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Tag: USF Bulls

  • USF announces complete 2026 football schedule

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida has announced its complete football schedule for 2026.

    USF will open the season, its last in Raymond James Stadium before opening its on-campus stadium in 2027, on Sept. 5 at home against Florida International.

    An early-season American Conference game is scheduled for Sept. 12 at Army.

    The Bulls also play home, non-conference games vs. Delaware State on Saturday, Sept. 19, and Kent State on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the Kent State game designated as Homecoming.

    The Bulls’ lone non-conference road contest takes place at Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 26.

    USF will play a total of eight conference games, including home games with Temple, Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis and its season-ending game against Tulane.

    The Bulls went 9-4 last year, with a third consecutive bowl appearance. USF also made the program’s first College Football Playoff ranking appearance and was ranked four times in the weekly Associated Press Top 25 poll.

    The team has a new coach this season, Brian Hartline, after Alex Golesh left to become the head coach at Auburn.

     

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Stefanie Ingram helped lead USF through late coaching change

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    TAMPA, Fla. — It’s a new era for the University of South Florida women’s basketball program, undergoing a coaching change late in the offseason.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The USF women’s basketball program had a coaching change just before the season.

    •  Jose Fernandez left for the WNBA, and Michele Woods-Baxter took over.

    •  Point guard Stefanie Ingram has helped steer the ship and keep the team together through that late change.

    •  Ingram is from Orlando, winning back-to-back state titles at Lake Highland Prep.


    Replacing a legend is not easy, but that is what interim coach Michele Woods-Baxter is trying to do, taking over for Jose Fernandez, who left USF after 25 years as its head coach.

    “It’s been a little bit crazy for us with Jose departing. But you know what, our group was resilient, I thought everybody came, and even after his departure everybody came together,” Woods-Baxter said.

    “It is what it is, we have players that get injured, and it’s next person up, and Coach B was the next person up. And she stepped up, and we’re all right behind her we all had to step up in a different role, and we’re all doing our best, which is exactly what we’re supposed to do,” USF redshirt junior Stefanie Ingram said.

    Fernandez left in October, just weeks before the start of the season, and jumped to the WNBA as head coach of the Dallas Wings. The program elevated Woods-Baxter to interim head coach after 17 seasons as an assistant.

    Ingram, the team’s point guard, transfered in to USF this offseason and just months after she arrived to campus, her head coach left. But she and the entire team did not skip a beat.

    “Just the competitive atmosphere, like, when I first got here in the summer when Jose was here, the competitiveness was huge, and even after he left, it maintained. Like, it’s in the people that are here, and that’s really what I love about this program,” Ingram said.

    “Stef’s a rock. I thought when it was tough for some of our players after coach left, I thought her and Karla both did a great job at pulling the team together and just letting them know hey we’re gonna be alright we’re gonna be fine,” Woods-Baxter said.

    Ingram is from Orlando, winning back-to-back state titles at Lake Highland Prep. She took her talents to the SEC, spending two seasons at Georgia before transferring to Florida Atlantic last season. Now, she’s closer to home, playing in Tampa.

    “It’s been great my family can come to the games. Yeah, it’s been really fun just having everybody here and I love Florida obviously,” Ingram said.

    She looked right at home on that court, shining in nonconference play with 27 points against Duke and 23 at Vanderbilt, two power conference opponents.

    “I’m a pass-first point guard, I’m not somebody that goes out there looking for my own shot specifically, but my teammates and coaches have said, ‘You gotta score, you gotta push, you have the capability for it,’ so I’ve been trusting them and trying to put the ball in the basket,” Ingram said.

    The Bulls will need her to keep doing that to accomplish their goal of winning an American Conference championship.

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    Michael Epps

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  • Enis’ 27 lead South Florida over Florida Atlantic 83-81 in OT

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    BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Wes Enis led South Florida with 27 points and CJ Brown hit the winning free throws with eight seconds remaining in the overtime as the Bulls knocked off Florida Atlantic 83-81 on Sunday, the Owls’ sixth consecutive loss.

    FAU’s Devin Williams hit a 3-pointer that made it 81-all with 33 seconds left, but Brown’s free throws capped the scoring. Kanaan Carlyle missed a potential winning 3-point shot from beyond NBA range.

    Enis shot 10 of 17 from the field, including 5 for 9 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 3 from the free-throw line for the Bulls (18-8, 10-3 American Athletic Conference). Brown finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals while shooting 5 of 13 from the field and 6 for 6 from the foul line. Joseph Pinion had 16 points and went 6 of 15 from the field (4 for 8 from 3-point range).

    Devin Vanterpool finished with 26 points for the Owls (14-12, 6-7). Florida Atlantic also got 15 points, seven rebounds, two steals and five blocks from Williams. Carlyle also scored 15 points.

    Vanterpool made a layup with nine seconds left in regulation that made it 72-all and forced OT.

    Josh Omojafo scored the final seven points for South Florida to finish off the two-point victory.

