at Autzen Stadium....
in the Brut Sun Bowl. Oregon defeated the Bulls by the score of 56-21, in which USF set a Sun Bowl record for most points allowed to an opponent. USF was dropped from the national rankings in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today polls following the loss in this bowl game.
USF won its first bowl game in its second bowl appearance with a victory over former Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
rivals, the East Carolina Pirates
East Carolina Pirates football
The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
on December 23, 2006 in the Papajohns.com Bowl. The previous year, USF lost to the NC State Wolfpack in the Bulls' first-ever bowl appearance, the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl
2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl
The 2005 edition to the Meineke Car Care Bowl featured the , and the NC State Wolfpack. The game was the fourth edition to this bowl game, as well as the only shutout in the game's history. The game was played on Saturday, December 31, 2005 and kickoff was at 11:00 AM EST...
.
Leavitt remained as the team's head coach throughout this period. He was fired on January 8, 2010 after an investigation revealed that during halftime of a game against Louisville, he grabbed a player by the shoulder pads and struck him across the face two times. The investigation also claimed that Leavitt interfered with the investigation by telling several coaches and players to change their stories http://www.usf.edu/pdf/Enclosure-1-Leavitt-Review-Final.pdf. Leavitt maintains he never struck the player, but was merely trying to console him, and is currently suing USF.
On January 14, 2010, Skip Holtz
Skip Holtz
Louis Leo "Skip" Holtz, Jr. is the head coach of the University of South Florida football team. For the previous five years, he served as the head coach of the East Carolina University football team...
was named head coach.
Season-by-season results
| Year | Overall Record | Conference | Standing | Bowl Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | ||||
| 1997 | 5 - 6 | N/A | N/A | |
| 1998 | 8 - 3 | N/A | N/A | |
| 1999 | 7 - 4 | N/A | N/A | |
| 2000 | 7 - 4 | N/A | N/A | |
| Year | Overall Record | Conference | Standing | Bowl Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | ||||
| 2001 | 8 - 3 | N/A | N/A | |
| 2002 | 9 - 2 | N/A | N/A | |
| Conference USA | ||||
| 2003 | 7 - 4 | 5 - 3 | T - 3rd | |
| 2004 | 4 - 7 | 3 - 5 | T - 6th | |
| Big East | ||||
| 2005 | 6 - 6 | 4 - 3 | T - 3rd | Meineke Car Care 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl The 2005 edition to the Meineke Car Care Bowl featured the , and the NC State Wolfpack. The game was the fourth edition to this bowl game, as well as the only shutout in the game's history. The game was played on Saturday, December 31, 2005 and kickoff was at 11:00 AM EST... [L], vs North Carolina State 2005 NC State Wolfpack football team The 2005 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's Head Coach was Chuck Amato. N.C. State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since the league's inception in 1953, and participated in... 0-14 |
| 2006 | 9 - 4 | 4 - 3 | T - 4th | Papajohns.com 2006 PapaJohns.com Bowl The 2006 PapaJohns.com Bowl was the inaugural postseason college football match of the game, between the East Carolina Pirates and the South Florida Bulls at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. East Carolina University represented Conference USA and the University of South Florida represented the... [W], vs East Carolina 2006 East Carolina Pirates football team -Schedule:... 24-7 |
| 2007 | 9 - 4 | 4 - 3 | T - 3rd | Sun 2007 Sun Bowl The 2007 Brut Sun Bowl, part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, was played on December 31, 2007 at Sun Bowl Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas, El Paso between the South Florida Bulls and the Oregon Ducks.... [L], vs Oregon 2007 Oregon Ducks football team The 2007 Oregon Ducks football team represents the University of Oregon in the college football season of 2007. The team is coached by Mike Bellotti and plays their home games at Autzen Stadium.... 21-56 |
| 2008 | 8 - 5 | 2 - 5 | 6th | St. Petersburg 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl The 2008 magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl was the inaugural edition of the new college football bowl game, and was played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida... [W], vs Memphis 2008 Memphis Tigers football team The 2008 Memphis Tigers football team represented the University of Memphis in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Memphis competed as a member of the Conference USA.The team was led by head coach Tommy West... 41-14 |
