USF Senior Night 2025: An Unofficial Send-Off to the Alex Golesh Era

TAMPA, Fla. — It was a bittersweet Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium.

The South Florida Bulls concluded the 2025 regular season with a resounding 52-3 victory over the Rice Owls.

But the vibes from USF fans and players weren’t the usual post-win emotions. It wasn’t triumph from the blowout. It wasn’t frustration over missing the American Conference championship game, either.

It was uncertainty — the kind that settled over the stadium after numerous reports that head coach Alex Golesh was actively weighing offers to leave USF.

The rumors began Wednesday morning, when radio host Trey Schaap reported that Golesh had accepted an offer to become the next head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

“It was nothing that I put out there and it wasn’t true,” Golesh said Wednesday about the report.

The speculation swirled online, and Wednesday night Golesh addressed the entire team during their Thanksgiving meal.

“I told them that all I ask is for an opportunity to finish the season right,” Golesh said. “I’ve been honest and real with our team the entire time I’ve been here.”

The conversation intensified Saturday morning when ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on College GameDay that Golesh had an offer from Arkansas and interest from Auburn.

“I apologized to our guys on Wednesday night and I apologized to them again tonight. We talk about having no distractions, we poured into our guys to ask them to never have distractions,” Golesh said. “By the way they played tonight, they didn’t.”

Still, the speculation and unanswered questions created a bittersweet atmosphere as night fell over Raymond James.

It started pregame. Golesh was his usual self — fired up, energetic during warmups — but the emotion from him and his players was unmistakable. Interactions that normally ended with a quick dap or handshake turned into long hugs and intense conversations.

USF honored 33 seniors Saturday night, and Golesh was visibly emotional as the players who helped him resurrect the program ran out of the tunnel to greet him for the final time.

Once the game kicked off, it was business as usual at home. The win gave USF its first undefeated home season since 2002. The Bulls finished with an average margin of victory of 37.2 points at Raymond James in 2025.

Golesh wasn’t the only one with a cloud of uncertainty. Senior quarterback Byrum Brown delivered a record-setting performance. His 379 total yards pushed him over 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, making him the 12th player in FBS history to reach that milestone. He also set a school record with 29 passing touchdowns.

After hitting the mark, Brown was pulled in the fourth quarter. He made a heart gesture toward the roaring crowd as he exited the field and went straight to Golesh for an embrace.

The star quarterback has one more year of college eligibility. He’ll face a choice between staying at USF, pursuing the NFL or playing his final collegiate season elsewhere. Golesh’s decision to stay or go will likely have a major influence on Brown’s choice.

After the game, Brown said he had “no thoughts” yet about his future after this season.

When the game ended, Golesh made a slow walk toward the tunnel, stopping to take pictures and give players and staff long hugs on the way. Near the tunnel, he paused to speak with CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins. The two talked for several minutes, covering their mouths as they spoke, before heading into the lower levels of the stadium together.

“I have not had the opportunity to process any of it,” Golesh said. “I owe it to Rob and this entire university to process it the right way and think about everybody involved.”

The processing will have to happen quickly. Early signing day for high school recruits is Dec. 3–5, and the transfer portal opens Jan. 2. The ever changing landscape of college football will force Golesh into a decision in the coming days.

On Saturday night it was reported by On3 that Lane Kiffin will be the next head coach of LSU Tigers. That leaves Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn and Arkansas as SEC teams still looking for new head coaches.

If Golesh moves on, he will leave USF with a 23-15 record in three seasons. He led the revival of a program that had just four wins over the previous three years under Jeff Scott. He is the first coach in USF history to guide the Bulls to bowl eligibility in each of his first three seasons.

Will USF be searching for a new head coach this offseason?

Based on body language and the mood Saturday night, the answer leans yes.

Bulls fans won’t have to wait long for the final word.