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    Associated Press

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  • Florida, UCF land new quarterbacks in portal; former USF star heads to Auburn

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    FLORIDA — Florida and Auburn have new quarterbacks to pair with new head coaches, and UCF has added a passer from the 2025-26 College Football Playoff for 2026.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff, will play for UCF coach Scott Frost in 2026

    • Former Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo is transferring to Florida

    • Gators running back Jaden Baugh also has signed a new contract to stay with Florida

    • Ex-USF quarterback Byrum Brown will join former Bulls coach Alex Golesh at Auburn next season

    Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff and was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, will join Scott Frost’s Knights team in 2026. Barnett threw for 2,806 yards with 23 passing touchdowns while adding 589 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground and led the Dukes to the Sun Belt championship this past season. Through his redshirt junior season, he notched 5,433 career passing yards with 49 touchdowns and rushed for 1,075 yards and 23 touchdowns.

    UCF’s starting quarterback for most of last season, Tayven Jackson, entered the transfer portal.

    Georgia Tech’s Aaron Philo announced his commitment to the Gators on Tuesday and will follow former Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville. Philo is expected to compete with redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting job to replace departed DJ Lagway. Philo, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior, worked with Faulkner the past two seasons, serving as backup to Haynes King and appearing in eight games.

    The Gators got more good news from the transfer portal when they won a bidding war with Texas for running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and caught 33 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns at Florida last season. Other high-profile players returning to the Gators include top tackler Myles Graham, leading receiver Vernell Brown III and wide receiver Dallas Wilson.

    Philo joins former Tech teammate Bailey Stockton, a receiver and brother of Georgia quarterback Gunnar Stockton, and Penn State offensive lineman TJ Shanahan as key guys to pick Florida since the transfer portal opened Friday. The Gators are rebuilding under new coach Jon Sumrall.

    South Florida’s Byrum Brown, meanwhile, announced he is following former Bulls coach Alex Golesh to Auburn.

    Brown reposted on his Instagram account an On3 post announcing that the quarterback is making the move. Brown has thrown for 7,690 yards and 61 touchdowns while also rushing for 2,265 yards and 31 scores over the last four seasons at South Florida. 

    He completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He also rushed for 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns on 175 carries while helping South Florida go 9-3 in the regular season.

    At UCF, other key players who are staying with the Knights are defensive tackles Horace Lockett Jr., who had entered the transfer portal, and RJ Jackson and defensive backs Braeden Marshall and Antione Jackson.

    In addition to Barnett, the transfer portal so far has brought the Knights running back Landen Chambers from Central Arkansas; offensive lineman Cooper Terpstra from Michigan State; offensive lineman Brady Wayburn from UConn, offensive lineman Tyler Gibson from Charlotte; offensive lineman Henry Tabansi from Buffalo; linebacker Tackett Curtis from Wisconsin; and defensive backs Kahmel Johnson from Wayne State and Caleb Flagg from Missouri.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff, Associated Press

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  • USF QB Byrum Brown hits the transfer portal

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    TAMPA, Fla. – The University of South Florida’s do-it-all quarterback Byrum Brown won’t return for a senior season.

    According to multiple reports Monday, Brown is expected to enter the transfer portal. No specific destination has been released, though Auburn may likely be in the mix.

    Former USF coach Alex Golesh took over the Tigers program last month.

    Brown, 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, led the Bulls to a 9-3 regular season and a program-first landing in the college football playoff bracket during the season. A late-season loss to Navy ultimately knocked the Bulls from the CFP.

    USF lost to Old Dominion in the Cure Bowl, in which Brown did not play.

    Brown led the nation in total offense per game in 2025, averaging 347 yards of total offense per game. Also, he threw for 3,158 yards and ran for more than 1,000, becoming just the 12th FBS player to reach those numbers in a single season.

    Brown ends his USF career with 7,690 passing yards and 61 touchdowns and 2,265 rushing yards and another 31 scores on the ground.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • USF falls short of 10-win season in Cure Bowl

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    ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Redshirt freshman quarterback Quinn Henicle rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns to help Old Dominion beat South Florida 24-10 and win the StaffDNA Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Wednesday.

    Henicle carried 24 times for Old Dominion (10-3) and clinched the victory with a 51-yard touchdown run on a third-down play with 2:32 remaining. He also completed 11 of 25 passes for 127 yards.

    Devin Roche finished with 100 yards on 19 rushes as the Monarchs piled up 255 yards on the ground.

    South Florida (9-4) jumped in front on Nico Gramatica’s 28-yard field goal before Henicle scored on a 6-yard run with 42 seconds left to put Old Dominion up 7-3 after one quarter.

    Gaston Moore threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Koger midway through the second to give the Bulls a 10-7 lead at halftime.

    Jerome Carter picked off Moore on South Florida’s first possession of the third quarter and returned it 26 yards to the the Bulls’ 25-yard line. Trequan Jones turned a third-and-7 rush into a 22-yard touchdown and the Monarchs took a 14-10 lead. Nathaniel Eichner added a 24-yard field goal for a seven-point advantage heading to the fourth quarter.

    USF punter Chase Leon threw an interception on a fake punt and the Monarchs took over at their own 28 after they were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play. Henicle scored three plays later to set the final margin.

    Moore completed 20 of 28 passes for 236 yards. He threw two of the Bulls’ four interceptions. Christian Neptune had 10 catches for 102 yards.

