USF opens 2011 season at Notre Dame in nationally televised contest

USF will kickoff its 2011 football season at Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept 3d in a 3:30 pm. start that will be aired nationally by NBC in what is arguably the biggest opener in the history of the program.

The Notre Dame game is part of the Bulls tough non Big East Conference schedule that also includes Miami.

The Bulls play their Big East opener at Pittsburgh in a Thursday night nationally televised game on ESPN (8 pm kickoff). It follows three non conference home games against when they play host Ball State (Sept. 10), Florida A&M (Sept. 17) and UTEP (Sept. 24).

Following an open date, USF will travel to Connecticut on Sat., Oct. 15, followed by a home date with Cincinnati on Sat., Oct. 22. After another open date, the Bulls will play two consecutive road games, at Rutgers on Sat., Nov. 5 and at Syracuse on Fri., Nov. 11. The Syracuse game is scheduled to kickoff at 8 p.m. (EST) and will be televised nationally by ESPN2.

USF will host three consecutive home games to finish up the regular season, starting with the Miami (Fla.) game on Sat., Nov. 19. It will then welcome Louisville on Fri., Nov. 25 before the regular-season finale versus West Virginia on Thursday, Dec. 1. The West Virginia game will kickoff at 8 p.m. (EST) and will be televised nationally by ESPN.

USF finished the 2010 season by going 8-5 and winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl over Clemson, 31-26. The Bulls extended their streak of eight-win seasons to five, making them one of just 15 teams nationally to win eight games in each of the last five years.

In addition, USF played in its sixth consecutive bowl game, having won each of the last three. USF is one of just six programs nationally that has reached postseason play in each year as a BCS league member and is one of just four programs that has won three consecutive bowl games.

Complete 2011 Schedule

Sat., Sept. 3 at Notre Dame (3:30 p.m., NBC)
Sat., Sept. 10 Ball State
Sat., Sept. 17 Florida A&M
Sat., Sept. 24 UTEP
Thu., Sept. 29 at Pittsburgh* (8 p.m., ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 15 at Connecticut*
Sat., Oct. 22 Cincinnati*
Sat., Nov. 5 at Rutgers*
Fri., Nov. 11 at Syracuse* (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 19 Miami (Fla.)
Fri., Nov. 25 Louisville* (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Thu., Dec. 1 West Virginia* (8 p.m., ESPN)

* - BIG EAST Conference games