Eight bowl teams and five that won 10 or more games fill schedule
TAMPA, April 21, 2020 – The 2020 Bulls football schedule, which features eight bowl teams and five programs that won 10 or more games in 2019, was ranked No. 2 nationally in strength of schedule Tuesday by noted college football analyst Phil Steele on ESPN.com.
USF, slated to open the season at preseason top 15 pick Texas on Sept. 5, was ranked behind only South Carolina, which faces four preseason top 10 teams and features opponents that combined to go 102-54 (65.4%) last season. Bulls’ opponents went 97-57 (63.0%) in 2019 with five finishing the season ranked in the AP Top 25. USF will face two of those final 2019 ranked opponents at home (No. 20 Navy & No. 24 UCF) and three on the road (No. 17 Memphis, No. 21 Cincinnati and No. 25 Texas) in a schedule that features three of the first five games on the road and six road games overall, including a conference opener on the road at defending AAC East champion Cincinnati.
“We – our players, our staff and everyone associated with our program – are very excited for the challenge of the 2020 season and the opportunity to practice and play college football again,” first-year Bulls’ head coach Jeff Scott said. “I love that our schedule strength is that high. Best is the standard, and, as we continue to build a championship program, we will continue to challenge ourselves with the best competition.”
The schedule also features two Friday contests, both at home, and will once again boast a tough November conference stretch with road trips to defending conference champion Memphis as well as Houston and home contests vs. Navy and UCF, three of the four posted 10 or more wins in 2019. The Bulls first Friday primetime clash will be at Raymond James Stadium on Fri., Oct. 23 vs. Tulsa followed by the return of the War on I-4 vs. UCF on Fri., Nov. 27, both will air on an ESPN Network.
Season tickets for the 2020 season may be purchased at www.HornsUp2020.com or by calling/texting 1-800-GoBulls. Season ticket members who join for the 2020 Football season will pay the same price for their 2021 Football season tickets.
2020 USF FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT (2019 Record/Bowl/Final AP Rank)
Sat., Sept. 5 at Texas (8-5, Alamo, W, #25)
Sat., Sept. 12 BETHUNE-COOKMAN (7-4)
Sat., Sept. 19 NEVADA (7-6, Famous Idaho, L)
Sat., Sept. 26 at FAU (11-3, Boca Raton, W)
Sat., Oct. 3 at Cincinnati* (11-3, Birmingham, W, #21)
Sat., Oct. 10 ECU* (4-8)
Sat., Oct. 17 at Temple* (8-5, Military, L)
Fri., Oct. 23 TULSA* (4-8)
Bye Week
Sat., Nov. 7 at Memphis* (12-2, Cotton, L, #17)
Sat., Nov. 14 at Houston* (4-8)
Sat., Nov. 21 NAVY* (11-2, Liberty, W, #20)
Fri., Nov. 27 UCF* (War on I-4) (10-3, Gasparilla, W #24)
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and 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.
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