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    Associated Press

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  • USF, Old Dominion set to meet Wednesday in Cure Bowl

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    ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of South Florida will face Old Dominion Wednesday in Orlando in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl.

    Kickoff is at 5 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN.

    What You Need To Know

    • CURE BOWL: USF vs. Old Dominion

    • Kickoff is at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. ESPN TV 

    • USF quarterback Byrum Brown, just the 12th player in FBS history to post a 3,000-yard passing and 1,000-yard rushing season, will not play in the game. Sixth-year quarterback Gaston Moore will start

    USF (9-3; 6-2 American) will look to capture a third consecutive bowl win for just the second time in program history when it takes on Old Dominion (9-3; 6-2 Sun Belt).

    The Bulls also seek to post a 10-win season for just the third time in program history and the first since going 10-2 in 2017.

    Interim USF Coach Kevin Patrick, leading the team until new coach Brian Hartline and Ohio State finish their playoff run, said the Bulls remain focused heading into their bowl game.

    “We’re working hard and our players are really excited to be playing in this bowl game,’’ said Patrick to gousfbulls.com. “All of these guys — particularly the 30 seniors that we have — have so much pride and love for this program. For a lot of them, it will most likely be their last time going on the field of battle. The heart and soul they’ve poured into this program, the love they have for each other and the respect they have for this game, I don’t think I’ve seen it to that level in the long coaching career I’ve had. I can’t commend these guys enough.’’

     

    USF’s Byrum Brown will not play in the game, meaning sixth-year quarterback Gaston Moore will get the starting nod. The Bulls’ offense enters the postseason ranked No. 2 nationally, posting 501.7 yards per game and No. 4 in scoring at 43 points per game. The Bulls posted a program-record five games scoring 50 points or more in the regular season and seven scoring 48 or more.

     

    Meanwhile, the Monarchs won their final five games to close out the regular season and received votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. They bring the No. 7-ranked rushing offense (236.9 ypg), No. 16-ranked total offense (460.8 ypg) and No. 20-ranked scoring defense (19.3 ppg) into the Cure Bowl.

    The game will mark USF’s first meeting against ODU.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • No. 13 Vanderbilt women beat South Florida 87-58

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    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mikayla Blakes scored 19 points to lead five Commodores in double figures and No. 13 Vanderbilt overcame a slow start to remain undefeated, beating South Florida 87-58 on Monday night.

    Blakes made 7 of 19 shots with four 3-pointers for the Commodores (10-0). She added six rebounds and three steals.

    It’s the sixth time Vanderbilt has started a season with 10 straight victories, last doing so during the 2011-12 season.

    Sacha Washington totaled 16 points and six rebounds for Vanderbilt. Justine Pissott added 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. Aubrey Galvan contributed 11 points, eight assist and five rebounds, while Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda scored 10.

    Stefanie Ingram scored 23 on 10-for-13 shooting for the Bulls (6-5) in their first road game of the season.

    Vanderbilt shot 24% from the floor in the first quarter but managed to take an 11-7 lead into the second on Blake’s three-point play with 26 seconds left.

    Pissott shot 4 for 4 with two 3-pointers, scoring all 10 of her first-half points in the second period as the Commodores took a 38-25 advantage into halftime. Blakes added nine points and Washington scored eight as the trio accounted for all 27 Vanderbilt points.

    Mwenentanda and Washington both scored six as Vanderbilt outscored the Bulls by seven in the third quarter for a 62-42 advantage.

    Up next

    Vanderbilt: Hosts Albany on Thursday.

    South Florida: Hosts No. 3 South Carolina on Thursday.

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    Associated Press

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  • USF introduces Brian Hartline as new coach

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    TAMPA, Fla. – The University of South Florida introduced Brian Hartline as its seventh coach in program history on Monday.

    Hartline made his way to Tampa this weekend amid Ohio State’s preparation for its College Football Playoff run. 

    What You Need To Know

    • USF introduced Brian Hartline as its new head football coach Monday

    • Hartline, 39, comes to USF from Ohio, were he has been the Buckeyes’ WR coach and offensive coordinator. He will take over fully at USF once the Ohio State plyaoff run concludes

    • More on Brian Hartline and USF football

    “We want to build on this impressive foundation. Things have been going really well here,” Hartline said during his introductory news conference. “We’re not here to change things, we’re here to enhance.

    “Time is now for USF football and we can’t wait to get started.”

    The Bulls new coach will balance beginning his Bulls’ tenure with duties as the Buckeye’s offensive coordinator through the college postseason.

     

    USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins, making his first major hire in his relatively new role, said Hartline will bring grit and passion in replacing former coach Alex Golesh, who left USF last week to accept the coaching job at Auburn.

     

    “Brian Hartline was our clear-cut first choice to lead our football program into the most exciting era in program history, and I am so fired up to have him leading the Bulls,” Higgins said. “A relentless recruiter, outstanding developer of talent and a gritty competitor, he comes from a championship background and is obsessed with instilling championship excellence in his players and teams.

    “He is ready to lead our program to the next level.”

