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Tag: Rod Gipson

  • The long and winding road of the Rays stadium pursuit

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The winding road that has been the Tampa Bay Rays pursuit of a new stadium in the Bay area, specifically St. Petersburg, reached one conclusion when Stuart Sternberg announced he “cannot move forward” with the previously agreed upon deal. 

    A team sale followed before Jacksonville-based businessman Patrick Zalupski and his group purchased the team for a $1.7 billion sale.

    After spending the 2025 season playing outdorrs in Tampa, the Rays will be back at the repaired Tropicana Field for the 2026. 2027 and 2028 seasons. 

    Beyond that, the team’s future remains to be seen but news of serious talks of a move to Tampa’s HCC site continues to progress. 

    So…how did we reach this point? A quick look:

    January 2026 

    The Tampa Bay Rays’ quest for a new ballpark took a step forward when the Hillsborough College board of trustees voted Tuesday to unanimously approve a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the team for a redevelopment of the school’s Dale Mabry campus that would include a baseball stadium.

    A non-binding memorandum of understanding lays out some of the terms as the Tampa Bay Rays consider the Hillsborough College site as a spot for a new baseball stadium.

    The school’s six-member board of trustees held a meeting Tuesday to hear from the Rays and gave its unanimous support to the plan.

    A parking lot on the southwest corner of the property, which faces North Lois Avenue, is where Hillsborough College will build a new tower.

    On the southeast corner – directly across the street from Raymond James Stadium – is where college buildings will be demolished to make room for the new baseball stadium.

    December 2025 

    The last ofthe new Tropicana Field roof panels was installed in December. 

    The last roof panels were replaced late last month, and now some finishing touches are taking place on the field, in the stands and around other areas of the venue.

    Crews are working on drywall and painting the seats, and the air conditioning and lights are working.

    A new stadium sound system will be installed this month and tested in January. 

    Flooring on the Viva deck will also be installed this month, along with backstop netting.

    Officials said there was mold and mildew to contend with as part of repairs. The city is working with Greenfield Environmental, and the Rays also have an industrial hygienist.

    A remediation company has also been on site.

    November 2025 

    Crews with the city have completed the installation of the final roof panel on Tropicana Field Stadium, with city leaders saying the work was done ahead of schedule. 

    The roof was damaged by Hurricane Milton last October. 

    All stadium repairs, including inside, are currently scheduled to be complete by April 2026.

    “This project was a massive undertaking, but we have an outstanding team working on it and making sure we’re prepared for opening day. We look forward to completing the remaining repairs and welcoming fans back for the 2026 season,” said Mayor Ken Welch.

    Internal repairs will include projects like turf installation, audio visual repairs and replacement, sports lighting and more.

    City Council has approved a total of about $60 million for Tropicana Field remediation and repair expenses.

    April 2025 

     St. Petersburg City Council has approved funding to fix the hurricane-damaged roof at Tropicana Field.

    The council voted 7-1 to approve $22.5 million in funding to repair the stadium’s torn-off roof. Councilman Richie Floyd was the lone no vote.

    The city was contractually obligated to make repairs to the facility.

    The council will still have to vote on additional repairs to walls, panels, tiles and electronics inside the stadium.

    March 2025 

    Prior to Thursday’s announcement, Rays officials had not been clear about their intentions. City and officials had encouraged the team to follow through on the previous stadium deal and Historic Gas Plant redevelopment.

    The St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP called on the city to honor and move forward with the Gas Plant District redevelopment plan.

    This latest news on the years-long Rays stadium saga comes as multiple groups have come forward in recent days saying they are prepared to purchase the team and pursue a local stadium deal.

    The latest group is being led by Dex Imaging CEO Dan Doyle Jr., who reportedly pulled out of a previous process to buy the Rays in 2023. Attorney Carter McCain is representing another group of investors mostly outside of Florida and former New York Yankees minority owner Joe Molloy is leading a Tampa-based group, according to our partners at the Tampa Bay Times.

