As the Tampa Bay area tries to get back to normal this week, after the onslaught of Hurricane Irma, Raymond James Stadium will play host to a football trifecta this weekend. It begins Friday night as the USF Bulls host the Fighting Illini (Illinois) at 7 pm.  Saturday, it’s the FAMU Tampa Football Classic when Florida A&M plays Tennessee State at 6p m.  And Sunday, the Bucs play their season opener at 1 pm, hosting the Chicago Bears.

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On Thursday, the American Athletic Conference announced significant schedule changes centered around USF, and efforts to assure a full conference schedule after the Bulls’ conference opener was postponed.  USF will indeed play all 8 AAC games, now that the UConn game was rescheduled, but will lose a home game with non-conference opponent UMass.

  • USF at UConn, previously scheduled for Sep. 9, will now be played on Sat. Nov. 4 at UConn.
  • USF vs. Cincinnati, previously scheduled for Oct. 28, will now be played on Sat. Oct. 14 at Raymond James Stadium.  It will remain the Bulls’ Homecoming game.
  • USF vs. Houston, previously scheduled for Nov. 4, will now be played on Sat. Oct. 28 at Raymond James Stadium.
  • USF vs. UMass, previously scheduled for Oct. 14, will not be played this season and will be moved to either 2022 or 2023. 

USF will be compensated for the loss of a home game, by the American Athletic Conference.

In the midst of this unprecedented rescheduling, the Bulls are anxious to get back on the field after last week’s postponed game at UConn.  This will be the school’s 6th game against a Big Ten team, and they haven’t beaten one yet.  Illinois also started the season 2-0, including perhaps their best-played game in 2 years when they beat Western Kentucky last Saturday, 20-7.  Tampa fans will recognize the Illini’s head coach, Lovie Smith, who was an assistant and head coach for the Bucs.

The Bulls are coming into this one with a 2-0 start but weren’t convincing in either game against San Jose State and Stony Brook.

One of the more intriguing matchups will be partially played out on the sidelines.  The Bulls’ senior safety Devin Abraham will play against his dad on the Illinois coaching staff.  Former Buccaneer cornerback Donnie Abraham is now on Smith’s staff as defensive backs coach.

USF has also offered free admission to the game, for first responders and their families.. and to high school football teams, who have seen their game postponed because of Irma. Although Illinois isn’t a great team, a Bulls’ win over a Big Ten club on Friday will get college football’s attention.

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