    Hartline, 39, said he was excited for the opportunity at USF and emphasized his past connections with the Bay area, Central Florida and South Florida as a NFL player and college recruiter. He added that the location and his history in the region makes USF a good fit. 

    “Our culture will be built on relentless effort. Built on it,” Hartline said. “Effort is a choice and we know that. Our program will be disciplined and accountable. Every detail will matter.”

    HARTLINE AT OHIO STATE

    As offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach, Hartline has led the 2025 Ohio State offense to rank No. 13 in the nation in scoring (37.0 ppg), No. 24 in total offense (438.5 ypg) and No. 24 in passing (267.0 ypg) with Heisman Trophy candidate Julian Sayin posting 3,065 passing yards and 30 touchdowns and Biletnikoff Trophy finalist Jeremiah Smith posting 55 catches for 725 yards and nine touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has Ohio State as the highest graded offense in the nation at the end of the 2025 regular season.

    Serving as co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach in 2024, Hartline led the Buckeye offense to rank No. 14 nationally in scoring (35.7 ppg) and No. 3 in pass efficiency (171.55) with quarterback Will Howard ranking No. 6 in passing yards (4,010) and No. 4 in passing touchdowns (35) and Smith standing No. 4 in receiving yards (1,315) and No. 2 in receiving touchdowns (15) nationally.

    A major part of Ohio State’s recruiting success, Hartline has helped the Buckeyes’ current 2026 signing class rank No. 5 in the nation according to 247Sports. Ohio State has ranked among the top five recruiting classes in the nation in each of the last seven seasons. He was named 247Sports national recruiter of the year in 2020.  

     

    WHAT’S NEXT FOR USF

    The Bulls will face Old Dominion Dec. 17 in the Care Bowl in Orlando. USF Defensive Line Coach Kevin Patrick will guide the squad as the interim coach during the bowl week.

    USF will be looking to post a 10-win season for just the third time in program history and the first since going 10-2 in 2017. 

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • USF volleyball coach has the Bulls back in a familiar place

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    TAMPA, Fla. — When you snap a two-decades old streak, you get to play dodgeball.

    This is what the USF volleyball team did in preparation for their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 23 years.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The USF Bulls volleyball team is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 years

    •  The last time they were in the tournament, head coach Jolene Shepardson was on the team

    •  The Bulls play the defending national champions Penn State in the opening round on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas on ESPN+


    The Bulls will face off against defending national champs Penn State in the opening round of the tournament. So of course, in addition to dodgeball time, there was a regular practice. USF knows they are the underdogs, but they are embracing the moment.

    “Day one, I’ve been talking about this and just working through all those speed bumps along the way,” head coach Jolene Shepardson said. “You have know idea how good it feels to be in this situation.”

    Coach Shepardson actually knows how it feels. The last time USF advanced to the NCAA Tournament, she was on the team, helping them advance to the second round in 2002. She’s a home-grown talent who bleeds green and gold. Before she got to USF, Shepardson helped Tampa Prep win back-to-back state titles in 1996 and 97. Now, she’s imparting her wisdom on what it takes to bring home a championship.

    “I honestly can remember pretty freshly in my mind when I played in the first round and second round of NCAA’s as a senior year,” she said. “So, it’s awesome. Very overwhelmed with just the opportunity to say dancing in December.”

    Led by Shepardson, these Bulls have been built to dance. Last season, they won the American Athletic Conference regular season title, their first conference title in 22 years. And this season, they went on a 12-4 conference schedule tear to help them earn an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. Having a coach who’s been there, done that, has been a big boost.

    “She knows a lot. She’s been here. She’s been in our place,” senior outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade said. “So that just makes it easier for us to go through it. She’s been to the tournament, so it’s really nice to be guided by someone really knows what we’re going through right now.”

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    Katherine Smith

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  • USF to face Old Dominion in Cure Bowl in Orlando

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida will stay in Florida for its bowl game.

    USF is set to take on Old Dominion in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl on Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. in Orlando.


    The Bulls (9-3; 6-2 in the American) will face off against the ODU (9-3, 6-2 in the Sun Belt) at Camping World Stadium.

    The game will be televised on ESPN.

    “The Cure Bowl supports a tremendous cause that we are excited to champion, and we look forward to our Bulls taking on a very talented Old Dominion team on Dec. 17,” CEO of USF Athletics Rob Higgins said. “It’s a short drive for Bulls Nation to Camping World Stadium, and I look forward to a great turnout in Green and Gold as we pursue a third straight bowl win for just the second time in program history.”

    Orlando will mark the Bulls’ 10th different bowl location as South Florida makes the 13th bowl appearance in program history, which is tied for the third-most in the first 25 seasons of a program’s bowl eligibility. South Florida’s 8-4 mark in bowl games ranks fourth nationally in winning percentage among programs with 10 or more bowl appearances.

    It will mark South Florida’s first meeting with ODU.

    USF will be looking to post a 10-win season for just the third time in program history and the first since going 10-2 in 2017. The Bulls will also be pursuing a third straight bowl win to go alongside victories in the 2023 Boca Bowl (45-0 vs. Syracuse) and 2024 Hawaii Bowl (41-39 5OT vs. San Jose State). It would be just the second run of three straight bowl game wins in program history and the first since the Bulls won the 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl (41-14 vs. Memphis), 2009 International Bowl (27-3 vs. Northern Illinois) and 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl (31-26 vs. Clemson).

