The Bulls look to get their first win when the Mustangs visit Corbett Stadium.
TAMPA (Feb. 12, 2021) – The University of South Florida men’s soccer team returns to Corbett Stadium on Saturday when it plays host to No. 8-ranked SMU. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. and the match can be seen live on ESPN+ and heard live on Bulls Unlimited.
The match is the first of two-straight that the Bulls will face against a foe in the Top 25. USF will take to the pitch on Feb. 20 at UCF (6 p.m., ESPN+) in the first edition of the War on I-4. The Knights are ranked No. 14 in this week’s TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 25 poll.
Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app are $5.99 monthly or $49.99 annually and can be packaged with Hulu and Disney+ streaming services. A step-by-step guide for subscribing to ESPN+ is located here.
Due to virus mitigation measures and the size of the venue, USF will have limited fan attendance via pass list only at Corbett Stadium.
MATCH TWO | SAT. FEB. 13, 2021 | 7 P.M. | CORBETT STADIUM, TAMPA, FLA.
USF BULLS | 0-1, 0-1 AAC
Last Game: Feb. 6 vs. Temple (L, 3-2)
Next Game: Feb. 20 at UCF, 6 p.m.
Head Coach: Bob Butehorn
Career Record: 153-120-35 (18th season)
At USF: 23-22-7 (Fourth season)
NO. 8 SMU MUSTANGS | 1-0, 1-0 AAC
Last Game: Feb. 13 at Memphis (W, 2-0)
Next Game: Feb. 20 vs. Tulsa, 8 p.m.
Head Coach: Kevin Hudson
Career Record: 67-22-10 (Sixth season)
At SMU: Same
QUICK HITS
– After dropping its season opener, 3-2, to Temple on Feb. 6, at Corbett Stadium, USF returns to the pitch a week later to close out its two-match season-opening homestand against No. 8 SMU on Saturday at 7 p.m. … The Bulls look for their first win of the season … The Bulls boast a 565-293-99 record all-time and have logged double-digit wins 31 times, including a single-season record 17 (17-4) during the 1996 campaign.
– USF comes into its matchup against SMU with a slight lead in the all-time series, 4-3-4 … The Bulls have dropped just two matches to the Mustangs in the last nine meetings (3-2-4) with those two coming last season during the regular season on Oct. 11 (L, 3-0) and in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament on Nov. 13 (L, 2-1, 2ot).
– Despite the loss to Temple, Victor Claudel and Oscar Resano earned American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll recognition for the week ending Feb. 8 … Claudel scored the first goal of the season for the Bulls and Resano logged his first career assist in his first collegiate game.
SCOUTING SMU
– The Mustangs come into their match at USF, ranked the No. 8 team in the country by TopDrawerSoccer.com, in this week’s poll … SMU is coming off a 2-0 win at Memphis in its season-opener on Feb. 6.
– Tobin Shanks opened the scoring for SMU in the 45th minute with his first collegiate goal to put the Mustangs ahead, 1-0, and secure the season-opening victory … Noah Hilt was credited with the assist on the goal, the third of his career.
– Thomas Haney added an insurance goal for SMU in the 73rd minute, giving him his third career tally, to put the Mustangs up 2-0 off an assist from Knut Ahlander … Ahlander was the nation’s leading assistant man in 2019 with 13 total on the season … Shane Lanson earned the clean sheet in goal for SMU with three saves.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE MUSTANGS
– USF and SMU have met 11 times before Saturday, with the Bulls leading the all-time series, 4-3-4 … The Bulls have dropped just two matches to the Mustangs in the last nine meetings (3-2-4) with those two coming last season during the regular season on Oct. 11 (L, 3-0) and in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament on Nov. 13 (L, 2-1, 2ot).
CORBETT ATTENDANCE POLICY
– Due to virus mitigation measures and the size of the venue, USF will have limited fan attendance via pass list only at Corbett Stadium.
ESPN+ AND BULLS UNLIMITED
– All of the Bulls’ regular-season home matches will be streamed live on the ESPN+ platform … The American Athletic Conference and ESPN began a new 12-year television rights agreement starting in 2020-21 … USF will stream numerous home athletic events to ESPN+ this spring … Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app are $5.99 monthly or $49.99 annually and can be packaged with Hulu and Disney+ streaming services … A step-by-step guide for subscribing to ESPN+ is located here.
– Fans can also catch all of the action on USF Bulls Unlimited … Launched in August 2017 as a 24/7 platform for USF sports, it’s the exclusive home for the play-by-play call of Darek Sharp for USF men’s soccer … The 2019-20 season saw the introduction of a second full-time channel, Bulls Unlimited 2, to handle broadcasts when two Bulls teams are playing at the same time … Both stations are available via the iHeart Radio app (search “USF”) and provide static-free quality whether you’re listening on your streaming device, laptop or desktop.
UP NEXT
– Following Saturday’s game against SMU, the Bulls will hit the road for the first time, heading east on Interstate 4, for the first edition of the War on I-4 against UCF in Orlando on Feb. 20. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. (ESPN+).
– The USF match will be the first of two straight on the road for the Bulls, ending the road stretch at Temple on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) … USF will return home to Corbett Stadium on March 6, at 7 p.m., to host Tulsa.
About USF Men’s Soccer
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Men’s Soccer news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
USF Men’s Soccer competed in the school’s first ever intercollegiate athletic contest on Sept. 25, 1965, beating Florida Southern 4-3. Since then, the oldest program on campus has built a winning tradition, claiming 14 conference championships and making 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 3 trips to the elite eight.
The program also has a strong reputation within the professional game and boasts 27 MLS draft picks. Notable alumni include two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, USA 1994 World Cup star Roy Wegerle, and 2013 MLS Cup winner Dom Dwyer.
The Bulls have advanced to the postseason in 18 of the past 19 years, including 12 NCAA Tournament appearances during that period.
USF Soccer concluded the 2019 season with an 11-7-1 overall record, earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Four players earned AAC honors, highlighted by first team selections Avionne Flanagan and Javain Brown. Adrian Billhardt was tabbed a second team selection. In addition, Brown and Salvatore Mazzaferro were named to The AAC All-Rookie Team. Head coach Bob Butehorn returns to lead USF in his fourth season on the sidelines.
– #GoBulls –
