USF, FSU to play home-and-home in '09, '12

USF won't have to wait until Thanksgiving for a shot at one of the state's "Big Three" programs. USF and Florida State have announced that the two schools will meet in a home-and-home series, with the first meeting in Tallahassee on Sept. 26 this fall and the return game in Tampa on Sept. 29, 2012.

"This is a milestone moment for our program and a tremendous opportunity for our players,” USF coach Jim Leavitt said in a statement. "Florida State has a great football tradition and we have a tremendous amount of respect for them. They will present our team with a great challenge and we embrace that."

The Times' Brian Landman first reported the possibility of a home-and-home series on his blog on Monday after speaking with Seminoles athletic director Randy Spetman. USF had a full schedule for this fall but will move its previously scheduled Oct. 10 game at Indiana to the 2015 season to free up an opening for the Seminoles.

"We are pleased to have added USF to our football schedule," Spetman said in a release on FSU's official site. "Anytime you can play a quality in-state opponent, everybody wins because it generates excitement for fans of both schools throughout the state."

This news means that USF will play all three of the state's other BCS conference schools in the next two seasons -- the Bulls and Miami will play each year for the next five seasons on Thanksgiving week, and USF is scheduled to play a game in Gainesville against the Gators in 2010 and again in 2015.

To accommodate the 2012 game, USF has shifted its scheduled game at Michigan State until 2013, with the Spartans' return game to Tampa now scheduled for 2017. The Indiana series has been shifted as well, with the Bloomington game in 2015 and the Tampa game in 2016. Here's the official release from USF, along with a year-by-year look at future nonconference schedules. Presuming the Bulls continue to play two nonconference BCS teams each year, the Bulls are fully booked on BCS opponents through the 2013 season.

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden acknowledged in July the possibility of the two teams meeting, though he expressed some reluctance because of the danger of losing to the Bulls. "You usually try to find somebody that you've got a chance to win, instead of getting your nose bloodied," he said.

-- Greg Auman and Brian Landman, Times staff writers

Comments

[Mikey A]

Kudos to both schools for making this happen on the schedule. FSU doesn't need any more I-AA opponents and USF wants to eat at the table of Florida's big 3. USF can bring Selvie and the D with the poor man's Tim Tebow behind center to Tallahassee so Coach Levitt can learn what it's like to man the sideline like a true professional that he will be standing across from at Bobby Bowden field on 9/26/09. Be careful what you wished for Bulls supporters, you haven't traveled well within the state with poor showings at UCF, FAU, and Miami. We Welcome You to Doak Cambell Stadium this fall...Go Noles!

[rEaLiTy]

David Weber ... an idiot without a village

but it's always pretty funny to have the CASUAL football fans make inane comments for our laughter --- keep it up David ... you've got a low enough standard that even you might be able to uphold

[Suitcase U]

hey 5:06, those polls are culturally biased!!!
we're the Harvard of Hillsborough [just behind UT]

[David Weber]

I just don't get why FSU thinks they're so superior to USF athletically or academically. First, we've never had to suspend 1/3 of our team. Second, for any transgressions by USF players off the field, FSU has 10 guys who've done the same thing. Third, academically speaking, USF rejects a higher percentage of applicants, and regardless, the average SAT/GPA combo is almost exactly the same.

Can't compare the med schools because FSU's is too new, and USF doesn't have a law school, and in other grad programs, neither school is going to impress an Ivy league Ph.D. program.

Neither FSU nor Miami have done anything of note since the ACC expanded. Actually, Miami has. They couldn't win 6 games in the worst conference in college football.

[Suitcase U]

hey you mean Seminoles, just cuz we couldn't get into uf or fsu there's no reason to rub it in our face!

[USF??]

Good thing I'm a Miami grad cause USF is a tier 3 school, I'll even stick up for FSU who is a tier 1 with Miami & UF
Rankings for '09
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-search/page+8

UF 49
Miami 51
FSU 102
USF didn't even make the top 130!!!

[FSU Sux]

Hey LOL @ 3:47,

I did just look up FSU's medical school on U.S. News and World Report, but I didn't see it. Is it accredited yet? Or has it moved to the Caribbean?

[Boyd]

Who is this USF? Are they a college? I've never heard of them as there are only 3 schools that matter in this state, Miami, FSU & UF, get over it you guys shouldn't even take the field!!