    ODU posted a 9-3 record on the year and went 6-2 in the Sun Belt Conference, and finished second in the East Division to James Madison.

    USF will formally introduce Brian Hartline as the seventh head coach in program history on Monday, Dec. 8 at 11 a.m. at the Sam and Martha Gibbons Alumni Center on the Tampa campus.

    Tickets start at $25 plus fees and are currently on sale.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • USF hires Ohio State OC Brian Hartline as head coach

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida is hiring Brian Hartline as its new head coach. The school made the announcement just before noon Wednesday.

    Hartline, 39, is the Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. 

    What You Need To Know

    • USF is hiring Ohio State OC Brian Hartline as its new head coach

    • Hartline, 39, is the Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach

    • Hartline replacing Alex Golesh, who accepted Auburn’s head coaching job on Sunday 
    • THE LATEST: USF Bulls football

    • ABOVE: Spectrum Sports 360’s Mike Cairns talks about the hire of Brian Hartline

    According to a Sports Illustrated report, it will be a six-year deal for Hartline, who is expected to remain with the Buckeyes through the school’s playoff run. 

    “Brian Hartline was our clear-cut first choice to lead our football program into the most exciting era in program history, and I am so fired up to have him leading the Bulls,” Higgins said. “A relentless recruiter, outstanding developer of talent and a gritty competitor, he comes from a championship background and is obsessed with instilling championship excellence in his players and teams.

    “He is ready to lead our program to the next level. He knows the state of Florida, having spent six seasons of his professional playing career in Miami, and has successfully recruited the state and the Bay area for a long time. We are so excited to welcome Brian, his wife Kara and their children Brayden, Kameron and Brooklyn to the Bulls family.”

    Hartline will replace Alex Golesh, who accepted the head coaching job at Auburn on Sunday. Golesh, who took over USF’s program in 2023, went 23-15 in three seasons, leading the Bulls to a bowl game each season and to a listing in the College Football Playoff bracket during the 2025 season. 

    Hartline has been the Buckeyes’ full-time receivers coach since 2019. He has had the title of offensive coordinator for the past two years, but this is the first season he is calling plays.  

    Hartline helped Ohio State to a 37-4 record the past four seasons and one national championship. Along the way, Hartline has worked with some of college football best receivers in recent years, creating a pipeline of WRs to the NFL that has included first-round picks Emeka Egbuka (Bucs), Chris Olave (Saints), Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Garrett Wilson (Jets) and Terry McLaurin (Commanders).

    A 2009 Ohio State graduate, Hartline, a wide receiver, was a fourth-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins. He played seven seasons in the NFL, spending six with the Dolphins before one season with Cleveland. He caught 344 passes as a pro and scored 14 touchdowns.

    He played for Ohio State from 2005-08 and was part of four Big Ten championship teams – meaning he has been part of eight Big Ten titles as a player and coach, including a record four consecutive outright Big Ten championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020On the eve of this season’s college football playoffs, Hartline spoke to the Associated Press about his journey as an assistant coach, offensive coordinator and play caller.

    “I think that every chance you’re in that situation or you get an opportunity to call a game, there’s an opportunity to learn and grow,” Hartline said. “And frankly, I do it daily with (OSU coach Ryan) Day, but to be out there doing it live, there’s nothing like those kind of reps.”

    “I’m honored and excited to join the University of South Florida as its new head football coach,” Hartline said. “Becoming a first-time head coach at a place like USF is a dream come true for me and my family. I look forward to leading the team to new heights, both on and off the field.

    “Bulls Nation, we’re going to need your support and commitment to help us get to where we all want to be: never-ending championship excellence, building something that lasts, and serving our university, our community, and our fan base with integrity and passion. I can’t wait to get to work with our team and the entire USF community. Go Bulls!”

    He and his wife, Kara, have three young children: sons Brayden and Kameron, and a daughter, Brooklyn.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Florida’s colleges begin restocking football rosters with early signings

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    FLORIDA — College football programs throughout Florida announced written commitments for 2026 on Wednesday, the first of the three-day early signing period for high school players.

    On his first early signing day since returning to UCF, coach Scott Frost announced 13 commitments, including two quarterbacks, two running backs and six in-state prospects.

    “Today went off without a hitch. I really like the group that we got. It was a no-drama day. Everything was in and done early,” Frost said. “Recruiting high school kids is a really important way to build the foundation of your team and get guys in the program who can help now or be developed into guys that you hope you can keep for a long time.  But it’s not the only way to build and improve a team anymore.”

    Frost said investing in high school players, from a money standpoint, means they need to have a good chance of playing.

    “I want to make sure we have a team that has the best chance possible to compete next year,” Frost said.

    Last year, UCF had to bring in 60-70 new players after the graduation of many seniors and the departure of then-coach Gus Malzahn.

    Frost said that he hopes to bring back a lot of players who they want to build around.

