Under Jim Leavitt , USF began college football play as a Division I-AA independent in 1997 , after having their first team meetings under a tree on campus . The team grew rapidly and moved to Division I-A in 2001 , where they remained an independent . In 2003 , the Bulls moved to Conference USA , but they would leave for the Big East Conference in 2005 . The Big East eventually became the American Athletic Conference in 2013 as part of the major college football realignment . The football team plays its home games in Raymond James Stadium , also the home field of the National Football League 's Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
South Florida Bulls