    Gas Plant District rendering from Hines-Rays team. Plans are for a new domed stadium to open in time for the 2028 season. (Hines-Rays)

    February 2025

    Mayor Ken Welch spoke about the deal during his State of the City address in February, blaming the holdup entirely on the Rays.

    “The only thing we need to move forward … is for the Rays to honor the agreement that we signed just six months ago,” Welch said. “I remain hopeful that that will happen. I also believe in transparency, so to the citizens of St. Pete, let me be clear: As I’ve stated throughout this process, this plan can only be successful with partnership.”

    December 2024

    Tampa Bay Rays officials say they would like a repaired Tropicana Field being their home for the 2026 season.

    In a Dec. 30 letter to St. Petersburg City Administrator Rob Gerdes, Rays president Matt Silverman said that the team had been open to considering a settlement that would buy the city out of its obligation to repair the ballpark.

    In mid-December, Pinellas commissioners approved bonds to finance a new stadium for the Rays.

    The 5-2 vote unlocks $312 million in funding the county had pledged for the new ballpark. This was the third time the Rays bond vote has gone before the commission since October.

    Dec. 12: St. Pete OKs pre-construction costs for damaged Tropicana Field; County commissioners hold workshop on deal

    Early December:  Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred met Monday with Pinellas County Chairwoman Kathleen Peters and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch to express his desire to resolve recent disputes and keep the team in Tampa Bay.

    the team released a statement in the wake of that meeting.

    “We anticipate that the Pinellas County Commission will authorize the bonds at their next meeting. As we stated in our letter three weeks ago, we remain ready to work with all key stakeholders to fill the funding gap their delay has created,” Rays president Matt Silverman said.

    A look at the Trop damage from Hurricane Milton from inside the stadium. (Courtesy Hennessy Construction Services)

    November 2024

    The Tampa Bay Rays, without Tropicana Field available next season because of Hurricane Milton damage, will play their 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

    A damage report released this week indicates repairs would run past $55 million and not be completed before the 2026 season.

    Nov. 25: ‘Categorically false’: County pushes back against the Rays’ claims and demands a decision

    Nov. 22: ‘This deal doesn’t work anymore:’ Rays future in St. Pete takes more hits with city council votes

    Nov. 21: Rays president says new park deal is dead; St. Pete Council then reverses course on Trop repairs

    Nov.18: PHOTOS: Rays release post-Milton photos of inside Trop

    October 2024

    Oct. 31: City approves $6.5M to clean up and protect Rays stadium after Hurricane Milton

    Oct. 9: Tropicana Field roof damaged by Hurricane Milton

    Aug. 2024

    Citing ‘unintended response,’ St. Pete mayor rescinds bonuses given after Rays deal

    July 2024

    Pinellas County commissioners agree, by 5-2 vote, to help fund new Rays stadium

    2023

    Sept. 19, 2023: ‘Major League Baseball is here to stay’: Rays announce new stadium

    A decade-long odyssey involving the Tampa Bay Rays, the City of St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County, Major League Baseball and even Montreal, among other parties, appears to be nearing an end. The Rays, joined by officials with the city of St. Pete and Pinellas County, announced on Tuesday plans for a new stadium to be built near the current Tropicana Field. 

    St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch speaks during a Sept. 2023 stadium announcement. (Angie Angers/Spectrum Bay News 9)

    Early 2023

    Former St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman said that he previously allowed the Rays to search for sites in Hillsborough County because he was confident St. Pete was the best place for a new ballpark and he wanted Sternberg to come to that conclusion too.

    “I felt like a deal couldn’t have gotten done until the Rays believed it too,” he said. “It has been a long road but we’re at the point now because we had to go through that with (Rick) Baker, Foster and me.”

    Former Mayor Bill Foster was the mayor in 2010 when the Rays were pushing for a new waterfront stadium at the Al Lang Field site along the waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg. The former mayor said they never had a term sheet because Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg would not commit to a dollar amount.

    “Mr. Sternberg was non-committal when it came to how much he would pay for a stadium in St. Pete,” he said. “This whole idea with the redevelopment of Al Lang trying to fit this Major League Baseball stadium in five acres where there’s no transportation, no parking, no infrastructure, that was a disaster.”

