USF coach Alex Golesh suggests Bulls as potential opponent for Tennessee after Nebraska cancels

Posted by author February 22, 2025 Football

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Tennessee football has a significant vacancy on its schedule for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, but a familiar face may have a suggestion for the void.

On Friday, it was announced that Nebraska backed out of a home-and-home series, with the Cornhuskers buying out a game that had been on the books for 19 years. The Vols were scheduled to play Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2026, with the Cornhuskers returning in 2027.

Now, the Vols are left with a significant void on their schedule and need to find an opponent for an out-of-conference matchup. Tennessee athletic director Danny White voiced his frustrations on his X account (formerly Twitter) about finding a game very late in the process, with most teams already having a set schedule.

Nebraska will pay UT $1 million in liquidated damages, or $500,000 per game for the cancelations. However, the Vols still need an opponent. Former Tennessee offensive coordinator and current USF coach Alex Golesh offered a solution in a retweeted response to White.

The Bulls are no strangers to playing nonconference games against SEC foes. USF has scheduled a three-game series with a pair of SEC teams in Florida and Alabama in the past. The Bulls and Gators squared off in Tampa in 2021 and Gainesville in 2022, and the teams will compete again in 2025. The Bulls completed a home-and-home series with Alabama in 2023 and 2024. USF and Alabama will wrap up the three-game series in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 12, 2026.

USF will play nonconference games vs. FIU, Alabama and Bethune-Cookman in 2026. In 2027, the Bulls have Louisville, Boise State, Florida A&M and Northern Illinois as nonconference opponents. Tennessee has Furman as its lone nonconference game scheduled in 2026 and Western Michigan in 2027.

Golesh served as the Tennessee offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for the Vols from 2021 to 2022 under Josh Heupel, who he followed to Tennessee from UCF. He was hired as the Bulls coach on Dec. 4, 2002, and has a 14-12 record with USF in two seasons.