With all the talk for this upcoming season coming from the Power Four conferences, many tend to forget about the Group of Five.
Over the past few weeks, the Big 12, SEC, ACC, and Big Ten have been holding their media days ahead of the 2024 season. This week, the AAC is also holding its media days, and USF head coach Alex Golesh didn’t hold back on his thoughts about two opponents on the Bulls’ schedule.
In addition to their eight conference games this season, the Bulls will face four non-conference opponents. They open against Bethune-Cookman, an FCS school, and play Conference USA member Southern Miss in Week 4. The other two non-conference games are significant challenges against SEC powerhouse Alabama and ACC contender Miami.
However, South Florida head coach Alex Golesh suggested that it is the Bulls who will be a challenge for the Crimson Tide and Hurricanes, rather than the other way around. “Bama and Miami have to play South Florida,” Golesh told Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times.
Entering his second season as the Bulls’ head coach, Golesh aims to build on the progress made last year. Under previous head coach Jeff Scott, the program struggled, winning just four games combined in the four seasons prior. Last season, South Florida improved to a 7-6 record, including 4-4 in the AAC, finishing fifth in the conference.
Golesh’s comments gain significance considering USF’s performance against Alabama last year, where they lost 17-3 but were down by just seven points with under nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Alabama secured their final touchdown with only 33 seconds remaining, a stark improvement from USF’s 40-17 loss to Alabama in 2003.
Regarding Miami, the Bulls have a 1-5 record against the Hurricanes, with their last meeting in 2013 resulting in a 49-21 loss in Tampa. USF will face Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, September 7, and will host Miami on Saturday, September 21.