| 2009 | 8 - 5 | 3 - 4 | T - 4th | International 2010 International Bowl The 2010 International Bowl was the fourth and final edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The game started at 12:00 PM US EST on Saturday, January 2, 2010. The game was telecast on ESPN2 and the South Florida Bulls defeated the... [W], vs Northern Illinois 2009 Northern Illinois Huskies football team The 2009 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University in during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Northern Illinois competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team was coached by Jerry Kill and played their home games in... 27-3 |
| 2010 | 8 - 5 | 3 - 4 | T - 5th | Meineke Car Care 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl The 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl was the ninth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game started at 12:00 PM US EST on Friday, December 31, 2010 and featured the South Florida Bulls of the Big East Conference against... [W], vs Clemson 2010 Clemson Tigers football team The 2010 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his second full year and third year overall after taking over the job midway through the 2008 season... 31-26 |
| 2011 | 5 - 4 | 1 - 4 | ||
| Total | 107-66 | 29-34 | ||
Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
is a $168.5 million facility which opened September 20, 1998 with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Chicago Bears. Two weeks later, the Bulls debuted in their new home with a 45-6 win over Citadel in front of 32,598 fans. From 1998 to 2007, only the lower half of the stadium has been typically opened for USF games, allowing for a capacity of 41,441, (although the upper deck has been opened numerous times to accommodate crowds in excess of what the lower bowl can handle). However, as of 2008, USF has opened the upper deck for every home game and is selling season tickets in the upper deck as well. The largest crowd to see the Bulls play a home game came on September 28, 2007 against then #5 ranked West Virginia, when 67,012 saw the #18 Bulls win. The Bulls played at Houlihan's Stadium
Houlihan's Stadium
Tampa Stadium was a sports venue located at 4201 North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida, USA...
in 1997.
The Bulls have continued to enjoy a winning edge in Raymond James, building a 43-11 record since 1998.
, including one streak of 21 straight victories at home.
Current Pro Players
National Football League (10)- Nate AllenNate Allen (safety)-Philadelphia Eagles:Allen was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round in the 2010 NFL Draft. After Marlin Jackson suffered an Achilles tendon rupture during organized team activities, Allen was named the starting free safety going into training camp, replacing the 2009 starter,...
- Safety, Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mike JenkinsMike JenkinsMike Patrick Jenkins is an American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League...
- CornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... - Terrell McClainTerrell McClainTerrell McClain is an American football defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of South Florida....
- Defensive Tackle, Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... - Carlton MitchellCarlton MitchellCarlton Mitchell is an American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at South Florida....
- Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Jerome MurphyJerome MurphyJerome Murphy is an American football cornerback. He played college football at South Florida. He was drafted as the first pick in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams.-Early years:...
- CornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... - Stephen NicholasStephen NicholasStephen Leron Nicholas is an American football linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football at South Florida.-Early years:Nicholas played high school football at...
- LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Jason Pierre-PaulJason Pierre-PaulJason Pierre-Paul is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League. His nickname is JPP. He was drafted by the Giants in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
- Defensive EndDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mistral RaymondMistral RaymondMistral Raymond is an American football safety for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Vikings with the 170th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.-External links:*...
- Safety, Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... - George SelvieGeorge SelvieGeorge Selvie is an American football defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of South Florida. He was drafted by the St...
- Defensive EndDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... - Jacquian WilliamsJacquian Williams-South Florida:In his first season for South Florida, Williams spent time at both linebacker and on special teams, appearing in all 13 games. He recorded 28 tackles and one tackle for a loss. He made one start for the Bulls, against the Connecticut Huskies, tallying five tackles and a tackle for a...
- LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
Arena Football League (7)
- Jarriett BuieJarriett BuieJarriett Buie is an American football defensive end for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. He was also a member of the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
- Defensive EndDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.... - Richard Clebert - Defensive Line, Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
- Glen Gaunt - QuarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Orlando PredatorsOrlando PredatorsThe Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000... - Matt GrotheMatt GrotheMatt Grothe is a professional quarterback who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Storm. He has been with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He played college football at South Florida....
- QuarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.... - DeAndrew RubinDeAndrew RubinDeAndrew Tarjo Rubin is an American football wide receiver and defensive back, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. Rubin attended Dixie Hollins High School in Saint Petersburg, Florida and the University of South Florida and was a starting receiver after being redshirted...
- Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.... - Terrence Royal - Defensive EndDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.... - Ryan Schmidt - Offensive Guard, Orlando PredatorsOrlando PredatorsThe Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
Canadian Football League(1)
- S.J Green - Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Montreal AlouettesMontreal AlouettesThe Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
United Football League(4)
- Frank DavisFrank DavisFrank Davis is a gridiron football guard for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
- Offensive Guard, Las Vegas LocomotivesLas Vegas LocomotivesThe Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and... - Taurus JohnsonTaurus JohnsonTaurus Robert Johnson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
- Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Hartford Colonials - JR Reed - SafetySafetySafety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
, Florida Tuskers - Huey WhittakerHuey WhittakerHubert Alton George "Huey" Whittaker is an American football wide receiver for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
- Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Florida Tuskers
Free Agents(11)
- Jeremy Burnett - Strong Safety, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
- Marc DileMarc DileMarc Dile is an American football guard who is currently a Free Agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at South Florida.After surviving final cuts at the end of training camp, Dile remained on...
- Offensive Guard, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... - Andre HallAndre HallAndre Hall is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
- Running BackRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... - Anthony Henry - CornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... - Matt Huners - Offensive Guard, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
- Amarri JacksonAmarri JacksonAmarri Nathaniel Jackson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Storm....
- Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... - Tyrone McKenzieTyrone McKenzie-New England Patriots:McKenzie was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On May 2, 2009, during rookie minicamp, McKenzie tore the ACL in his right knee after getting tangled up with a running back. He was signed to a four-year contract on August 25 and...
- LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... - Kawika MitchellKawika MitchellKawika Uilani Mitchell is an American football linebacker who currently is a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round in the 2003 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and New Orleans Saints...
- LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... - Ben Moffitt - LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... - Trae WilliamsTrae WilliamsTrae Williams is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- CornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, Free AgentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... - Kion WilsonKion WilsonKion Wilson is an American football linebacker who is a currently a member of Carolina Panthers. He attended the University of South Florida, as a member of the 2010 graduating class...
- LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Media
Bulls football games currently air on the radio in Tampa on 970 WFLA-AM. Play-by-play man Jim Louk is teamed with color analyst and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mark RobinsonMark Robinson (American football)
Mark Robinson is a former professional American football player. He was a 1982 Consensus All-American safety at Penn State University. He played 9 seasons as a safety in the National Football League....
in the booth for the broadcasts. Many of the televised games air locally on ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
outlet WFTS-TV
WFTS-TV
WFTS, virtual channel 28, is the ABC affiliate television station for the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida market, owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 29. Its transmitter is located in Riverview, Florida.-History:...
. Some replays of the games can be seen on Bright House Sports Network. Due to USF's affiliation in the Big East Conference, most games can be seen on one of the many channels ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
owns.
Rivals
Due to the youth of the program and the aggressive growth that it has experienced, establishing a permanent rival has posed somewhat of a challenge. Rapidly changing conference affiliations and a quick ascension through the NCAA football ranks have made an annual rivalry difficult. On the heels of upsets that have garnered national attention, the seeds of rivalry have been planted with powers such as Louisville and West Virginia. Additionally, due to the close geographic proximity of the two schools, the University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
has expressed interest in extending their four game series with the Bulls' by establishing an annual home-and-home series. However, according to the Tampa Tribune report released on 7 July 2007, USF does not plan on renewing the game with UCF after 2008.
