USF's opening-game opponent for the 2024 season is Bethune-Cookman University, a Football Championship Subdivision program, Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Raymond James Stadium.
Since becoming a Football Bowl Subdivision program, USF is 32-1 against FCS schools. Talk about formidable history.
According to Bulls head coach Alex Golesh, none of that history or perceived superiority has anything to do with his team's preparation or how it will perform on Saturday night.
"The challenge to our guys, regardless of who we're playing, is winning today and making sure that we work on our process today,'' Golesh said. "That can't change based on who your opponent is. Teams that get up and get down, get up and get down, those are inconsistent teams — and that was us a year ago.
"Teams learning how to win end up going up and down in their process, getting hyped for one game, not working like they should for another. I can tell you what our mock week (last week) looked like, what our mock game (last Saturday) looked like and what today looked like. Our guys are preparing like they're going to play in the Super Bowl. The end result will be what the end result is. And I'll get evaluated on the wins and losses.''
Heading into a season that includes non-conference games against Alabama (Sept. 7) and Miami (Sept. 21), plus a front-loaded American Athletic Conference schedule that includes a trip to Tulane (Sept. 28) and an ESPN Friday night home showcase against Memphis (Oct. 11), there are great expectations surrounding the Bulls.
Most prognosticators have portrayed USF as an AAC contender and a program that looks ready to build upon last season, which finished 7-6 with a 45-0 win against Syracuse at the Boca Raton Bowl.
"We do expect a lot of ourselves, but it's all about putting in the work, not getting ahead of yourself, approaching this season day by day and following our process,'' Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown said.
Golesh couldn't have said it better himself.
"I think you earn the right to expect to win with what your week looks like,'' Golesh said. "You earn the right to expect to win by what camp looked like what the summer looked like. The outside expectations are certainly raised and we've talked about that a bunch. Our guys understand that it hasn't affected us or how we go about our business.
"But our only expectation is getting our process right. And the only opinions that matter are your true inner circle, which is your coaches, your teammates and the people in this building. I'm not saying to keep your family out. But your family's job is to tell you how awesome you are and how excited they are to see you after the game, regardless of how it went. Your inner circle is going to tell you the truth, whether you did a great job or didn't do a great job.''
B-CU is 2-16 all-time against FBS opponents and both of the victories were against Florida International University (in 2013 and 2014). Wildcats coach Raymond Woodie, a former B-CU linebacker, was USF's assistant head coach for the final two of his four seasons on Willie Taggart's staff. The Wildcats were 3-8 in 2023, including late-season wins against Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M.
Golesh said he and his staff feel confidence in their preparation for B-CU.
"They bring back a ton in the front seven defensively with new guys in the back end, but you assume, structurally, it will look the same,'' Golesh said. "They return essentially three starters on offense with a new quarterback. Same head coach, same coordinators from last year and you go back years on the coordinators to see if there's a trend of change and that's what you're studying.
"We think they could look a little different based on personnel, but in terms of the DNA, it should be the same. You feel like you know what you're getting scheme-wise and you have enough to go on. I guess the excitement or the biggest question is this: How are your own guys going to play? Just like any other game, if we play to our potential, you feel like you have a chance to win any game.''
Season-openers can be tricky. Most coaches generally feel that the greatest improvement is between the first and second game.
"The challenge is to make sure all your ducks are in a row and you've covered every single situation that could come up,'' Golesh said. "If you watch football, week one, week two, you see the pre-snap penalties that are totally preventable. Like, that's my biggest fear.
"The fear is not snapping the ball after a kickoff return and getting a delay-of-game penalty. Too many people on the field. Not enough people on the field. You see those things and you try to learn from other people's mistakes and you hope they're not your mistakes. We are confident that we've done everything possible to prepare us for success.''