    2022

    The Tampa Bay Rays’ proposed plan to split the season between Florida and Montreal has been rejected by Major League Baseball.

    Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg announced the news on Thursday.

    “Today’s news is flat-out deflating,” Sternberg said.

    The idea of playing in both the Tampa Bay area and Montreal has been discussed over the past several years after attempts to build a new full-time ballpark locally failed.

    2021

    St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman announced that Midtown Development has been selected to redevelop the 86-acre Tropicana Field site.

    This came after years of talk, rumors and speculation about stadium sites at a variety of locations in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco counties and even some mentioning Orlando.

    July 2019

    The Tampa Bay Rays have been given permission by Major League Baseball to explore splitting future seasons between Tampa Bay and Montreal.

    2018

    July: The Rays announced they would vacate Tropicana Field and relocate to the Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa, between 15th Street and Channelside Drive from east to west, and between Fourth Avenue and Adamo Drive from north to south.

    By December, the project was called off.

    2009

    May: The idea of a waterfront stadium at the Al Lang site quickly came and went.

    The sail-designed stadium targeted for the Bayshore Drive/1st Street South area was supposed to have a sail style design with an open air  vista down left field to center field. 

    2005

    Since Stuart Sternberg took control of the Rays in October 2005, the once-struggling franchise has been a success on the field but not at the box office.

    Despite reaching the World Series in 2008 and 2020, the Rays have ranked annually near the bottom in attendance. The Rays averaged about 9,500 for home games last season, 28th in the majors and ahead of only Miami and Oakland.

    Sternberg purchased controlling interest in the Rays in May 2004 from original owner Vince Naimoli. He became managing general partner in October 2005.

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    Rod Gipson

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  • 120 years on, Epiphany celebration continues to shine on Tarpon Springs

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    TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. – Spring Bayou is quiet.

    But the waters in one of Tarpon Springs’ most well-known neighborhoods will soon be alive with excitement for yet another celebration.

    Epiphany 2026 has arrived.


    The largest Epiphany celebration in the western hemisphere is once again set for Jan. 6 in northern Pinellas County. This year’s event will be the 120th edition of the renowned ceremony.

    Epiphany is celebrated worldwide, but the famous celebration in Tarpon Springs turns the small town known for its quaint sponge docks into a unique festival that sees 20,000 people descend on the area.

    Crowds annually turn out at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral and at Spring Bayou for the first week of January’s Orthodox Epiphany observance.

    The Tarpon Springs community has commemorated Christ’s baptism for more than a century with services at St. Nicholas Cathedral, and events highlighted by a ceremonial cross dive at Spring Bayou. (Spectrum News/Jorja Roman)

    And once again, the highlight of the celebration will come when about 60 young men will take their places in the usually chilly waters of the bayou in hopes of retrieving the cross from the water and the yearlong blessing that is said to come with it.

    The event-filled celebration features a Blessing of the Fleet on Monday, Jan. 5, at 1 p.m. at the Sponge Docks on the Anclote River. 

    WATCH: What is Epiphany?

    The next day begins with an 8 a.m. church service at St. Nicholas, followed by the procession of clergy and faithful to Spring Bayou around noon.

    The dove release is next, followed by the Archbishop throwing a cross into the bayou and the young men dive into the waters. The one diver who retrieves the cross is considered blessed for the entire year.

    Following the ceremony and cross throw, the Epiphany Glendi (festival) will be held at the Spanos-Pappas Community Center (348 N Pinellas Ave) with food, drink, live music, and dancing. 

    SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

    Tuesday, January 6, 2026 (Epiphany Day)

    • 8:00 AM: Orthros (Matins) and Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
    • 9:00 AM (approx.): Procession from the Cathedral to Spring Bayou.
    • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Blessing of the Tarpon Springs waters, Dove Release, and the Dive for the Cross in Spring Bayou by young men.
    • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (or later): Epiphany Glendi Festival at the Sponge Docks with food, music, and dancing.

    ORIGINS

    Epiphany, also called the Theophany (meaning “appearance of God”), celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist.

