Bulls Leave Raymond James for Historic On-Campus Stadium

South Florida Bulls football is transitioning into a new era in the 2026 season, marked by the arrival of head coach Brian Hartline and the construction of their first on-campus stadium. Hartline, who previously spent nine seasons at Ohio State, takes the helm for his first head coaching role outside of Columbus.

This transition also signifies the end of the Bulls' 29-year tenure at Raymond James Stadium. They will officially depart the venue after the upcoming 2026 season, having shared it with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 1998. The new facility, currently named USF Bulls Stadium, is slated for a 2027 opening.

The state-of-the-art on-campus stadium, with a budget of $348.5 million, is already under construction. Hartline views the stadium as a crucial investment in the program, underscoring the team's commitment to growth in the current college football landscape.

While playing at Raymond James Stadium allowed USF to host marquee opponents, the new on-campus venue is expected to seat approximately 35,000 fans, with options to expand capacity if needed. Hartline emphasizes that the benefits of an on-campus home outweigh potential tradeoffs, such as scheduling challenges.

Coach Hartline highlighted the team's proactive approach, investing in both facilities and the transfer portal. He noted that while other programs might cut facility upgrades to fund rosters, USF is committed to doing both, securing the top-ranked transfer portal class in the American Conference for 2024.