When people talk about big-time college sports rivalries, they usually point toward the Iron Bowl or the deep-seated hatred between Michigan and Ohio State. Honestly, though? You're missing out if you aren't watching the chaos that erupts whenever South Florida (USF) and Tulsa lock up. It’s not just a game; it’s a clash of cultures and styles that has quietly turned into one of the most unpredictable matchups in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Whether it’s on the gridiron under the humid Tampa sun or on the hardwood in Oklahoma, these two programs have developed a knack for making things weird. Just look at their recent history. If you expected a defensive struggle, they’d give you a 93-point explosion. If you thought one team was a lock, the underdog would somehow pull off a stunner in the final seconds. It’s basically been a rollercoaster since they first started seeing each other regularly back in 2014.
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The Gridiron Beatdown: 715 Yards and a Statement
The most recent football meeting between these two was, frankly, a massacre. On November 23, 2024, USF didn't just beat Tulsa; they dismantled them. We’re talking about a 63-30 final score at Raymond James Stadium that felt even more lopsided than the scoreboard suggested.
The Bulls' offense, led by quarterback Bryce Archie, looked like a video game on "Rookie" difficulty. Archie threw for 305 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns. But the real story was the ground game. Kelley Joiner was absolutely untouchable, ripping off a 48-yard touchdown run just 41 seconds into the game. He finished the first quarter alone with over 100 rushing yards.
By the time the dust settled, USF had racked up 715 total yards of offense. That’s the second-most in their program history and the most they've ever put up against an FBS opponent. Tulsa’s defense just had no answers for the explosive plays—16 of them went for 15 yards or more. It was a complete systematic failure for the Golden Hurricane, who dropped to 3-8 on the season while the Bulls secured bowl eligibility.
Historical Context of the Series
Before that 2024 blowout, the series was actually pretty tight.
- USF currently holds a slight 4-3 edge in the all-time football series.
- The first meeting back in 2014 was a 38-30 win for South Florida.
- Between 2020 and 2022, Tulsa actually went on a three-game winning streak.
- The smallest margin of victory in the series was a 25-24 nail-biter won by USF in 2018.
The Hardwood Flip: Basketball's Recent Shakeup
If you think USF has the upper hand in every sport, you'd be wrong. Tulsa has historically been a thorn in South Florida’s side on the basketball court. For a long time, the Golden Hurricane owned the Bulls. We’re talking about a 12-game winning streak for Tulsa that spanned from 2015 all the way to early 2022. It was a mental block that USF just couldn't seem to break.
But things have changed recently. The narrative flipped hard.
Just a few days ago, on January 10, 2026, South Florida went into Tulsa and walked away with a massive 93-78 road win. This wasn't just any win—it was a statement. Freshman Adriel Nyorha was so good he ended up being named the AAC Freshman of the Week. He’s been a spark plug for a Bulls team that is suddenly looking like a real contender in the conference.
Tulsa is still a tough out, though. They’ve got guys like David Green, who dropped 23 points in that January loss, proving that the Golden Hurricane can score with anyone when they’re clicking. But USF’s depth—featuring relentless energy from players like Izaiyah Nelson—is starting to tip the scales. The Bulls have now won four of the last five meetings, a complete reversal of the decade-long dominance Tulsa once enjoyed.
Soccer and Volleyball: The Under-the-Radar Drama
It’s not just the "major" sports where these two are clashing. In November 2025, the soccer and volleyball matches were arguably more intense than the football game.
In men's soccer, No. 6 seed Tulsa pulled off a massive upset against No. 3 seed USF in the AAC tournament. It went to overtime, and Arnau Pedrola Fortuny scored a golden goal just 90 seconds into the extra period. It was heartbreaking for a Bulls team that had been in control for much of the game.
On the volleyball court, the story was similar. Tulsa knocked USF out of the 2025 American Volleyball Championship semifinals in four sets. Even though the match was hosted in Tampa at "The Corral," the Golden Hurricane stayed composed, relying on Lauren Eitler’s 12 kills to silence the home crowd. These smaller matches prove that when you put "South Florida" and "Tulsa" on the same jersey, the seeds and rankings don't matter as much as they should.
The Geography of a Non-Rivalry Rivalry
One of the weirdest things about South Florida vs Tulsa is the distance. You've got one school in the heart of humid, coastal Florida and the other in the windy plains of Oklahoma. There is zero geographic reason for these schools to care about each other.
But the AAC is a strange beast.
Because both programs have often found themselves fighting for that "middle-to-top" tier status in the conference, their games usually have massive implications for bowl eligibility or tournament seeding. They are essentially mirror images of each other: programs trying to prove they belong on the national stage while dealing with the shadows of nearby power-conference giants.
Practical Takeaways for Fans and Bettors
If you're following this matchup, there are a few things you should keep in mind for future encounters.
- Throw out the defensive stats: Especially in football, these games tend to be high-scoring affairs. The 2024 game saw nearly 100 points combined, and even the 2022 game was a 48-42 shootout.
- Home court isn't everything: USF just proved they can win big in Tulsa, and Tulsa has a history of ruining USF’s season in Tampa (like in that 2025 soccer tournament).
- Watch the Freshman: Both schools have leaned heavily on young talent lately. Keep an eye on the recruiting trails; the team that hits on their "under-the-radar" 3-star recruits usually wins this specific matchup.
The South Florida vs Tulsa rivalry might not have a fancy trophy or a 100-year history, but it's got something better: pure, unadulterated chaos. Whether it’s a 715-yard offensive explosion or a golden goal in the Florida humidity, this matchup has become must-watch TV for anyone who loves the unpredictability of college sports.
For the next meeting, look for the Bulls to try and maintain their offensive identity under Alex Golesh, while Tulsa will likely be looking for a defensive identity shift to stop the bleeding. If the basketball trends hold, the upcoming return match in Tampa will be a high-tempo affair that could decide a top-four seed in the AAC tournament. Keep your eyes on the injury reports for USF's backcourt and Tulsa's interior defense, as those have been the deciding factors in their last three meetings.