    The most characteristic feature of the Orthodox Epiphany observance is the sanctification of the waters. The waters of the River Jordan were blessed by the presence of Jesus.

    The observance spread to the new world and eventually to Tarpon Springs, which boasts the largest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the U.S.

    Tarpon Springs’ Epiphany began as a simple affair in 1903 and has grown in size ever since.

    The local ceremonies are identical to those that take place in and around Greece. 

    John Hittos receives a necklace from Greek Orthodox Church officials after retrieving the cross during the 2024 Epiphany. (Associated Press photo)

    John Hittos receives a necklace from Greek Orthodox Church officials after retrieving the cross during the 2024 Epiphany. (Associated Press photo)

    FAMILY AFFAIR

    Most young men growing up in Tarpon Springs dream of retrieving the cross when it comes their time to dive.

    And most, if not all, have a relative in the small, tight-knit community that grabbed the cross from the murky waters.

    Last year, Luc Boillot of Tarpon Springs emerged from the waters with the coveted cross.

    “I can’t explain it. This is unreal,” said Boillot.

    Luc’s mother, Kathy, said it was a special moment.

    “It’s very emotional for me because of my father and both of my brothers caught the cross. You know, my father was the priest here for 30 years at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and I feel truly blessed,” said Kathy Boillot.

    2025 cross retriever Luc Boillot celebrates with the Archbishop after emerging from the Spring bayou waters with the cross. (Spectrum News image)

    2025 cross retriever Luc Boillot celebrates with the Archbishop after emerging from the Spring bayou waters with the cross. (Spectrum News image)

    ROAD CLOSURES:

    Locations: Area bounded by Spring Boulevard, Pine Street, Levis Avenue and Lemon Street.

    Major thoroughfares of Alternate US Highway 19 (from Pine Street to Lemon Street) and Tarpon Avenue (from Levis Avenue to Spring Boulevard) will be closed as well as many smaller roads within the area of the procession.

    Time Period: Tuesday, January 6, 2026, from approximately 10:45 am until 3:00 pm

    Please observe posted detours, expect heavy traffic and yield to pedestrians. There will be NO overnight parking Thursday night or during the event within the procession area (Pinellas Ave. between Orange St. and Tarpon Ave.; Tarpon Ave. between Grosse Ave. and the Bayou; Orange St. between Pinellas Ave. and Ring Ave.). 

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    Rod Gipson

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  • The Buccaneers: 50 years of Tampa Bay football

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare to begin a 50th season, fans across the Bay area and across the globe are celebrating five decades of football.

    Along the way, that journey included the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. And through it all, the franchise, its players and its fans have enjoyed a unique position in the pantheon of professional football.


    The Buccaneers ushered in pro sports to a burgeoning Bay area market in 1976, along with the NFL’s other new entry that year, the Seattle Seahawks.

    Tampa Bay infamously lost its first 26 games before securing a long-awaited victory. But in the years that followed, the team carved out its place in NFL history, developing a passionate fan base from Tampa Bay to Turkey.

    Their journey from orange and white “Bucco Bruce” uniforms to the red and pewter of championship glory stands as one of the league’s most dramatic evolutions. Tampa Bay maintains the worst winning percentage in NFL history (.410) yet is one of only 16 teams to hoist multiple Super Bowl trophies.

    The Buccaneers have earned respect with their fierce defenses over the years and memorable personalities in the locker room.

    From their first playoff run in 1979, to topping the NFL with their Super Bowl XXXVII victory, to Tom Brady leading them to glory in Super Bowl LV, Tampa Bay has been a franchise of unforgettable highs.

    The current Buccaneers, on a run of four-straight NFC South Division crowns and five straight playoff appearances, has been its most successful, will be looking for another playoff appearance this fall.

    The Early Years: Struggles and Resilience

    The Buccaneers’ 0–14 start was followed by a 2–12 campaign in 1977. But through those struggles, the team and its fans laid the foundation for its later success.

    By 1979, that resilience paid off. Led by head coach John McKay and Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon, the Buccaneers shocked the football world by reaching the NFC Championship Game in just their fourth season. Though they fell short, losing 9-0 to Los Angeles.

