Is USF's pathway to a Power 4 conference about to become clearer?

I'm about to present what defense attorney's would call "circumstantial evidence" that could indicate that South Florida's quest to join a power conference could be closer to reality thanks to some recent events.

Working backwards, start with development late Monday. That's when the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the Protect College Sports Act. The bipartisan vote was 77-22 in favor of the measure.

The bill now goes to the U.S. House, which may not take it up until after the November midterms. President Trump is pushing House Speaker Mike Johnson hard to make sure the bill passes his chamber and sends it to him for his signature.

Florida Senator Ashley Moody, who lives in Plant City about 20 miles from USF, successfully attached an amendment to the bill that raised the cap for power conference membership from 19 schools to 20. She referenced USF in her remarks.

USF has been openly lobbying lawmakers to pass this bill, and we know why. The Bulls have no secret of their desire to join one of power leagues and leaving the American Conference behind. Moody's presentation is proof of how effective that lobbying has been.

Now, back up a few days.

Last week, On3.com reported that Miami (Ohio), James Madison, and UConn reached out to the American about joining the league. The conference responded that it was not interested in expansion "at this time." Those three words are key.

Miami was reportedly so eager to join that it offered up to $40 million to the conference for an invite.

UConn denied the report that it wanted to join as a football-only member while keeping the rest of its sports -- including its juggernaut men's and women's basketball teams -- in the Big East.

In a statement to WCPO TV in Cincinnati, the American said: "As the landscape of college sports continues to evolve competitively, legislatively and legally, the American Conference remains focused on driving innovation and helping shape key decisions and opportunities for our member institutions, student-athletes and the industry. The American is not proactively seeking additional members. We will continue to evaluate the changing landscape and opportunities that strengthen the conference and support our collective mission."

That's what we in the business call a non-denial denial. The logical conclusion here is that at Miami and James Madison anticipate changes in the American and want to be at the front of the line if/when USF, Memphis, and Tulane all leave.

Going all the way back, South Florida has been a program on a mission to regain a seat at the big-boy table since watching UCF and other members of the then-American Athletic Conference leave to join power conferences.

With its massive investment in athletics, increasing success on the field for nearly all of its teams -- men's and women's included -- USF is checking boxes. One of the biggest boxes is its membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), testament to its transformation of a "fallback" school for those who couldn't get into Florida to now an academic/economic powerhouse.

Assuming the Protect College Sports Act gets final passage, the dominoes could start tumbling very quickly.

Fasten your seat belts, Bulls Nation. This stuff's about to get real.

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