    “That’s going to mean that we can fill in holes rather than build an entire team,” he said. “That’s definitely a better position to be approaching this from.”

    Frost said he and his staff looked at high school players who have the traits that will help them develop soon into players who will improve the team.

    “There’s a lot of size and length,” Frost said. “I think we can get bigger. We certainly need to get a little tougher as a football team. But I really like the size and length of a lot of these guys. I like the elite speed of a lot of guys. And overall, I just like the upside of the class.”

    He said he and his staff are in a better position to know the players already on the roster and the holes that need to be filled.

    Frost said the program should be in an even better recruiting position next season. He said it takes more than a year to recruit a player and he got back to UCF so late last year that it put the team behind in recruiting for this year’s class.

    He said he expects to leave a couple positions open for the late signing period to maybe add some quality players who fell through cracks.

    • Running back Kaj Baker out of Miami and Somerset Academy
    • Quarterback Dante Carr out of Minersville (Pa.) High
    • Offensive lineman Kasiyah Charlton out of Brunswick (Ga.) High
    • Tight end Brooks Hall out of Platte County (Mo.) High
    • Linebacker Preston Hall out of Missouri City, Texas and Ridge Point High
    • Edge rusher Alhassan Iddrissu out of Oakdale, Conn., and St. Thomas More High
    • Defensive back Elijah Keys out of Jacksonville Duncan U. Fletcher High
    • Running back Arthur Lewis IV out of Palatka Bartram Trail High
    • Quarterback Rocco Marriott out of Platte County (Mo.) High
    • Defensive tackle Noah Mercer out of Key West High
    • Linebacker Matthew Occhipinti out of Saddle Brook, N.J., and Don Bosco Prep
    • Defensive back Amarion Queen out of Martin County High
    • Offensive lineman Amahn Williams out of Randolph, Mass., and Tabor Academy

    While Frost has been busy recruiting, he said he has been looking for an offensive line coach, too. Coach Shawn Clark died early in the season. Frost said he doesn’t expect to make any other changes to his staff.

    USF Bulls

    The biggest news out of USF on Wednesday was the hiring of former Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline as their new head coach. He replaces Alex Golesh, who was hired as Auburn’s coach after the regular season.

    That did not slow recruiting at USF, which announced 17 players made official commitments on early signing day. Fourteen of those players are from Florida high schools. The Bulls loaded up in the defensive backfield, with four cornerbacks and two safeties. They also signed four defensive linemen.

    • Linebacker Lorenzo Barnes from Marianna
    • Running back Jayson Franklin out of Fayetteville, N.C.      
    • Defensive lineman Iverson Garcia-Ponce out of Knoxville, Tenn.
    • Defensive end Demetrius Geathers Jr. out of Deerfield Beach
    • Kicker Gaston Gramatica from Tampa
    • Offensive lineman Jordan Harrison out of Clinton, Md.
    • Wide receiver Gabe Legrand out of Lake Wales
    • Defensive lineman Sager Quinn out of Cahutta, Ga.
    • Defensive end Peter Ramil out of Binghamton, N.Y.
    • Wide receiver Dmari Roberts out of St. Petersburg
    • Cornerback Derrick Nichols III out of Miami
    • Linebacker Dennis King III out of Daytona Beach
    • Safety CJ Cresser out of Brooksville
    • Cornerback Ja’Kyri Watson out of Kissimmee
    • Cornerback Masiyah Limehouse out of Plant City
    • Cornerback Keyshaun Birks out of St. Petersburg, Fla.

    Florida Gators

    The University of Florida, which earlier this week announced it had hired Jon Sumrall to replace Billy Napier as coach, announced the signings of 16 high school players, including six offensive linemen and two edge rushers. All but seven signees are from Florida.

    • Cornerback CJ Bronaugh out of Orlando Windermere
    • Offensive lineman Corey Brown out of Gainesville and Jones
    • Offensive lineman Chancellor Campbell out of St. Petersburgh Lakewood
    • Offensive lineman G’Nivre out of Ocala and IMG Academy
    • Offensive lineman Tyler Chukuyem out of Douglasville, Ga., and South Paulding High
    • Wide receiver Marquez “Quez” Daniel out of Tuskegee, Ala., and Booker T. Washington High
    • Edge rusher KJ Ford out of Dallas, Texas Duncanville High
    • Offensive lineman Desmond Green out of Alvin, S.C., and Timberland High
    • Quarterback Will Griffin out of Treasure Island and Tampa Jesuit
    • Wide receiver Davian Groce out of Frisco, Texas Lone Star High
    • Defensive lineman Kendall “KG” Guervil out of Fort Myers High
    • Tight end Heze Kent out of Brunswick (Ga.) High
    • Offensive lineman Javarii Luckas out of Belle Glade Glades Central
    • Edge rusher Jareylan “Reylan” McCoy out of Tupelo, Miss., High
    • Inside linebacker Malik Morris out of Lakeland High           
    • Wide receiver Justin Williams out of Gainesville Buchholz  

    Florida State Seminoles

    Florida State signed the largest class of the state programs that Spectrum Sports regularly follows — 30 players, including some from NFL Academy and junior colleges. The class, which has 14 from Florida schools, includes nine defensive linemen, seven offensive linemen and five wide receivers.