    Tampa Bay’s first draft pick in franchise history, Lee Roy Selmon (63) terrorized ball carriers and quarterbacks from 1976 to 1984 en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Getty Images/Michael J. Minardi)

    The Orange and the Creamsicle Era

    For nearly two decades, the Bucs wore their now-beloved orange and white “creamsicle” uniforms, complete with the swashbuckling Bucco Bruce logo. After McKay and other coaches came and went, the losses piled up. The uniforms, meanwhile, though reviled by many, became a cultural symbol representing the team’s quirky charm.

    The Dungy Era and Defensive Dominance

    The franchise’s true turning point came in the mid-1990s with the hiring of head coach Tony Dungy. Along with general manager Rich McKay, he built one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history.

    The “Tampa 2” scheme, executed by legends like Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber, defined an era of dominance.

    Tampa Bay Linebacker Derrick Brooks returns an interception for a touchdown during Tampa Bay's 48-21 win against Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003. Brooks would become Tampa Bay's second Hall of Famer at Lee Roy Selmon. (AP Image)

    Tampa Bay Linebacker Derrick Brooks returns an interception for a touchdown during Tampa Bay’s 48-21 win against Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003. Brooks would become Tampa Bay’s second Hall of Famer at Lee Roy Selmon. (AP Image)

    Under Dungy, the Buccaneers returned to playoff contention, making four postseason appearances between 1997 and 2001. Though they fell short of a championship under Dungy, losing the 1999 NFC title game 11-6 to Los Angeles.

    Super Bowl XXXVII: Champions at Last

    In 2002, new head coach Jon Gruden took over, and with the dominant defense still intact, the Buccaneers stormed through the season and captured their first Lombardi Trophy. Their 48–21 dismantling of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII was the pinnacle of the franchise’s first era of success.

    Brooks, Sapp, Lynch, Barber (and coach/defensive architect Dungy) became immortalized as Hall of Famers and forever heroes in Tampa Bay. 

    The Brady Era and a Second Championship

    After years of ups and mostly downs following their first title, the Buccaneers shocked the football world in 2020 by signing six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. The move instantly changed the team’s trajectory. 

    Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to 32 wins in three seasons with Tampa Bay, throwing 108 touchdown passes for the Bucs, including three in the 31-9 Super Bowl LV win against Kansas City at Raymond James Stadium. (AP Photo)

    Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to 32 wins in three seasons with Tampa Bay, throwing 108 touchdown passes for the Bucs, including three in the 31-9 Super Bowl LV win against Kansas City at Raymond James Stadium. (AP Photo)

    With Brady at the helm, along with offensive firepower from Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rob Gronkowski, the Buccaneers captured Super Bowl LV in their home stadium—an NFL first.

    The 31–9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs delivered a second championship and ushered in boat parades in Tampa Bay.  

    Fifty Years of Pirate Pride

    As the Buccaneers celebrate 50 seasons, the franchise looks back on a remarkable journey filled with heartbreak, excitement, perseverance, and triumph.

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    Rod Gipson

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  • With a sense of relief, now the work of creating a new stadium lies ahead

    With a sense of relief, now the work of creating a new stadium lies ahead

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Now that the Rays ballpark and Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment have been approved, what comes next?

    Pinellas County commissioners gave the final stamp of approval on the stadium deal, voting 5-2 in favor of the project and the county agreeing to contribute $313 million through a bed tax, or tourist tax, to the $1.3 billion project.

    This follows the City of St. Petersburg’s support as well, after they approved their portion of the project earlier in July.


    At a news conference Wednesday morning, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch thanked members of the Rays, the development county Hines and members of his staff he said worked tirelessly on the deal.

    Now, the decades-long odyssey to create a permanent home for the Rays is finally done and visible proof and progress of the deal will follow in the coming months.

    Finishing the bond process for project funding, along with completing the design and permitting process will be next up, Welch said.

    Rays President Matt Silverman said construction on the ballpark will begin in January, with a groundbreaking coming in the second or third week of the new year.

    “It hasn’t sunk in,” Silverman said of the completed deal. “Just walking in the building this morning, there’s a sense of relief but more so euphoria.”

