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South Florida football makes its return to Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, following a two-game slide against American Conference opponents.

The Bulls (4-2, 1-2) look to bounce back after a pair of heartbreakers, with a homecoming crowd as their backdrop.

On the other sideline, Kent State University looks to bounce back from a pair of losses itself.

Despite their losses, Bulls coach Brian Hartline said USF is simply keen on getting better in their own game – no matter the opponent.

“It’s all about us getting better regardless of who we play,” Hartline said at Tuesday’s press conference.

✍️ by Tobey Blair
📸 by Jeanelle Henderson

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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4 days ago

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5 days ago

After four weeks of wobbling to wins, the wheels came off for USF in its 17-13 loss against Temple University Saturday.

The Bulls slow start ultimately doomed them, as sloppy play held South Florida back in every facet of the game.

For Bulls coach Brian Hartline, the concept is simple – USF can’t seem to get out of its own way.

“We’re still our worst enemy on gameday,” Hartline said in the post-game press conference.

USF struggled to find an effective offensive attack throughout the bout, a fact not unique to the loss against the Owls.

This year, against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents, the Bulls average just 18.5 points per game — which would be equivalent to the 14th worst in College Football.

The Bulls have struggled to put the ball in the endzone, scoring eight touchdowns against FBS opponents throughout the year, yet their defense has held opponents to low scoring affairs.

Against the Owls, USF’s season low 13-points couldn’t make up the difference – as the cracks begin to show.

✍️ by Tobey Blair (@tobeywblair)
🎨 by Jeanelle Henderson (@azaliasphotos)

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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14 days ago

Watching the price of an on-campus stadium swell by nearly $90 million in three years might read as a red flag anywhere else.

South Florida Athletics leaders see it as momentum.

USF’s Board of Trustees approved an original $340 million price tag in 2023. That number grew to $407 million in 2025 for the stadium and surrounding improvements.

And in August it grew again — $22 million more, pushed through a unanimous vote by the BOT Finance Committee, bringing the total cost of the USF Stadium Project and East Campus Infrastructure Improvements to $429 million.

For Athletics CEO Rob Higgins and COO Derrick Brooks, that number is more than the price of a stadium. It’s a sign of how they want South Florida to think about itself.

“I think we at times have tolerated a mindset that is truly second fiddle,” Higgins said in an interview with The Oracle.

✍️ by Mithil Vyas (@mithil.vyas)
🎨 by Ellie Frost (@el.fro.photos)

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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17 days ago

I have spent the past two years walking into stadiums packed with tens of thousands of people, covering USF athletics for The Oracle.

And every single week, some part of me — the part that grew up watching sports in Vietnam — still can’t quite believe what I’m looking at.

Back home, there’s no equivalent to any of this.

There’s no student newspaper sending a correspondent to cover a university football team playing in front of 30,000 fans, and no 20-year-old quarterback balancing classes with a paycheck as an athlete.

Sports in Vietnam mostly live outside the classroom entirely — a talented young athlete joins a club or a national training program, not a university team, and school stays separate from any of it.

The more games I cover, the more I realize this isn’t just a different version of sports — it’s a different idea of what sports are supposed to be.

✍️ by Hong Phong Le (@lhpbabyy)
🎨 by Aubrey Van Leuven (@aubreyvanleuven)

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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19 days ago

Despite a slow start to the season, South Florida women’s soccer has started to find its footing in their 2026 campaign.

Starting the season with three consecutive losses, the Bulls (2-4-3, 0-0-2 American) endured a rough start to their year.

Their next fixture, however, brought hope back to fans and players alike, as USF took three points away in a 3-0 win on Aug. 30 at Stetson University.

But it wasn’t until their first win at home, that the Bulls’ season truly began to take a turn for the better.

Unbeaten in their last four matches, head coach Chris Brown’s squad seems to have settled into this new campaign.

“We didn’t start on the right foot,” freshman forward McKenna Battilla said. “But every day at practice, everyone has had a positive mindset, bringing people up when they’re down on themselves mentally.”

The Bulls’ 1-1 draw last week against American Conference leaders Memphis sparked a newfound confidence in their players and coach alike.

“It’s been a long time coming for us to get results like this,” sophomore goalkeeper Gaby Rourke said following the match Thursday. “I think as [the season] goes on, we are starting to settle our feet.”

✍️ by Nate Ferguson
🎨 by Cole Abruzzese

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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19 days ago

After a 14-6 victory over Bowling Green University Saturday, South Florida football sits at 4-0 on the year for the first time since 2018 – without the satisfaction to match it.

Through four games, the Bulls have found themselves playing down to their competition, much to head coach Brian Hartline’s dismay.

USF came into the game against the winless Falcons as 15.5 point favorites, according to ESPN.

Yet after a two touchdown offensive display, Hartline placed an emphasis on moving into conference play.

“By Tuesday, the score won’t matter,” Hartline said in a post-game press conference. “At the end of the day we’re looking forward to conference play.”

The Bulls offense sluggishly put together a pair of touchdowns – both coming in the fourth quarter.

However, while the Bulls couldn’t find points early on, South Florida’s defense put the Falcons in a similar spot – holding Bowling Green to just a pair of field goals.