    • Defensive lineman Jalen Anderson out of Slidell, La., High School and Pearl River Community College in Mississippi
    • Defensive back Tre Bell III out of Westview, Fla., and Barbara Goleman Senior High
    • Wide receiver Brandon Bennett out of Miramar American Heritage School
    • Defensive lineman Wihtley Cadeau out of Atlanta and Booker T. Washington High
    • Defensive lineman Chris Carbin out of Powder Springs, Ga., and Hillgrove High
    • Wide receiver Devin Carter out of Evans, Ga., and Douglas County High
    • Defensive back Jordan Crutchfield out of Fort Pierce and Vero Beach High
    • Defensive lineman Judah Daniels out of Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers High School
    • Tight end Corbyn Fordham out of Ponte Vedra Beach and The Bolles School
    • Offensive lineman Luke Francis Jr., out of the NFL Academy in London, United Kingdom
    • Linebacker Daylen Green out of Bainbridge, Ga., and Gadsden County High
    • Offensive lineman Jakobe Green out of Quincy, Fla., and Gadsden County High
    • Offensive lineman Nikau Hepi out of Auckland, New Zealand and the NFL Academy
    • Offensive lineman Mike Ionata out of Tarpon Springs and Calvary Christian High
    • Defensive back Chuck Kennon out of Bradenton and Booker High
    • Linebacker Noah Lavallee out of Marietta, Ga., and Walton High School
    • Defensive lineman Damaad Lewis out of Charlotte N.C., Myers Park High School
    • Linebacker Karon Maycock out of Miami Central High School
    • Offensive lineman Steven Moore out of Memphis, Tenn., Barlett High School and Garden City (Kan.) Community College
    • Quarterback Jaden O’Neal out of Mustang, Okla., High School
    • Offensive lineman Steven Pickard Jr. out of Charleston, S.C. and IMG Academy
    • Defensive lineman Jaemin Pinckney out of Dorchester, S.C., Woodland High
    • Defensive lineman Earnest Rankins out of Scottsdale, Ga., and Southwest DeKalb High
    • Running back Amari Thomas out of Marianna and Blountstown High
    • Tight end Xavier Tiller out of Atlanta and Langston Hughes High
    • Wide receiver E.J. White out of Vero Beach High
    • Defensive lineman Franklin Whitley out Greenville (S.C.) Senior High
    • Wide receiver Darryon Williams out of Tampa Plant High
    • Linebacker Izayia Williams out of Tavares High School
    • Wide receiver Jonah Winston out of Hoover (Ala.) High School

     

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  • Auburn hires USF’s Alex Golesh as new head coach

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    TAMPA, Fla. — USF head coach Alex Golesh will be heading to Auburn University to coach the Tigers in 2026, Auburn officials announced Sunday.

    Golesh has agreed to a six-year deal with Auburn, replacing Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze, according to sources with ESPN. 

    Golesh has agreed to a six-year deal with Auburn, replacing Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze, according to sources with ESPN. Officials said Golesh is expected to visit Auburn on Sunday to assess the 2026 commitments and to develop a plan for Signing Day.

    This comes after USF closed out its 2025 regular season with a win against Rice 52-3 on Saturday and with a 9-3 record overall.

    This is a developing story. Check back with Spectrum Bay News 9 for more updates.

     

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  • Brown accounts for 5 touchdowns as USF rolls past Rice 52-3

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    TAMPA (AP) — Byrum Brown threw four touchdown passes before running for a score, and South Florida steamrolled Rice 52-3 on Saturday night in a regular-season finale.

    Brown completed 16 of 24 passes for 275 yards. He also carried 15 times for 104 yards. Keshaun Singleton had six receptions for 125 yards with two first-quarter touchdowns covering 5 and 47 yards.

    Brown staked South Florida (9-3, 6-2 American Conference) to a 14-0 lead after one quarter and then connected with Mudia Reuben for a 60-yard score early in the second. Nykahi Davenport added a 2-yard touchdown run and South Florida led 28-3 at halftime.

    Brown had a 7-yard scoring toss to Jeremiah Kroger on the first drive of the second half and Nico Gramatica added a 23-yard field goal for a 38-3 lead.

    Brown scored on a 5-yard run 21 seconds into the fourth quarter and backup Gaston Moore added a 3-yard touchdown toss to Christian Helms to set the final margin.

    Enock Gota kicked a 44-yard field goal on the final play of the first half for Rice (5-7, 2-6). The Owls managed only 257 yards of offense, while yielding 553 to the Bulls.

    South Florida has qualified for a bowl game, while Rice’s season ends.

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  • Byrum Brown’s 5 total touchdowns lead USF to 48-18 rout of UAB

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    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Bryum Brown threw for 353 yards and accounted for five total touchdowns in USF’s 48-18 victory over UAB on Saturday.

    The Blazers played hours after an incident at their football operations center in which two players were stabbed. Both were reported to be in stable position at a local hospital.

    The Bulls (8-3, 5-2 American Athletic Conference), who had already clinched a program-record third consecutive bowl appearance, trailed 10-7 after the first quarter but they scored the next 27 points to lead 34-10 heading to the fourth quarter.

