TAMPA, Fla. – The Bulls were scheduled to complete their three-game agreement with Alabama this year in Tuscaloosa on September 12. Since the SEC announced last August that the conference schedule would increase from eight to nine games effective 2026, much tweaking of non-conference opponents and dates began to take place. Ultimately, the Crimson Tide and USF agreed to move their game to 2032.
To complete their non-conference slate, the Bulls added Kent State, which was announced in January. It will be the first meeting between the schools.
As for September 12, USF will have an early conference clash with Army at West Point, which was revealed when the schedule was released in its entirety at the end of February.
The Golden Flashes travel to Tampa for an October 17 homecoming matchup that gives the Bulls seven home games for the first time since 2019. It also gives the MAC opponent a $1.2 million payday as revealed in a copy of the contract obtained from Kent State through a public records request.
Excluding abbreviated 2020, Kent State has had three winning seasons in the last 37, so the hope is the seven-figure payout will result in a happy homecoming. Here is what USF is paying each of its three non-conference foes visiting RJS. Financial information for the FIU and Delaware State games was obtained through USF.
September 5, FIU: $500,000
The season opener will mark the third meeting between the Bulls and Panthers, and first since 2008. FIU opened last season at Penn State and was paid $1.6 million for their trip to Happy Valley. Willie Simmons lost his FIU coaching debut, 34-0, in front of 103,818.
September 19, Delaware State: $450,000
FBS payouts to FCS teams are typically less because of the disparity in the financial structure between the subdivisions. A $450,000 payout may represent 10 percent of an FCS program’s budget, and therefore can be quite a boost to the bottom line. For its part, Delaware State (MEAC) has been investing heavily in athletics, including hiring former NFL star DeSean Jackson in December 2024. His first season was a success as the Hornets went 8-4 and Jackson was named the HBCU coach of the year.
October 17, Kent State: $1.2 Million
The Golden Flashes will take home $4.4 in guarantees from their three non-conference road dates in 2026. They open the season at South Carolina and will receive $1.3 million. Two weeks later, it is off to Ohio State and a guarantee of $1.9 million.
Big time payouts
The Golden Flashes have typically taken their lumps in return for hefty payouts. Last season, Kent State brought home $4.2 million thanks to power conference trips/embarrassments to Texas Tech ($1.5 million), Oklahoma ($1.5 million) and Florida State ($1.2 million). The Golden Flashes lost all three games by a combined 172-24, nearly identical to their power conference setbacks the year before.
Speaking of which, in 2024, the Golden Flashes raked in $4.05 million in guarantees. Games at Pitt ($1.1 million), Tennessee ($1.35 million) and Penn State ($1.6 million) resulted in losses by a combined 182-24, including 71-0 to the Vols and 56-0 against the Nittany Lions on back-to-back weeks. In their other non-conference game, Kent State lost (23-17) at home to St. Francis (PA) of the FCS.
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