[Patrick Bateman]

Hey 3:47 - Get back to work, the drive-thru is backing up.

[USF95]

We shouldn't be giving UF any Kudos for scheduling USF. FSU and Miami have scheduled home and home series with USF. UF has an 0 for 2 deal that was scheduled years ago before we were a BCS program and before we were even in C-USA. It's gotten pushed back multiple times by USF to make room for other opponents. UF is doing USF no favors. I just assume USF cancel out of the UF series because it's a cheap exit fee. It's not like UF will ever play a home and home in Tampa. They hate doing that for Miami let alone USF.

[The Forgiving Benefactor]

"How will they be able to handle the ticket demand for this game?"

as "well" as USF travels, I don't think that will be a problem in Tally

[LOL @ 3:47]

Are you that stupid that you really BELIEVE that usf is a better school than FSU??? I think I just cracked a rib laughing over that one!!!

Do yourself a favor and check out the US News & World Report "best colleges" edition [assuming you actually know how to read] before you embarrass yourself any worse [if that's possible].

[JT (Atlanta)]

Ugh, Look Out! Pissing contest!

I'm excited. See y'all in Tallahassee.

[Marshall]

Awesome! too bad we still have western kentucky and wofford on the schedule....

[Terry Lucas]

This made my day... See everyone in Tally-ho next September. How will they be able to handle the ticket demand for this game? Can't wait!

"To even compare our schools academically or athletically seems a little premature."

Chris,

Don't bring academics into this. USF is a much harder school to get admitted to than FSU. I'm a USF MBA grad and I worked with a FSU MBA for about 6 months. That was until he got canned because he was lazy as hell and not very smart. I'm glad FSU hands out degrees like cocktail napkins because it makes my USF degree that much stronger within the state.

[Say What?]

"poor results with uf AND MIAMI" ???
FSU has beaten Miami 3 of the last 4 years
It's really cute that you're all giddy about usf ... it really is ... but KNOW YOUR ROLE!
There will NOT be a "Big Four" in this state until you win a national title ... you might want to mix in a conference title first!

[Chris]

Alright... let me be clear...

I'm not talking about USF... I'm talking about UF and Miami playing both of their rivals within the state along with a USF or UCF. Miami and UF have started playing each other on a limited basis just recently but FSU HAS ALWAYS played them. That is the message I'm trying to deliver. We have been manning up with the large powerhouses for years now and I don't really call playing USF manning up. More like creating an unnecessary distraction. To even compare our schools academically or athletically seems a little premature. You had a decent year a few years back with about 10% of the history. I hope you fan base can understand why a majority of FSU fans are not excited about this game.

Also... we are playing BYU the week before USF which is in Utah, then playing USF, and then playing Miami. That is a pretty tough schedule for any school with the travel involved and then playing two in-state schools.

[getoverit]

Chris, how you feel about FSU playing USF is how USF feels about playing UCF. The Bulls have nothing to gain and everything to lose in continuing to play UCF, because eventually UCF might win one, and that could potentially affect our recruiting.

I was hoping that one day these two teams would play...so I am very happy today. Good news along with George Selvie staying for his senior year.

[David Weber]

Losing to a non-BCS team is far worse than an ACC team losing to a Big East team (actually, the Big East should be afraid of losing to the ACC. It doesn't look too good). The fact is that FSU is playing a bowl team that has reached higher in the rankings the past two seasons than they have. This suggests that on the field, USF passed FSU for a brief period of time (with a better bowl win and record, FSU is now #2 in the state again, however). Beating USF is an accomplishment, and as the Bulls continue to make strides in recruiting, if FSU can beat USF down, it's a huge deal for FSU. But even if FSU loses, they aren't going to lose status with recruits because of it. FSU recruits out of state, and those kids won't care one way or another because USF doesn't really do much out-of-state. And in-state, FSU has many more feeder high schools than USF does. The only guys that USF has that FSU wanted were all supposed to go to Tally, but something happened along the way (or in Rose's case, he got there).

Losing to USF would not really hurt FSU, but losing to FSU might expose USF somewhat, so USF has a lot on the line.

And as far as recruiting and fan support go, poor results with the UF and Miami haven't really affected FSU, so why would losing to USF?

[kb]

PS

This shoule help recruiting. Great timing.

[kb]

Chris,

To answer your UCF question....UCF = non BCS....bottom line.