For redshirt-senior defensive tackle Asani Redwood, the Bulls strategy on defense was simple – no easy runs.

“The goal this week was to stop the run,” Redwood said. “We kill their will to run that ball so they have to throw it.”

USF allowed just 85 rushing yards on 33 attempts, an average of 2.6 yards per carry.

While the Bulls stifled the run, USF redshirt-senior running back DJ Crowther had little issue running the ball, putting together 143-yards and a touchdown.

Crowther comfortably took the starting running back position early in the year, rushing for 325 yards and five touchdowns through the first four games.

The former Ivy-league running back said grinding out games was part of his identity.

✍️ by Tobey Blair (@tobeywblair)
📸 by Jeanelle Henderson (@azaliasphotos)

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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21 days ago

In 2022, then-high school wide receiver Bryson Rodgers had a decision to make about his football playing future.

Despite offers from college football titans like Ohio State University, The University of Georgia and The University of Miami, the Wesley Chapel native was keen on USF – with an offer from the Bulls to match his interest.

The connection to South Florida was deep for Rodgers, frequenting Bulls’ games as a kid.

Rodgers recalled sitting in the stands of Raymond James Stadium years before, determined to play in a stadium like it.

“I remember as a kid telling my dad ‘I’m going to play in a big stadium like this,’” Rodgers said in a press conference.

As he grew up and football became more serious, the desire to attend South Florida didn’t fade.

Attending high school at Wiregrass Ranch, Rodgers worked his way up to becoming a four-star recruit. At the time, he felt being a Bull was meant to be.

“I was [born to be a Bull],” Rodgers said. “I felt like that in high school.”

Yet, when he sat down, one factor stood out above the rest – Ohio State had Brian Hartline.

Rodgers mind was made up – committing to Ohio State in April of 2022, before his senior season had even begun.

By 2022, Hartline had already made his way up the ranks to wide receiver coach, with a laundry list of receiver talent he helped develop including NFL stars Terry McLaurin, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave – and Rodgers was eager to join the lineage.

“Brian Hartline is how I ended up at Ohio State,” Rodgers said. “Just the pedigree of what Coach Hartline does.”

✍️ by Tobey Blair (@tobeywblair)
📸 by Cole Abruzzese (@c.a._photography_)

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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25 days ago

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a month ago

Samiyah Abdur-Rahim was on her way to her uncle Amir Abdur-Rahim’s funeral when she received an email that South Florida wanted her to play volleyball.

The timing was, in her own words, “funny”.
Abdur-Rahim was traveling to Florida to say goodbye to her uncle, who coached USF men’s basketball team from 2023 until his death on Oct. 3, 2024.

Just one day after the funeral, she met with USF volleyball coach Jolene Shepardson to join the team.

She decided almost immediately she wanted to join.

“[Coach] is so full of energy, she’s this great, bubbly person,” Abdur-Rahim said in an interview with The Oracle. “So I think that first initial meeting was just great and what led me to [become] a Bull.”

And just one state away, Ryelle Rondo was having her own unexpected introduction to USF.

Rondo was going to a friend’s graduation at the University of Alabama when she found out South Florida was interested.

“I get this call and I’m like kind of confused,” Rondo said. “It was Coach [Shepardson]. She was so warm, bubbly and very welcoming.”

Despite arriving from different places and learning about USF in completely different moments, both players found themselves in the same destination — Tampa.

✍️ by Jack Febesh
📸 by Violet Vasquez-Pimentel

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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a month ago

Many parents would consider themselves lucky to see one of their children get a scholarship to play Division I college sports.

For Ashlee and Martin Gramatica, they are fortunate enough to see both of their sons, Nico and Gaston, play football for a school their family has significant history with.

Nico, who has been USF’s starting kicker since 2025, announced his commitment to USF on June 23, 2023. His younger brother, Gaston, announced his commitment to USF on April 17, 2025, and currently backs up Nico.

The two brothers followed in the footsteps of their father, who was an NFL kicker for several teams, most notably for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their 2002 Superbowl run.

They also succeeded their uncle, Santiago, who served as a kicker for USF during the 2004 season. Their other uncle, Guillermo, who goes by Bill, was USF’s kicker during the 2000 season.

Nico said having his brother on the team has given him someone that can actively help him improve his game.

“We’ve kicked together for the last, maybe, five years,” Nico said in an interview with The Oracle. “He knows all my kicking techniques and we get to work together every day. It’s amazing.”

Nico and Gaston are continuing the Gramatica family’s USF Athletics lineage while using their relationship as siblings to help better each other as players.

✍️ by Nicholas Ramos
📸 by Cole Abruzzese

📲 Click the link in bio to read more. by @usforaclesports

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a month ago

South Florida football found its footing offensively Saturday night, as a strong running attack helped the Bulls defeat Delaware State 59-17.

The offense was led by senior running back D.J. Crowther, who had 101 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

And despite the Bulls defensive miscues in the first half, their offense held them in the game as they rallied back after halftime — ending the game with seven rushing touchdowns and 290 yards on the game.

🎤 by Mithil Vyas (@mithil.vyas)
🎥 by Jeanelle Henderson (@azaliasphotos)

📲Read more at usforacle.com by @usforaclesports

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a month ago