Athletics and Popular Extracurriculars at the University of South Florida

Students at the University of South Florida have many opportunities to get involved in campus life outside their coursework and academic programs.
Students at the University of South Florida have many opportunities to get involved in campus life outside their coursework and academic programs.
Many students find that their involvement in extracurricular clubs adds more to their college experience than their classes since these clubs bring together students of different backgrounds and majors that epitomize the college lifestyle.
College athletics and student organizations provide some of the best opportunities for social involvement outside the classroom. For new and returning University of South Florida students interested in learning more about USF sports, social organizations, and clubs on campus, check out our overview below of athletics and popular extracurriculars at the University of South Florida.
The men’s basketball and football programs are the most popular sports at the University of South Florida.
USF has had a football program since 1997, but it wasn’t until 2007 that it achieved a national ranking. The Bulls Football team had its highest conference ranking in the 2016 season and has gone 161-148 since it was first founded.
The complete list of men’s athletic programs at the University of South Florida includes:
While the list of women’s athletic programs at USF is:
All of these sports, except for women’s sailing, are overseen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Yes, the University of South Florida Bulls is a Division I athletics program through the NCAA and a participating member of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football.
USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC), which it joined in 2013 following several changes in conference memberships by the NCAA and Big East Conference, of which USF was a member before moving to the ACC.
There are currently 11 members of the ACC, which include:
The American Athletic Conference is set to change in 2023 with the addition of six different schools and the loss of three. The three schools leaving the ACC are the University of Cincinnati, University of Central Florida, and the University of Houston, while the six sets to join is:
These schools make up a majority of the schedule for the USF Bulls in both men’s and women’s athletic programs.
The University of South Florida’s biggest rival is its cross-state competitor, the University of Central Florida.
The rivalry has its roots in the football programs of the two schools, which compete annually during the Thanksgiving weekend game, but has grown to include all athletic programs between USF and UCF. The rivalry is now known as the War on I-4, named for Interstate 4, which runs between UCF’s campus in Orlando and USF’s campus in Tampa.
The War on I-4 trophy is awarded to the school with the highest cumulative point total across that year’s athletic match-ups. UCF has won the medal yearly since the cross-sport competition was formalized in 2016. It is yet to be seen how the rivalry will progress when the University of Central Florida leaves the ACC in 2023.
There are more than 600 student clubs and organizations at the University of South Florida.
Most of these clubs are overseen by the Center for Student Involvement (CSI), which registers student organizations on campus and manages a calendar of events available for USF students.
Student groups at USF are organized into one of 19 categories to help students navigate all the options available for campus involvement.
The 19 categories of student organizations at USF are:
Two of the most popular student groups at the University of South Florida are the Campus Activities Board and Student Government.
The Campus Activities Board organizes on-campus events for all students at USF, including movie nights, guest lectures, and annual events. The Campus Activities Board is run through the Center for Student Involvement (CSI), which helps manage student organizations. The CSI even offers Involvement Consultants, current USF students, that meet with fellow students to help navigate all the opportunities available on campus.
The student government at USF spans both the main campus in Tampa as well as the campus in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. The USF student government has employees and volunteer students working across the executive, judicial, and legislative committees to further student life at the University of South Florida.
Greek life is also trendy at USF. You can learn more about the options available by checking out our past posts about fraternity and sorority life at the University of South Florida.
USF students of all backgrounds and interests find themselves in the same spot trying to find an off-campus apartment to call home, and for the 2023 school year, there’s no better choice than Halo 46.
Halo 46 is a student housing community located just blocks from the northern edge of the USF campus at 14500 N 46th Street. Halo 46 offers fully-furnished two, three, four, and five-bedroom apartments specifically designed for the University of South Florida students.
Residents of Halo 46 have quick access to the USF campus via a short walk, bike ride, or ride on the USF Bull Runner bus route.
For availability, roommate matching, and pricing information, contact the team at Halo 46 today at (813) 733-0120!
Contact our team for more info