USF Football: Bulls Open 2022 season with 4 PM kick vs. BYU

USF receives kick times and TV designations for four 2022 contests;

Match-up at Florida set for 7:30 PM kick on SEC Network

TAMPA, MAY 26, 2022 – The Bulls will open the 2022 USF Football Season presented by Tampa General Hospital with a 4:00 p.m. kickoff vs. BYU on Sat., Sept. 3 in Raymond James Stadium before a national television audience on ESPNU.

Third-year head coach Jeff Scott and the Bulls received kick times and television arrangements for four games in the 2022 season when the American Athletic Conference and its television partners announced details for numerous conference games Thursday.

Kick times and television arrangements are now set for USF’s first three games of the season. Following the BYU season-opener, the Bulls will return to Raymond James Stadium on Sat., Sept. 10 for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff vs. Howard that will be broadcast on ESPN+.

The following week, USF will head north to Gainesville for a Sat., Sept. 17 clash at Florida set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on the SEC Network. The Gators are ranked No. 25 in the ESPN preseason Football Power Index.

The Bulls received one other kick time for their one confirmed weekday contest next season. USF’s game on Fri., Nov. 18 at Tulsa is set for a 9:00 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2.

The War-on-I4 clash with UCF will return to Tampa on either Fri., Nov. 25 or Sat., Nov. 26 and air on ABC or ESPN. The final date and kick time for the 14th meeting of the War-on-I4 and the Bulls’ final regular season game of the 2022 season will be announced in early October.

USF will play six home games in the 2022 season – at least five Saturday games and possibly one Friday primetime matchup. USF Homecoming has been set for Sat., Oct. 15 vs. Tulane (kickoff TBD). The annual Salute to Service game has been slated for Sat., Nov. 12 vs. SMU (kickoff TBD).

Kick times and specific television designations for remaining games in the 2022 season will be announced at a later date, most on a 12-day selection basis from the TV partners starting with Week 4 contests, which for USF is Sat., Sept. 24 at Louisville. The AAC will have 40 conference home games broadcast on ESPN linear networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU), four on CBSSN (all Navy), and 27 on ESPN+. All AAC member non-conference road games are projected to be aired on a national linear network, with the exception of one (Tulane at Kansas State, ESPN+).

Three of the Bulls’ 2022 opponents finished in the top 20 of the final 2021 AP Poll, nine earned a bowl bid and four posted nine or more wins in 2021. USF will play six home games – two each in September, October and November – and six road games, including trips to Florida (SEC), Louisville (ACC), Cincinnati (2021 AAC Champion, Sat., Oct. 8) and Houston (2021 AAC Championship Game participant, Sat., Oct. 29).

USF returns 10 starters on offense and nine on defense as well as its starting kicker and punter. According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, USF ranks tied for second nationally with BYU returning 85 percent of production from the 2021 season.

Under new offensive coordinator Travis Trickett, the Bulls’ offense returns its leading passer (Timmy McClain – 1,888 yards & 5 TD), top four rushers (led by Jaren Mangham – 671 yards & 15 TD), top three receivers (led by Xavier Weaver – 41 catches, 715 yards, 2 TD) and the entire starting offensive line.

The defense under new coordinator Bob Shoop returns its top six tacklers, led by all-conference linebacker Antonio Grier who led the team in tackles (92), tackles for loss (8) and quarterback hurries (4) and tied for the team lead in forced fumbles (2) and interceptions (2). He is joined by veteran linebacker Dwayne Boyles, who was second on the team with 68 tackles in 2021, led the team with two fumble recoveries and tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

USF special teams return 2021 Consensus All-American kick returner Brian Battie, who led the nation with three kickoff returns for touchdowns, as well as starting kicker Spencer Shrader (11-of-13 on field goals) and starting punter Andrew Stokes.

Season, single-game and group tickets for the 2022 USF football season at Raymond James Stadium are on sale now. Season tickets start at just $99 and all listed prices can also be locked in for the 2023 season when USF takes on Alabama in Tampa. All tickets are once again dynamically priced for each game based on demand and are subject to change. Tickets can be purchased online at USFBullsTix.com, by calling/texting 1-800-GoBulls or using the direct links below.

Season tickets: https://bit.ly/3yXpIgD

Single-game tickets: https://bit.ly/3PJrTdN

Group tickets (10+): call 1-800-GoBulls.

ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and celebrated its 25th season in 2021 while breaking ground on a $22 million Indoor Performance Facility. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections, including 2021 consensus All-American Brian Battie, and 31 first-team all-conference selections. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and most recently making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. The Bulls posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.

Follow @USFFootball on Twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.

– #GoBulls –