USF Athletics

Louk's Closer Look: Bulls Begin 2019 on Big Stage

August 29, 2019

MATCHUP: No. 19/17 Wisconsin at USF
DAY/TIME: Friday/7 p.m.
LOCATION: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
TV: ESPN
RADIO: AM 1250 WHNZ | Bulls Unlimited
FOLLOW: Live stats | Twitter
GAME NOTES: USF | Wisconsin
TICKETS: USFBullsTix.com
 
 
By JIM LOUK
Voice of the Bulls

TAMPA, AUG. 29, 2019 – Here we go!  The 23^rd season of USF football begins Friday night vs. No. 19/17 Wisconsin.  The program is now old enough to have multiple generations of fans, but still young enough that more than a few of us have been part of it from the very beginning. I hope this season is all that you wish for; I know the players and coaches have put in an incredible amount of work in preparation.
 
It'll be a great opening night, as the Badgers travel to Tampa, and we can't have you unprepared in the trivia department.  Here are a few facts suitable for water cooler discussion as we get ready for the big night:
 

• August games used to be quite a rarity for the Bulls, but they are now becoming more and more common.  The Bulls didn't play a single August game until 2001, when they opened the season at Northern Illinois. In their first 22 years, the Bulls have gone 4-3 in the month of August; 3-1 at home and 1-2 on the road.
• On the exact date of Aug. 30, the Bulls are 2-2 with wins over Tennessee-Martin (2008) and Western Carolina (2014) and losses to Northern Illinois (2001) and Alabama (2003).
• The lone game against Wisconsin was in Madison on Sept. 27, 2014.  The Bulls had quite a journey that weekend, as air traffic troubles forced the team to land in La Crosse and then bus three hours to Madison.  USF kept it close much of the game before falling, 27-10.
• The Bulls are currently 2-5 when playing teams that were current members of the Big Ten Conference on game day.  Both wins were recent, over Illinois in 2017 and 2018.
• Record watch! Mitchell Wilcox has 72 career catches. He's four short of passing Sean Price for the most career receptions by a tight end at USF.  Wilcox (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) already owns the career USF yardage mark by a tight end.
• Groza Award candidate Coby Weiss (Gainesville, Fla.) enters the season with nine consecutive made field goals. He's four off the record, shared by Emilio Nadelman and Marvin Kloss.
• Terrence Horne (Miramar, Fla.) is tied for the program lead with two kickoff returns for touchdowns. There have been 10 kickoff returns for touchdowns in USF history and the only other Bull with more than one is Lindsey Lamar, who is currently a quality control analyst for USF football. He got both of his in 2010.

 
There will be plenty to enjoy in and around the stadium on Friday, and a great crowd is expected.  It's the first of seven home games this year.
 
If you can't make it, remember we're a little different on radio this year.  Our first hour of pregame will be exclusive to USF Bulls Unlimited.  Download the free iHeart radio app, search for us, and you'll hear USF Athletics from anywhere in the world.
 
The second hour of the pregame and the game itself will be on AM 1250 as well as Unlimited.  Soon the games will move to 95.3 FM and AM 620, but Friday will be on AM 1250 WHNZ.
 
TV coverage will be on ESPN.
 
Offseason?  Done.  Now the fun begins. Let's get ready for USF football.  Horns Up!
 
 
 
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
Having completed just its 22^nd season of football, and 19^th at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program's 150^th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.
 
Follow @USFFootball on twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.