The 2016 South Florida Bulls football team represented the University of South Florida (USF) in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 2016 season is the 20th season for the Bulls, and their fourth as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). They played their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, and were led during the regular season by head coach Willie Taggart, who was in his fourth year. Following the regular season, but before the team's appearance in the Birmingham Bowl, Taggart left to take the head coaching vacancy at Oregon, with co-offensive coordinator T. J. Weist named as interim head coach for the bowl game.[1]
Even though South Florida had been ranked as high as #2 in 2007, this was their first season finishing the season ranked; even though they were ranked in the 2008 pre-season poll.
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 3 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 24 (FCS) Towson* | | | ASN | W 56–20 | 35,976 |
September 10 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois* | | - Raymond James Stadium
- Tampa, FL
| CBSSN | W 48–17 | 36,557 |
September 17 | 3:30 p.m. | at Syracuse* | | | ACCN+ | W 45–20 | 32,288 |
September 24 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 13 Florida State* | | - Raymond James Stadium
- Tampa, FL
| ABC | L 35–55 | 61,665 |
October 1 | 7:00 p.m. | at Cincinnati | | | ESPNU | W 45–20 | 35,108 |
October 8 | 12:00 p.m. | East Carolina | | - Raymond James Stadium
- Tampa, FL
| ESPNews | W 38–22 | 30,397 |
October 15 | 7:00 p.m. | UConn | | - Raymond James Stadium
- Tampa, FL
| CBSSN | W 42–27 | 30,297 |
| 7:00 p.m. | at Temple | | | ESPN | L 30–46 | 25,950 |
| 7:00 p.m. | No. 22 Navy | | - Raymond James Stadium
- Tampa, FL
| ESPN2 | W 52–45 | 31,824 |
November 12 | 7:00 p.m. | at Memphis | | | CBSSN | W 49–42 | 37,218 |
November 19 | 7:00 p.m. | at SMU | | | CBSSN | W 35–27 | 18,417 |
November 26 | 12:00 p.m. | UCF | | | CBSSN | W 48–31 | 36,056 |
| 2:00 p.m. | vs. South Carolina* | No. 25 | | ESPN | W 46–39 OT | 31,229 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
- Source:[2]
Game summaries
Towson
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
#24 (FCS) Tigers
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
3 |
20 |
Bulls
|
14
|
14
|
21
|
7 |
56 |
Northern Illinois
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Huskies
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
10 |
17 |
Bulls
|
14
|
13
|
14
|
7 |
48 |
At Syracuse
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Bulls
|
0
|
28
|
7
|
10 |
45 |
Orange
|
17
|
0
|
3
|
0 |
20 |
Florida State
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
#13 Seminoles
|
28
|
10
|
7
|
10 |
55 |
Bulls
|
14
|
0
|
7
|
14 |
35 |
At Cincinnati
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Bulls
|
10
|
14
|
14
|
7 |
45 |
Bearcats
|
6
|
14
|
0
|
0 |
20 |
East Carolina
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Pirates
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
9 |
22 |
Bulls
|
7
|
10
|
7
|
14 |
38 |
UConn
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Huskies
|
3
|
0
|
14
|
10 |
27 |
Bulls
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
21 |
42 |
At Temple
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Bulls
|
7
|
6
|
10
|
7 |
30 |
Owls
|
3
|
17
|
14
|
12 |
46 |
Navy
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
#22 Midshipmen
|
0
|
14
|
7
|
24 |
45 |
Bulls
|
28
|
14
|
3
|
7 |
52 |
At Memphis
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Bulls
|
14
|
7
|
14
|
14 |
49 |
Tigers
|
3
|
14
|
14
|
11 |
42 |
At SMU
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Bulls
|
14
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
35 |
Mustangs
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
3 |
27 |
UCF
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
Knights
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
7 |
31 |
Bulls
|
14
|
10
|
7
|
17 |
48 |
South Carolina–Birmingham Bowl
|
|
|
|
| |
Total |
#25 Bulls
|
15
|
14
|
10
|
0 | 7 |
46 |
Gamecocks
|
0
|
14
|
10
|
15 | 0 |
39 |
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below | Week |
---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
---|
AP | RV | — | — | RV | — | RV | RV | RV | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24–T | 25 | 19 |
---|
Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 23 | 22 | 19 |
---|
CFP | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |
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References
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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