Miami nice: Leavitt to announce 'major' series
The much-anticipated Thanksgiving weekend football series between USF and Miami has come to fruition, and Bulls coach Jim Leavitt will announce at 4 p.m. today that the Bulls will play the Hurricanes every year from 2009 to 2013.
USF and Miami were already on contract for three games in that span, so today's additions are games in 2010 and 2011. From 2010 on, the series will be played on Thanksgiving weekend, almost assuredly to a national television audience, a significant deal that puts the Bulls one step closer to the state's "Big Three" programs.
USF and Miami have met once, with the Hurricanes winning 27-7 in the Orange Bowl in 2005. Miami will play the Bulls in Raymond James Stadium in September 2009. The Times had reported earlier this month that Miami was optimistic that within the month they could announce with USF an annual Thanksgiving-week game that would create a state rivalry weekend with the Florida-Florida State game. (Or the Florida State-Florida game, you might say.)
To make the two new games possible, USF had to reshuffle two existing nonconference games, the 2011 game at Florida will now be played in 2015 and a home game with Indiana has been moved to 2016.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Yeargh!
Posted by: | May 31, 2007 at 02:14 PM
Do you think USF will keep the games scheduled against Florida in both of those years?
Thanks, Bill
Posted by: Bill | May 31, 2007 at 03:14 PM
I would rather see Miami play UF every year. Too bad the Gators lost their sack to play a real non-conference college football team.
Posted by: me | May 31, 2007 at 03:31 PM
Don't see why they wouldn't. I'm no expert... but I don't see why they would want out of that payday/state exposure/chance to solidify themselves as a major school.
Posted by: | May 31, 2007 at 03:41 PM
If you would rather see UF play Miami, I feel you have stumbled your way into the wrong blog...
Posted by: | May 31, 2007 at 03:43 PM
Is this just UM fulfilling an obligation to the Big East as part of their exit compromise? Greg?
Posted by: Alex | May 31, 2007 at 11:46 PM
Is this just UM fulfilling an obligation to the Big East as part of their exit compromise? Greg?
Posted by: Alex | May 31, 2007 at 11:47 PM
Who let some idiots onto this blog? Delete their comments Greg.
Posted by: Miles Lamoureux | June 01, 2007 at 12:39 AM
Why should the UF game be rescheduled. Play those Gators! I am not afraid of them. They might be afraid of USF. I really like the Miami series though!
Posted by: Claudel | June 01, 2007 at 07:56 AM
Florida makes too much money at home to play a game in Tampa against South Florida and risk defeat. I hope Woolard finds a way to remove Florida totally and focus on other schools of similar stature, from other states if needed, willing to play a home and home series. It is all about the home game ticket sales.
Posted by: BullBard | June 01, 2007 at 08:20 AM
The entire USF athletics dept. has done an outstanding job with the football program to this point. This is a great feather in the USF cap and I look forward to lots of continuted good decisions by the staff.
Go Bulls!
Posted by: BA | June 02, 2007 at 11:58 AM