    The new stadium will be built just east of Tropicana Field, in the current stadium parking lot.

    The ballpark alone will cost $1.3 billion.

    About $700 million will come from the Rays, with an additional $287 million from the city and the final $313 million from the county. The county’s portion will come from the tourism bed tax.

    The surrounding Historic Gas Plant redevelopment, including retail and office space, hotel rooms, housing, green space and a museum will rise around the stadium over the next two decades. The full project totals 86-acres and ultimately will cost $6.5 billion.

    “Having worked with the Rays for almost 20 years now, Hines is committed to this public/private partnership with the Rays, city and the county,” said Lane Gardner, Hines’ Managing Partner.

    Gardner added Hines’ goals with the project include:

    • Honoring the Gas Plant District
    • Creating well-paying jobs and careers
    • Creating new spaces for the local community and business owners
    • And attracting visitors from the Tampa Bay region and beyond

    Members of the development team, as well as Rays officials and local lawmakers said the collective sigh of relief will now be replaced by a sense of purpose and plenty of work.

    “This project with the city and county and organization that we’ve been working on so long is going to become a reality,” Silverman said. “It means the team is here to stay.”

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    Rod Gipson

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  • USF tabbed as fourth in American pre-season media poll

    USF tabbed as fourth in American pre-season media poll

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    TAMPA, Fla.— University of South Florida football has been picked to finish fourth in the American Athletic Conference this fall, according to a preseason media poll.

    Second-year USF coach Alex Golesh and USF players are in Arlington, Texas this week for the 2024 AAC Kickoff event.  

    What You Need To Know

    • USF picked to finish fourth this season during AAC preseason media poll

    • USF is returning 19 starters who contributed 84 percent of its rushing and receiving yards

    • Memphis (23 first place votes) picked first followed by UTSA (4), Tulane (2), South Florida and conference newcomer Army (1) rounding out the top five

    In the 2023 poll, the Bulls were picked 13th before Golesh led the team to the greatest turnaround in program history and the second-best in FBS football with a six-win improvement capped by a 45-0 rout of Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl.

    USF is returning 19 starters who contributed 84 percent of its rushing and receiving yards.

    Golesh and returning starting quarterback Byrum Brown and senior cornerback Ben Knox are in Dallas for the Kickoff event. Golesh was set to address the gathered media at the podium at noon on Tuesday.

    The media picked Memphis (23 first place votes) first followed by UTSA (4), Tulane (2), South Florida and conference newcomer Army (1) rounding out the top five.

     

    Brown, who set USF season marks for passing yards (3,292), touchdowns (26), completions (276), and completion percentage (64.6%) in his first season in Golesh’s offense, leads a Bulls offense that also returns senior wide receiver Sean Atkins, who set program records with 92 receptions for 1,054 yards in 2023 and was named a 2024 preseason All-American by Phil Steele.

     

    Brown also added 809 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground to join Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU as the only FBS players to post 3,000-plus passing yards and 800-plus rushing yards in 2023.

    Brown, Atkins, offensive guard Zane Herring, running back Nay’Quan Wright, center Mike Lofton, offensive tackle Derek Bowman, wide receiver Naiem Simmons, cornerback Aamaris Brown-Bunkley, defensive tackle Rashad Cheney, linebacker Jhalyn Shuler, safety Jaelen Stokes and kickers John Cannon and Nico Gramatica where among the Bulls to earn preseason all-conference recognition from national publications.

    USF opens the season on Saturday, Aug. 31 in Raymond James Stadium when the Bulls take on Bethune-Cookman in a 7:00 p.m. kick on ESPN+. The Bulls also have non-conference dates at Alabama (Sept. 7/7 pm/ESPN), at Southern Miss (Sept. 14/7 pm/ESPN+) and vs. Miami (Sept. 21).

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  • Streaking USF eyeing top conference spot as it hosts Charlotte

    Streaking USF eyeing top conference spot as it hosts Charlotte

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida men’s basketball team’s steady rise to the top of American Athletic Conference hasn’t gone unnoticed.