Likely candidates for a future rivalry game include Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
, another former member of Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
before its move to the Big East; West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
; Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
; and Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, with whom USF has announced a 6-year series to be played on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
weekend. The last 4 games of the USF/UM series (2010–2013) will be televised by one of the ESPN networks on Thanksgiving weekend. With UM locked up for 6 years, USF appears very unlikely to continue the series with UCF, but instead seems focused on potentially establishing a rivalry with Miami. After the 2009 win against #18 Florida State University (USF-17 FSU-7), FSU is another potential candidate for a huge in-state rival.
Recently the Big East Conference plans to create a 12 team model that includes the UCF Knights. While the conference expansion landscape of college football is fluid, the addition of UCF to the Big East would indeed jump start the "The War on I-4" again. A rivalry between South Florida and UCF will easily reform, especially if UCF is able to knock off the Bulls in their first few seasons in the league.
To date the most likely rivalries grow in the future for South Florida include West Virginia, Rutgers, Miami, and UCF.
For more on the USF-UCF games, see The War on I-4
The War on I-4 (college football)
The War on I-4 is an intercollegiate American football rivalry game between the University of South Florida Bulls and the University of Central Florida Knights...
.
Logos and uniforms
Statistics and rankings
- The Bulls received their first ever pre-season Top 25 ranking on August 1, 2007 when they and head coach Jim LeavittJim LeavittJim Leavitt is a former American football player and current linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He served at the head coach at the University of South Florida from the football program's inception in 1997 until 2009, compiling a record of 95–57.-Early years:Leavitt grew up in St...
were ranked #21 in the Coaches Poll. - USF has won every home opener in school history (11-0).
- Bill GramaticaBill GramaticaGuillermo C. "Bill" Gramática is a former American football placekicker of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft and last played for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League in 2006. He played college...
holds the record for the longest field goal in school history at 63 yards. - USF plays in the largest stadium (65,657), the stadium with the largest student section (12,501) and has the largest enrollment (44,038) of any school in the Big EastBig East ConferenceThe Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. - USF was ranked for the first time exactly 10 years and 10 days after its inaugural game against Kentucky Wesleyan in 1997.
- USF rose at an unprecedented pace, earning an AP ranking 104 polls after becoming a full-time, bowl eligible FBS member in 2001. Boise StateBoise State Broncos footballThis page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
had the previous record, getting ranked after 115 AP polls during their seventh season. - USF became the fastest team in the modern era of college football to go from upstart NCAA FBS school to a top-10 ranking on Sunday, Sept. 30. There were 106 AP polls and 112 Coaches Polls since USF became a full-time FBS member in 2001.
- The same can be said about the top-5 ranking, which took USF 107 weeks to achieve.
School Songs
Golden Brahman March (Fight Song)- Chorus:
- USF Bulls are we,
- We hold our standard upright and free.
- For Green and Gold we stand united.
- Our beacon lighted and noble to see.
- USF Bulls are we,
- For USF will always be.
- With all our might we fight the battle
- here and now, and we will win the victory!
- Shout: S-O-U-T-H F-L-O-R-I-D-A
- South Florida, South Florida
- Go Bulls!
Alma Mater
- Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater
- May thy name be told,
- Where above thy gleaming splendor,
- Waves the green and gold.
- Thou our guide in quest for knowledge.
- Where we all are free
- University of South Florida,
- Alma Mater, Hail to thee!
- Be our guide in truth and wisdom
- As we onward go,
- May thy glory, fame and honor
- Never cease to grow;
- May our thoughts and prayers
- be with thee through eternity,
- University of South Florida,
- Alma Mater, Hail to thee!