I don't think FSU will get slammed if they lose to USF. Losing to another BCS school is understandable, especially an in state school.

I like that this game is early in the year as USF peaks in Sept. :)

It will be a very tough game for us....but love the challenge...GO BULLS...see you at Doak.

[David Weber]

FSU and the U are pretty much on the same field as USF right now. At USF, we don't care what you did 10 years ago, because it doesn't help the product you currently put on the field. Judging the teams strictly on talent, it should be a close game. But USF will certainly be trying (it's nice to have two games where we can sure they'll actually care next season), so USF should have the edge, similar to the Auburn 2007 game.

Anyways, I'm glad that FSU stepped up to the plate and gave the return game. They have a lot of fans in Tampa, so if Noles fans don't want to respect USF, then they should just think of it as a gift from Tally. Having FSU and Miami on the schedule with an even schedule legitimizes the program almost as much as 4 consecutive bowl appearances.

Combined with Selvie's return, I'd say today was a productive one for the program!

[MAL]

Chris: Point of fact, USF has already played Miami once and will be squaring off five more times Thanksgiving weekend starting this fall. USF also has Florida on the schedule in '10 and '15.

[Bowlingninjas]

Wow. As someone who did his undergrad at USF and grad school at FSU, this match-up is perfect. Especially since I went to the film school at FSU which is actually housed in Doak Campbell Stadium. Of course, now I have to find a way to get back from LA to Tally but that's the least of my worries. Congrats to the respective ADs for getting this match-up put together. Go Bulls.

[Stewart]

I'm excited for this game.

And to Chris who posted above, Florida and Miami have signed contracts with USF. FSU is actually the last one to jump on it, they just got an earlier date.

[Chris]

Guys.... you are playing UF, Miami and FSU but that is because you are trying to establish yourself as a football powerhouse within Florida. I'm talking about UF or Miami playing FSU, their rival (UF or Miami), and another Florida school like UCF or USF.

I also liked the pairing of you guys and UCF. It made for another exciting in-state rivalry. FSU cannot have another rival. Since we are consistently the only Florida school that will play both Florida and Miami every year along with Clemson (former Bowden Bowl)… I think it would be dumb for us to have another rival outside of our conference. Just my thoughts.

You guys should be excited about the pairing but for me I shake my head and wonder what our athletic director was thinking.

[Gurlybull]

Check your info. We play Miami this fall as well and UF next fall if they don't push it back on us. This will be a great game. UCF is below us. See u there!

[Sanjay]

Chris, we are playing UF and Miami also. Miami the next 5 years actually.

[Joeb]

With our schedule next year, I don't see us making a bowl game.

FSU's D will kill our joke of an offense.

[Chris]

I'm a FSU grad, season ticket holder and Booster and even though this is exciting for an additional in-state rivalry, FSU has nothing to gain with this match up. This is not a slam to USF at all but if we win they will say FSU should have won this game. If we lose we will get destroyed by national and local media outlets which is the last thing I want to see considering the already biases we receive. I don’t understand why UF or Miami will not step up and play you guys as well. I also don’t get why USF stopped playing UCF. That seems like a better matchup and a rivalry that should be continued.

I respect USF. But USF has everything to gain and FSU has everything to lose with this matchup. Regardless, you guys come up and have a beer at my tailgate. I hope you guys enjoy the game at Doak.

[SailingBull]

GO BULLS POUND THE SEMInoles!

[Amanda]

I am so excited about this that I'm already going to request off that weekend from work so I can be there! I'm so torn, I grew up a FSU fan and graduated an USF fan...

[Blake]

Awesome!

[Mike Lakeland]

YES! I don't care if we win or lose. I will be there. My first time at Doak!

[Tom]

Wow. Next year is going to be a big year.

[cg]

Oh boy!!! Intense! (for us)

[Kyle]

This is what you wanted, USF. Now make it count.

[Bull Daly]

Wow, thanks FSU!!! I am glad that FSU is scheduling USF as I find it should bring in some interest for both programs. FSU looks like it is on its way back to where they should be as they had a better year this season. Hopefully, USF can get things working better next season because it is going to be tough going against FSU and Miami. Thanks again to both USF and FSU for making it happen for the fans!!!

[gary]

real excited and FSU is on the rise again. it will be tough to continue our OOC winning.

[flsportsfan83]

WOOOOHOOOOO