By FRANCIS FEDOR
francisfotography@outlook.com
As the University of South Florida readies to open a new chapter of Bulls football with a new head coach, Brian Hartline, the new on-campus stadium is starting to look like a football stadium as the steel rises skyward. The structure, just outside of the program’s indoor practice facility, will be another piece of a growing sports complex and takes the profile of USF athletics to new level.
The new stadium, which will be off of Sycamore Drive, will be a part of a complex that includes the Yuengling Center, Corbett Soccer Stadium, and the baseball and softball fields. The football stadium will feature what is being called the longest rooftop bar and a student section that will be shaped like horns and have a special area for the USF Herd of Thunder band (HOT). It will also include the TGH Center for Athletic Excellence.
The Bulls will take the field for the 2026 college football campaign with an in-state rivalry game with the Florida International (FIU) Panthers on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m.. It will be the first game in the last season of play at Raymond James Stadium before moving to their 35,000 seat on-campus football stadium. The program started play in 1997 at Tampa Stadium, aka The Big Sombrero, for a full season before moving with the Buccaneers to Raymond James Stadium in 1998.
The “Sombrero” stood on what is now a North parking lot for Raymond James event attendees. An on-campus stadium had always been considered, notionally, in 1957 with the establishment of the University of South Florida and long before football was a viable option for it. In 2016, an effort started when Judy Genshaft, then-president of USF, hired The Beck Group to create a conceptual plan for a 50K seat stadium. In 2021, the USF Board of Trustees chair, Will Weatherford, renewed momentum for a new stadium, culminating in the ground breaking in November 2024.
Under the leadership of new head coach Brian Hartline, the Bulls will celebrate their 30th season of football in 2026 with seven home games for the first time since 2019. The season will also be USF's final at Raymond James Stadium before opening its new 35,000-seat on-campus stadium in 2027.
The 2026-27 season for the fans kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2:30 – 4:30 at the Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility for Bulls Fest, where attendees will be able to meet student-athletes and coaches while enjoying family friendly activities. There is no cost to attend, but fans are encouraged to hold a spot by visiting https://usf.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dnYZiAvvAHtW3Pw/.
Bulls Fest will feature a special introduction of the 2026 South Florida Football team, along with appearances from student-athletes and coaches representing a variety of Bulls Athletics programs. The event will also include interactive games, inflatables for kids, photo opportunities, music, giveaways and live stage programming throughout the afternoon. Additional details will be available at GOUSFBULLS.COM and @USFAthletics on social media.
On the field, the Bulls opened camp on Aug. 5 and will look a lot different from the 2025 team that fell just short of a potential College Football Playoff bid. The team will have 51 transfers, but a number of players who were a part of the exciting 2025 season will help bridge the gap between the old and the new, including offensive stars Mudia Reuben and Wyatt Sullivan. Reuben hauled in 36 catches for 495 yards and five TDs, and Sullivan had 18 catches for 176 yards and two TDs from the TE position. New head coach Brian Hartline will take on the challenge of integrating the old and the new to build on the success of the 2025 season. At the American Conference Media Days held in St. Petersburg on July 23-24, Hartline brought linebacker Greyson Howard and Sullivan, who had nothing but praise for Hartline and the future of USF football as the team looks to move to the next level.
A number of players will play the season under a national spotlight as they are on end-of-season award watchlists. The players include Caleb Cook (Outland Trophy), Nico Gramatica (Lou Groza Award), Alvon Isaac (Paul Hornung Award) and Mudia Reuben (Wuerffel Trophy).
The expectations will be high and the excitement will be building as USF celebrates and reflects on 27 years of memories on North Dale Mabry Hwy.
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