USF’s game against 25th-ranked Boise State is one of the most anticipated openers in program history.
It has all the elements: a playoff-level opponent, a big home crowd, national television with no other games for competition, and a chance for the Bulls to make a big-time statement with a lot of eyeballs watching.
Since its inaugural season in 1997, USF has generally played “safe” opponents before stepping up in competition.
For instance, the first game in program history was against a completely overmatched Kentucky Wesleyan team. The final was 80-3 in front of 49,212 fans at old Tampa Stadium.
The crowd was believed to be a record for a 1-AA football game (that was USF’s classification at the time).
When the Bulls did step up in competition, it frequently didn’t end well.
They lost openers to Alabama 40-17, Penn State 23-13, Wisconsin 49-0, N.C. State 45-0, and BYU 50-21. The Wisconsin, N.C. State and BYU games were coached by Alex Golesh's two predecessors -- also known as They Who Shall Not Be Named.
At the risk of picking at an old scab, many fans will remember the 2013 opener at home for new head coach Willie “Get On The Bus” Taggart.
Fans were expecting the Bulls to roll over McNeese State, and the game started that way. Just 2:13 into the game, Marcus Shaw ran 80 yards for a touchdown to put USF up 7-0.
Alas, McNeese scored the next 40 points en route to a 53-21 blowout. Fans were leaving by halftime, and Taggart was off and running to a 2-10 season.
Ah, but we’ll always have Notre Dame!
That was the 2011 opener in South Bend.
Kavon Webster’s 96-yard ramble for a touchdown after recovering a fumble got the Bulls off and running. They never trailed, waiting out two weather delays totaling three hours before winning 23-20.
The day will also be remembered for a somber reason. Back in Tampa, USF and Tampa icon Lee Roy Selmon was in a local hospital after suffering a stroke. He died the next day.
Of course, the bad things that happened in several opening games against tough opponents will have absolutely no bearing on the Boise State game. If anything, this game offers USF a great chance to flip that opening script.
This likely is USF’s best and deepest team since the glory days of the Quinton Flowers era. Hence, the excitement.
“We’re in a good spot as a team. We are getting healthy. This was a huge, huge week for us to get a bunch of guys healthy, get a bunch of guys back at their weights,” Golesh said.
FanDuel has Boise favored by 6.5 points, and that seems about right. Boise returns quarterback Maddux Madsen, and even though running back Ashton Jeanty, the Heisman runner-up, is gone, the Broncos should have a strong running game and imposing offensive and defensive lines.
But that line is also an acknowledgment that USF should go toe-to-toe with the Broncos.
And if the Bulls’ defense is as improved as appearances say it could be, they could do more than just keep it close.