The University of South Florida football team’s 2015 schedule dates were announced Thursday when the American Athletic Conference released schedules for all 12 conference teams. Kick times and television arrangements for most of the Bulls’ schedule will be announced at a later date.
Among the Bulls’ eight conference games, USF is slated for three Friday primetime contests with two played at Raymond James Stadium. The first of those comes following the Bulls’ lone bye week as USF opens the conference season on Friday, October 2 vs. defending conference co-champion Memphis at Raymond James Stadium. That game will air nationally on ESPN or ESPN2 and will mark the second year in a row USF will open the conference season at home in a Friday, nationally televised game in primetime. The Bulls downed UConn on ESPN last year.
USF’s other home conference contests are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. SMU, Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. Temple and another Friday primetime match-up with a defending conference co-champion in Cincinnati on Friday, Nov. 20, which will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. In 2015, the Bulls will face all three teams that tied atop the 2014 American Conference standings as well as seven teams that competed in a bowl game last season, five in conference action.
USF’s road conference contests are highlighted by a third straight “Black Friday” match-up with intrastate rival UCF on the day after Thanksgiving. The clash with the Knights is set for Friday, Nov. 27 in Orlando and will be televised nationally by a network to be determined.
The Bulls are set for conference road contests on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Connecticut, Saturday, Oct. 31 at Navy – a Halloween match-up scheduled for a noon kickoff on CBS Sports Network – and a contest Saturday, Nov. 7 at East Carolina.
USF kicks off the season on Saturday, Sept. 5 in Raymond James Stadium vs. Florida A&M. The Bulls' other previously announced non-conference dates include games at Florida State (Sept. 12, 11 a.m. on ESPN) and at Maryland (Sept. 19), and a home contest vs. Syracuse (Oct. 10).
The American Athletic Conference will expand to 12 teams in 2015 with the addition of Navy. The conference will divide into East and West divisions with USF a part of the East Division that includes UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina and Temple. Division winners will meet in the American Conference Championship Game, which is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5 and will be played at the home site of a division winner. That game will be televised nationally be ABC/ESPN.
2015 USF FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME TV
Sat., Sept. 5 FLORIDA A&M Raymond James Stadium TBD
Sat., Sept. 12 at Florida State Tallahassee, Florida 11 a.m. ESPN
Sat., Sept. 19 at Maryland College Park, Maryland TBD
BYE WEEK
Fri., Oct. 2 MEMPHIS* Raymond James Stadium TDB ESPN/ESPN2
Sat., Oct. 10 SYRACUSE Raymond James Stadium TBD
Sat., Oct. 17 at UConn* East Hartford, Connecticut TBD
Sat., Oct. 24 SMU* Raymond James Stadium TBD
Sat., Oct. 31 at Navy* Annapolis, Maryland 12 p.m. CBSSN
Sat., Nov. 7 at ECU* Greenville, North Carolina TBD
Sat., Nov. 14 TEMPLE* Raymond James Stadium TBD
Fri., Nov. 20 CINCINNATI* Raymond James Stadium TBD CBSSN
Fri., Nov. 27 at UCF* Orlando, Florida TBD National TV/TBD
Sat., Dec. 5 AAC Championship Game (Home Site) TBD ABC/ESPN
* American Athletic Conference Game
All Games can be heard live on the USF/IMG Radio Network and GoUSFBulls.com