USF football season-ticket sales increase as 2024 season dawns

The USF football program’s surreal surge in momentum has manifested itself in the program’s ticket office.

A week before the Aug. 31 home season opener against Bethune-Cookman, the university reports 2,600 new season tickets have been sold for 2024, with a 92% renewal among 2023 season-ticket holders.

As a result, the Bulls could draw one of their heartiest year-opening crowds next weekend. Last season’s home opener against Florida A&M drew an announced Raymond James Stadium audience of 36,495. The 2022 home opener against BYU attracted 31,521.

The Bulls’ record for a season home opener is 64,692 for the nationally televised showdown against then-No. 13 Florida (a 42-20 Gators victory) on Sept. 11, 2021.

USF’s 2024 home slate is an attractive one. No. 19 Miami visits on Sept. 21, and the Bulls face Memphis in a Friday-night clash (Oct. 11) that could have huge American Athletic Conference implications. Navy arrives at Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 9.

“Everybody’s excited,” quarterback Byrum Brown said at the outset of training camp. “Walking around campus, it is different, but you’ve got to maintain a level head and you know you’ve got to put in the work.”

Winner of four total games from 2020-2022, USF experienced an astounding resuscitation under first-year coach Alex Golesh last season, finishing 6-6 before a 45-0 annihilation of Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Bulls return 19 starters and all three coordinators from that team, and earlier this year landed the most hailed signing class of any Group of Five program.

Additionally, the roster includes 28 graduate students, believed to be the most of any college team in Florida.

“Obviously, there’s expectations this year from a year ago, which is really, really positive that people care, people are talking about it,” Golesh said.

“I think we’ve certainly put South Florida back in a conversation. The hardest thing to do in coaching is, when there’s actually expectations, to in some way live up to it. So, we go right back to nothing else matters outside of what’s in that room, nothing else matters outside of how we go about our daily business. … And if our process can continue to improve, we’ll have a chance to have a successful season.”

Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls

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