ESPN's pregame 'SportsCenter' will broadcast live from USF on Thursday afternoon

Calling all Bulls fans. Gather your signs and school spirit as ESPN is coming to the University of South Florida for a live "SportsCenter on Campus" telecast Thursday afternoon.

The pregame show, from 2 to 3 p.m., will set up USF's prime-time football game against the University of Texas-San Antonio.

ESPN's Matt Barrie will host the show from the plaza outside the Marshall Student Center on Tampa campus.

Starting at 1 p.m., students and fans are invited to be part of the broadcast, which will also highlight the school's traditions, culture and spirit. The format is similar to ESPN's popular Saturday morning "College Game Day" pregame show.

Bulls coach Alex Golesh is scheduled to appear, along with USF's Heard of Thunder marching band, USF spirit squads and Rocky the Bull. There will be interactive games with the ESPN analysts, along with food and beverage giveaways.

Students and fans are encouraged to bring creative signs and get involved in the fun. Those who want to participate can find parking around the Marshall center, officials said.

At 5 p.m., Barrie will anchor a "SportsCenter" report live from Raymond James Stadium, with the latest sports news, highlights and features. Barrie will also provide updates ahead of the USF-UTSA game.

ESPN will broadcast the Bulls-Roadrunners game live at 7:30 p.m. Barrie will call play-by-play, with Tom Luginbill providing analysis and Harry Lyles Jr. handling sideline reports.

"I think it’s been a really cool journey this entire year with all the attention that’s been put on our football program — and therefore our university," Golesh said during his weekly press conference Monday. "... I’m really excited that Matt Barrie and the crew are coming, and they’ll be able to highlight a bunch of things happening here. What’s going on here is pretty special."

Although USF (6-2, 3-1) lost a heartbreaker to American Conference foe Memphis (8-1, 4-1) on Oct. 25, it still has a path to the College Football Playoff. But the Bulls must likely win the rest of their games and reach and win the American championship game.

Memphis earned the No. 12 spot in the season's first CFP bracket announced Tuesday night. The playoff takes the five highest-ranked conference champions. While Memphis is not in the CFP's current top 25, it is projected this week by the selection committee to win the American as the strongest non-power-conference team.

The American standings were stirred up last week after UTSA (4-4, 2-2) handed Tulane its first loss and North Texas beat previously undefeated Navy. The Bulls routed the surging Mean Green 63-36 on Oct. 10.

USF, coming off its bye week, has won five straight home games, best in program history. The Bulls field one of the top offenses in the nation, ranking sixth in scoring (40.4 points per game) and seventh in total offense (487 yards per game).

"We're in November, and we're playing incredibly meaningful football right now," Golesh said. "I told our guys there are about 20% of the teams playing meaningful football right now, and we essentially detailed out what separates that 20% down to the 1% at the very end."

Tickets to Thursday's game can be purchased here.

"We are beyond fired up to be back in front of our fans. We haven't forgotten that the last time we were at Ray Jay, there was 45,000 people," said Golesh, recalling the 48-13 victory over Florida Atlantic on Oct. 18 that drew a crowd of 45,169.

"That place was rocking. It was electric. And I'd tell our students, our fan base, that it's the expectation again Thursday night to keep that thing rocking under the lights again on national TV. For us, it's the next step on being able to get where we want to go.''

Every week during the college football season, the 2 p.m. "SportsCenter" originates live from the location of that night’s Thursday night game. Last Thursday's program aired from UTSA's campus ahead of the Roadrunners' game against Tulane.

WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.