USF…. (Merged threads)

[Ldandy]

I wouldn’t be too bothered by USF’s Success. I don’t see any scenario where The Big 12 grabs them over UConn or anyone else before they see what shakes out with the ACC. My feeling is that UConn and USF will be conference mates once more in a retooled 2030 version of The ACC.

 

[RitzLuce1]

What an exhausting thread.

It's the same exact posters latching on to anything they can find to be miserable about our future. It's a fetish at this point.

 

[Fishy]

Reminder that UConn tops the G5 in revenue, the metric that actually matters in CR, and the next closest is like $25M short

Winning a game in Gainesville isn't getting USF into a conference. They've had great seasons before. Y'all sound silly

Absolutely meaningless.

You’re clueless.

 

[Kolumbo]

I wouldn’t be too bothered by USF’s Success. I don’t see any scenario where The Big 12 grabs them over UConn or anyone else before they see what shakes out with the ACC. My feeling is that UConn and USF will be conference mates once more in a retooled 2030 version of The ACC.

True, something will probably happen with the ACC to kickstart realignment, but once that happens, USF is sitting pretty. I'd love to be in the ACC with USF but I could see the Big XII taking USF too. The UCF-USF combo could be a major rivalry attraction. I look at it this way. Say you are a USF fan instead of a UConn fan. You have to be extremely optimistic right now for USF given the recent events and in no way consider UConn a threat. USF just beat 2 top 25 teams in a row! UConn flopped at a shatty cuse team. USF is making huge strides. UConn is almost beating ACC dung.

USF has a student population of like 50k. It's a massive school. Northwestern is like less than half its size

USF is a huge school and I don't know what the numbers are but I think the enrollment on the Tampa campus is much smaller than 50k. I guess it is over 40k. Northwestern enrollment is 22k, is in Chicago, has a $14 Billion endowment, and is already in the Big Ten. Northwestern's stadium is a completely different type of stadium than The Rent which will never have upgrades close to what other on campus stadiums are getting. Comparatively speaking, 35k is probably fine to start. Still, I would think the stadium would be much bigger given the size of the Tampa population. Tampa does have 3 pro teams however so USF is probably in a similar situation as Pitt.

 

[uconnric]

Other fan bases mock UConn for the situation and it adds to the perception that UConn isn't committed to football 100%. You can't compare UConn to UCLA and Miami. UConn is in no situation to be an exception to the rule. Sure it would be different if UConn were already in the club.

I've thought about this. UConn could try something to support its unorthodox approach to facilities. A marketing approach.

"UConn is a Big Time University. Connecticut is the 29th ranked state by population and the 48th state by land
Connecticut is UConn's campus" 😉

Our stadium is fine. Whether it's on campus or not doesn't matter a bit in terms of conference affiliations.

 

[gioff2323]

USF may have a big issue getting into B12 - think back to when UCF was pleading to get into the BE and USF played the BC card. There was (still is?) animosity between the 2.

And enrollment has never been an issue. FWIW, Southern New Hampshire dwarfs USF. And these directional schools have tons of students who’ve got no direction and take a course or 2 a year.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

USF has been solidly ahead of UConn for a while now and will be in a P4 conference before UConn. It's not even close. Lesson #1:

They played at Rsymond James. Didn't have to build two stadiums.

 

[CashewCrew]

35k is small for the P4. Rent is still bigger and even it is kind of small by P4 standards

Yet SMU's stadium holds 32,000 which is shocking to me

 

[billybud]

BC's average attendance last season was more than Cal's....and Cincinnati, GT, Kansas, Maryland, Houston, Memphis, Stanford, Syracuse....go figure !

 

[Kolumbo]

They played at Rsymond James. Didn't have to build two stadiums.

Apparently the folks in Florida believe differently than those in Idaho. They are building it because that's what football schools do.

 

[Zerostatic]

They're off to a great start but this is USF's record the last 5 years:

2024: 7-6
2023: 7-6
2022: 1-11
2021: 2-10
2020: 1-8

And keep in mind they typically play LESS P4 schools than we do (typically 2 a year).

