USF Bulls bolster football schedule by adding former conference rival

The University of South Florida on Thursday announced a three-game series with former conference rival Louisville, giving the Bulls nine games against Power Five programs during the next seven seasons.

The Bulls and Cardinals, former rivals in Conference USA, the Big East and the American Athletic Conference, are scheduled to meet at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville in 2022 and 2026, and at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2024.

USF has won five of the 11 all-time meetings against Louisville. USF coach Charlie Strong guided the Cardinals from 2010-13, going 3-1 against the Bulls.

“The USF and Louisville programs have featured some of the most-exciting players in college football over the last few seasons,” USF athletic director Mark Harlan said in a news release.

“We are excited to have Louisville returning to Raymond James Stadium and to add a three-game series with an exciting, top-level opponent with which we share a great deal of history.”

South Florida went 10-2 during its first season under Strong, capped by a 37-34 win over Texas Tech in late December in the Birmingham Bowl.

In addition to Louisville, USF also will face Power Five programs Georgia Tech (2018 and 2019), Illinois (2018), Wisconsin (2019) and Texas (2020, 2022, 2024) during the next seven seasons. Strong coached Texas for three seasons (2014-16) before being fired and taking the USF job after Palmetto native Willie Taggart left for Oregon.

Meanwhile, USF announced it rescheduled previously set dates against BYU, Massachusetts and San Jose State:

• The Bulls and BYU will begin their two-game series in 2019 in Tampa, moving the Cougars’ trip to Raymond James Stadium up from the scheduled 2022. The teams will meet at BYU in 2021.
• USF’s 2017 home game against UMass that was canceled because of Hurricane Irma was rescheduled for 2022 in Tampa. Massachusetts will host the Bulls in 2018.
• The Bulls’ 2020 home tilt against San Jose State – the return game of a two-game set that began in 2017 – was moved to 2023.

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 12:03 PM with the headline "USF Bulls bolster football schedule by adding former conference rival."