USF picked to finish 13th (of 14 teams) in AAC preseason media poll

Any resuscitation of USF’s beleaguered football program by new coach Alex Golesh won’t be performed overnight.
At least, that’s the sentiment of those who cover the American Athletic Conference.
The Bulls were picked to finish 13th in the refurbished 14-team league in the AAC’s preseason media poll released Tuesday morning. The results mark the fourth consecutive year in which USF has been projected to finish ninth or worse in the poll.
Tampa Bay Times college football reporter Matt Baker picked the Bulls to place 12th on his ballot.
In an AAC media poll, Tulane received 20 of a possible 34 first-place votes as the preseason pick to win the league while UTSA, the 2022 Conference USA champion, got 9 first-place votes. Here’s the predicted order of finish: pic.twitter.com/frrQdM5Myn
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) July 25, 2023
USF, winner of four total games the previous three seasons, has undergone arguably the biggest offseason roster overhaul in the program’s 26-year existence. In addition to losing a 1,200-yard rusher (Brian Battie), three starting offensive linemen, four of last season’s top five receivers and the top tackler (Dwayne Boyles), the Bulls have added 49 new players since Golesh’s arrival in December.
“I think we’ve got a lot of questions,” Golesh told reporters Tuesday at the league’s media day in Arlington, Texas.
“We’ve got 13 scholarship guys that we brought in after spring that we’ve got to see how they fit. The way the model’s changed, you get summer with these guys so you have an idea, but until you put pads on ... you really don’t know.”
Reigning conference champion Tulane was picked to repeat, receiving 20 of a possible 34 first-place votes. Charlotte, one of six league newcomers, was the only team picked to finish below USF. The 49ers finished 3-9 last season.
Florida Atlantic, another newcomer, was picked to finish fifth. The Owls finished 5-7 last year, resulting in the dismissal of third-year coach (and former USF coach) Willie Taggart. Former Houston coach Tom Herman, who led the Cougars to the 2015 AAC title, replaces Taggart.