    The highlight of Brown’s day was a 60-yard touchdown pass to Mudia Ruben that gave USF a 24-10 lead on the first play of the third quarter. Brown had a 1-yard run for the Bulls’ first touchdown and a 2-yard run for their final score to go with three TD passes. His five total touchdowns match his career high.

    Nykahi Davenport added 117 yards rushing and had a short touchdown run for USF. The Bulls had 191 yards rushing and a total offense of 544 yards. Reuben, a senior who had never had a 100-yard receiving game, had 174 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.

    Jalen Kitna had 230 yards passing for the Blazers (3-8, 1-6) but he threw three interceptions. Iverson Hooks caught 10 passes for 146 yards.

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  • UAB football player accused of stabbing 2 teammates before game against USF

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    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A University of Alabama at Birmingham football player stabbed two teammates Saturday morning, hours before the team’s game against the University of South Florida, the university said in a statement.

    Both wounded players were in stable condition, and the teammate suspected of stabbing them was in custody, the statement said. The university did not release the names of the players involved.

    The stabbing occurred on campus at the Football Operations Building.

    The team elected to play the afternoon game at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, where 29 players were being honored on Senior Day.

    “UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all of our students,” the statement said.

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  • Oklahoma State beats USF 103-95 in Stillwater

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    STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Vyctorius Miller scored 24 points to lead Oklahoma State to a 103-95 win over USF on Wednesday night.

    Miller was 7-of-11 shooting and made all four of his 3-point attempts. It’s the fifth consecutive game with 13 or more points to start this season for the sophomore transfer from LSU.

    Kanye Clary scored in double figures for the first time this season, tallying 12 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for Oklahoma State. Anthony Roy and Christian Coleman each had 15 points off the bench. Isaiah Coleman had four steals.

    The Bulls (3-2) led 44-31 with 4:12 left in the first half, following an 11-0 run. The Cowboys (5-0) countered with a 10-0 run to trail a 45-44 at halftime.

    CJ Brown led the Bulls with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting to go with 10 assists. Joseph Pinion had 20 points, shooting 6 of 11, all from 3-point territory. Wes Enis had 20 on 7-of-19 shooting off the bench.

    Josh Omojafo, who entered the game averaging 19.8 points per game on 60.5% shooting, was held to nine points, going 1-of-7 shooting. His lone field goal came with three seconds remaining.

    It’s the Cowboys’ first time hitting 100 points this season, and it came against the No. 7 scoring offense in the country (101.3 points per game). The Bulls have scored at least 95 points in each of their five games.

    ___

    Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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  • Pinion scores 24, South Florida downs Kennesaw State 108-89

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    KENNESAW, Ga. ( (AP) — Joseph Pinion scored 24 points as South Florida beat Kennesaw State 108-89 on Sunday.

    Pinion shot 5 for 7 (3 for 3 from 3-point range) and 11 of 12 from the free-throw line for the Bulls (3-1). Josh Omojafo scored 20 points while going 6 of 13 from the floor, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and 6 for 6 from the line and added six rebounds. Izaiyah Nelson shot 6 of 10 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line to finish with 18 points.

    The Owls (3-1) were led in scoring by Simeon Cottle, who finished with 25 points. Braedan Lue added 12 points, two steals and four blocks for Kennesaw State. Trey Simpson and RJ Johnson also had 11 points.

    The score was 56-41 at halftime, with Pinion racking up 20 points. Omojafo scored 18 points in the second half to help lead the way.

    Up next

    South Florida’s next game is Wednesday against Oklahoma State on the road, and Kennesaw State plays Rice on Monday.

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  • USF loses ground in AAC championship game bid in loss to Navy 41-38

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    ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Eli Heidenreich caught five passes for 146 yards and became Navy’s all-time receiving yards leader, quarterback Braxton Woodson ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter in relief of Blake Horvath and the Midshipmen defeated South Florida 41-38 on Saturday.

    Alex Tecza carried 12 times for 126 yards, including an early 76-yard score, and caught Horvath’s lone touchdown pass as Navy (8-2, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) secured a half-game lead in the conference.

    Heidenreich has 1,794 career receiving yards and moved past Rob Thompson’s 1,736, compiled from 1965-67.

    Byrum Brown threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 136 yards and two more scores for South Florida (7-3, 4-2), which scored 22 points in the fourth quarter yet lost its second consecutive road game. The Bulls also lost ground in their bid to reach the conference championship game.

    After Heidenreich earlier career-long 82-yard catch from Horvath set up Brandon Chatman’s 4-yard touchdown run to make it 14-3 at the end of the first quarter, his 32-yard catch from Woodson was a crucial moment during an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with Woodson’s 20-yard scoring run to make it 34-24.

    On Navy’s next possession, Woodson ran 64 yards for the Midshipmen’s third play of 60 or more yards to make it 41-30.

    The takeaway

    After another big home win put the Bulls back in the Top 25 for the fifth time this season, South Florida may fall back.

    Up next

    South Florida: At UAB next Saturday.

    Navy: At Memphis on Nov. 27.

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