    At least not in conference.

    What You Need To Know

    • USF (15-5, 8-1 in American Athletic Conference) hosts Charlotte (14-7, 8-1) Tuesday at 9 p.m. 

    • USF, on a 7-game winning streak, sits atop the league standings at 8-1, along with no. 20 Florida Atlantic and tonight’s foe, Charlotte

    • Game on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. 

    Especially after USF (15-5 and 8-1 in AAC play) got then No. 10 Memphis’ attention with a second-half, 20-point comeback to stun the Tigers in Memphis last month.

    Since that Jan. 18 win, USF has won five more conference contests to extend its league-winning streak to a program-best seven games.

    USF sits atop the league standings at 8-1, along with no. 20 Florida Atlantic and tonight’s foe, Charlotte.

    The Bulls are 10-2 on their home court and sit eighth in the AAC in rebounding, averaging 36.4 rebounds. Kasean Pryor leads the Bulls with 7.3 boards per game.

    USF averages 75.6 points, 11.5 more per game than the 64.1 Charlotte gives up. Charlotte averages 69.2 points per game, 0.1 more than the 69.1 South Florida gives up.

    The Bulls and 49ers matchup Tuesday for the first time this season and in seven years.

    Long-time conference foes in other leagues, this marks the first time USF and Charlotte have played each other since 2017.

    The 49ers moved from Conference USA to the American this year.

    Top performers for USF include Jayden Reid, averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 assists. Also, Chris Youngblood is averaging 15.6 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 44.2% over the last 10 games.

    USF is 9-1 in its last 10 games, with upcoming games at Rice (Feb. 10) and Tulsa (Feb. 14) before a home showdown Feb. 18 against FAU.  

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  • Looking to continue upward climb, USF takes on Syracuse

    Looking to continue upward climb, USF takes on Syracuse

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida’s steps towards a return to college football relevancy takes another step Thursday night as the program returns to the postseason.

    After winning just four games in total between the 2020 and 2022 seasons, first-year coach Alex Golesh has guided the Bulls to a 6-6 mark this year and an appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl.


    USF will face off against Syracuse (also 6-6) Thursday at 8 p.m. from Boca Raton. The Orange comes in as a slight favorite, according to odds.

    Winning the Boca Bowl and finishing 7-6 will be a positive season end for Golesh and the Bulls. But there are much bigger things on the mind of the USF program.

    “It’s been five years since we played a bowl game, which is crazy in a lot of ways,” Golesh said. “To get here in Year 1 and continue to lay a foundation for what we’re building in Tampa is absolutely huge for us.”

    That building includes a 2024 recruiting class announced Wednesday that ranked #1 in the American Athletic Conference and #49 nationally.

    And South Florida brass recently unveiled the first renderings of what will be its long-sought on-campus stadium with groundbreaking scheduled next year and a first game target of 2027.

     

    As for tonight’s game, expect points.

    The Bulls topped 40 points three times and scored more than 30 points in six games.

    Quarterback Byrum Brown passed for more than 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. He added another 700-plus yards rushing and 11 more scores on the ground.

    Running back Nay’Quan Wright led USF with 757 yards rushing and seven scores while former walk-on Sean Atkins has developed into a big-time receiving threat.

    With 86 catches and 961 yards this season, Atkins has set USF single-season receiving records for catches and yards. Now, the 5-foot-9 receiving dynamo is set to become USF’s first single-season 1,000-yard receiver (with 39 yards tonight).

    But the Bulls’ defense (or lack of) is another story.

    When USF plays any defense, the Bulls have been tough to beat. They were 6-1 this season when holding opponents to 30 points or less; the one loss there was a 17-3 defeat to Southeastern Conference champion and College Football Playoff qualifier Alabama.

    When the Bulls allowed more than 30 points, they were 0-5.

    Syracuse had a magic number as well this season, geared toward the offensive side. When the Orange scored 22 or fewer points, they were 0-6. Score more than 22, they were 6-0.

    USF has gone 8-2 against Syracuse all-time as this game is a reunion of past Big East rivals.

    Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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    Rod Gipson

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