 

[B1GEast]

They're off to a great start but this is USF's record the last 5 years:

2024: 7-6
2023: 7-6
2022: 1-11
2021: 2-10
2020: 1-8

And keep in mind they typically play LESS P4 schools than we do (typically 2 a year).

That was the point of my post. Beating Florida was awesome, but if they lose to Rice and Navy.

 

[dvegas]

Yet SMU's stadium holds 32,000 which is shocking to me

Guessing they will play "big" games (UF, FSU, Miami, top 25 P4) at Raymond James

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Kolumbo]

He's been with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission for 21 years and is only 44 so he knows how to run pro sports. "CEO of Athletics." Plus the dude is in multiple HOFs

"Higgins is a graduate of the University of South Florida, where he was inducted into their School of Advertising’s Hall of Fame in 2015"

"Higgins has an impressive list of personal accolades, including the following honors in 2025 alone:

• 2025 Tampa Sports Club Hall of Fame Inductee
• 2025 Tampa Bay Lightning Hall of Fame John Cullen Courage Award
• 2025 USF Distinguished Community Citizen
• 2025 Heart of a Champion Citizen of the Year
• 2025 Tampa Bay Business Journal Power 100 (fifth straight year)

Executive Director

Executive Director

www.tampabaysports.org

 

[jostar1]

FY24 is the last year reported - they are in FY25 currently:

-> UConn released the financial data on Wednesday. The school reported $105,579,698 in revenue and $100,969,851 in expenses for fiscal year 2024, when it continued to operate at levels required to compete nationally across the board despite living outside the lucrative world of power conferences. <-

Here some insight on USF growth:

-> USF’s athletic spending ballooned to $95.4 million in 2024, according to financial records.<-

David Benedict says that UConn has the highest budget outside of the P4:

 

[Exit 4]

If expansion ever gets rolling again….they’re gonna be an issue for us.

Been told the top G5 candidates in general are UConn, USF, UNLV and Memphis. I realize UNLV sounds like a total stretch, but keep in mind NV is a state that continues to grow and all schools/fan bases would love a trip to Las Vegas. UNLV will need the right vision/leadership to step into this opportunity.

Fast forward 15 years and I could see JMU entering the chat. SDST has facility and the academics, but not sure about leadership/desire.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Been told the top G5 candidates in general are UConn, USF, UNLV and Memphis. I realize UNLV sounds like a total stretch, but keep in mind NV is a state that continues to grow and all schools/fan bases would love a trip to Las Vegas. UNLV will need the right vision/leadership to step into this opportunity.

Fast forward 15 years and I could see JMU entering the chat. SDST has facility and the academics, but not sure about leadership/desire.

That is such a weird mindset to say UNLV is a "total stretch". Being a large university located in Las Vegas with good brand recognition. Almost every P4 can fly in/out directly and give their fans/alumni a great time for a weekend.

 

[Rdkid]

They're off to a great start but this is USF's record the last 5 years:

2024: 7-6
2023: 7-6
2022: 1-11
2021: 2-10
2020: 1-8

And keep in mind they typically play LESS P4 schools than we do (typically 2 a year).

Cracks me up. They go 2-0, beating a snakebit UF and all of a sudden they’re viable for an upgrade. New stadium or not, they’re not even their rival UCF in terms of upside. B12 is not exactly thrilled with UCF since they joined.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Been told the top G5 candidates in general are UConn, USF, UNLV and Memphis. I realize UNLV sounds like a total stretch, but keep in mind NV is a state that continues to grow and all schools/fan bases would love a trip to Las Vegas. UNLV will need the right vision/leadership to step into this opportunity.

Fast forward 15 years and I could see JMU entering the chat. SDST has facility and the academics, but not sure about leadership/desire.

I would add Tulane to the mix for a top 5 and put SDSU just outside of it. And with that it's a crapshoot of how a conference wants to rebuild after it gets its top schools plucked by P2.

 

[huskymedic]

-> The Fletcher District will be located within walking distance of USF’s new on-campus stadium, providing opportunities for students, alumni, fans and visitors to come together before and after football games and other major events.

The project is pending approval by the Florida Board of Governors, which USF intends to seek in November. Following approval, construction of the first phase is expected to begin in spring 2026 and open by fall 2028. <-