USF football picked 4th in AAC preseason media poll

Count the American Athletic Conference media among those who believe USF’s resurgence will continue in 2024.

The Bulls, coming off a 7-6 season and Boca Raton Bowl annihilation of Syracuse, were picked to finish fourth in the AAC’s preseason media poll released Tuesday morning. Tampa Bay Times reporter Matt Baker picked USF to finish second.

Memphis, which returns 17 starters from last season’s 10-3 team, was an overwhelming pick to win the league, receiving 23 of 30 first-place votes. The University of Texas at San Antonio (four first-place votes) finished second, while Tulane (two first-place votes) was third.

It’s USF’s highest preseason ranking since 2018, when it received the fourth-most voter points overall. The Bulls had been picked to finish ninth or worse in each of the past four seasons.

USF returns 19 starters (nine offense, eight defense, two specialists) and ranks eighth nationally in returning production, according to ESPN. Perhaps most significantly, record-setting quarterback Byrum Brown enters his second year in Golesh’s system and retains his top target in senior Sean Atkins, who set single-season program marks for catches (92) and receiving yards (1,054) in 2023.

This story will be updated.

Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls

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