University of South Florida Athletics

USF competes in NCAA Division I, which means big-time college sports with athletic scholarships and ESPN coverage. The Bulls play in the American Conference and have heated rivalries with University of Central Florida and Florida State University. With 480 athletes out of 36,299 total students, only 1.3% of the student body plays varsity sports, but game day energy still fills Raymond James Stadium for football. The athletics department awards $12,434,229 in scholarships across 16 varsity sports. Football generates the most excitement, especially during rivalry games against UCF that can draw over 60,000 fans. Basketball and baseball also have strong followings. While USF is still building its athletic reputation compared to Florida's older programs, the Bulls have made bowl games and conference championships in recent years, giving students plenty of reasons to paint their faces green and gold.