Colleges

USF football schedule has national exposure

By GREG AUMAN
Published February 26, 2008

TAMPA - The Big East released its 2008 football schedules Monday, and USF has four national TV games, matching the most of any conference team.

Three USF games - a Friday game at Central Florida on Sept. 5, a Thursday home game against Pittsburgh on Oct. 2 and a Thursday game at Cincinnati on Oct.30 - have been designated for broadcast on ESPN. The regular-season finale Dec. 6 at West Virginia will go on ESPN or ESPN2. Either way, no Big East team has more games on ESPN's main network than USF.

"We are pleased with the spotlight that ESPN and the Big East have presented to our program," athletic director Doug Woolard said in a statement. "USF is on the rise and ESPN recognizes that we are an attractive team to college football viewers across the country."

USF had hoped to finish the season at home against Rutgers with a national TV game on Thursday, Dec. 4, but now it will close at West Virginia, as it did with a huge upset two seasons ago.

The Bulls have three bye weeks, but none coincide with their weeknight games, so they'll have short weeks leading up to the UCF, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati games. USF has a full week to prepare for the finale at West Virginia, a potential league championship game; the Mountaineers have a key rivalry game at Pittsburgh eight days before meeting the Bulls.

BASEBALL: Senior second baseman Dexter Butler, the only USF player named to the Big East preseason all-conference team, has been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules. Butler, who has started 158 games the past three seasons, did not play in the opening series against Indiana State. Freshman Jonathan Koscso started for him.

USF 2008 football schedule

Aug. 30 Tennessee-Martin

Sept. 5 at UCF (7, ESPN)

Sept. 13 Kansas

Sept. 20 at FIU

Sept. 27 at N.C. State

Oct. 2 Pittsburgh (ESPN)

Oct. 18 Syracuse

Oct. 25 at Louisville

Oct. 30 at Cincinnati (ESPN)

Nov. 15  Rutgers

Nov. 22 Connecticut

Dec. 6 at West Virginia

[Last modified February 26, 2008, 01:02:28]