USF vs. Bowling Green: 2026 Game Day Guide, Kickoff Time, TV & What to Watch
Kickoff Info
USF hits the road for the second time this season when the Bulls travel to Bowling Green, Ohio, to take on the Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday, September 26. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
The game will stream live on ESPN+. Fans can also listen to the game on Q105 FM and Bulls Unlimited.
Tickets
USF Event (vcal_14351-gousfbulls.com)
Weather
The forecast in Bowling Green is looking favorable for Saturday's matchup. The National Weather Service is calling for sunny skies with a high near 70 degrees during the day, followed by mostly clear conditions Saturday night and a low around 48 degrees.
The Bulls Are 3-0
USF enters Week 4 at 3-0 after opening the season with wins over FIU, Army and Delaware State.
The Bulls opened the season with a 19-9 win over FIU before pulling off a dramatic 28-24 comeback at Army. USF then handled Delaware State 59-17 last Saturday.
The win over the Hornets gave Brian Hartline his first 3-0 start as a head coach. The Bulls also scored 38 unanswered points after Delaware State pulled within 21-17 late in the second quarter.
A Return to Ohio for Hartline
Saturday's game brings Brian Hartline back to his home state.
Hartline spent his playing career at Ohio State before returning to the Buckeyes as a coach. He now makes his first trip back to Ohio as USF's head coach.
Bowling Green head coach Eddie George also has ties to Ohio State. George played for the Buckeyes from 1992-95 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1995.
The connection makes for an interesting storyline, but the focus for both teams will be on Saturday's game.
Bowling Green Is Still Looking for Its First Win
Bowling Green enters Saturday at 0-3 after a difficult opening stretch.
The Falcons opened the season with a 20-13 home loss to Tarleton State before traveling to Nebraska and Iowa State. Bowling Green lost those two games by a combined score of 111-14.
Quarterback Jay Kastantin has completed 66.7 percent of his passes this season, while tight end Jeremiah Scoby leads the team with 14 receptions for 138 yards.
Linebacker Dorian Pringle has been one of Bowling Green's most productive defenders with 32 tackles through three games.
Can USF Keep the Offense Rolling?
The Bulls enter Bowling Green after their most productive offensive game of the season.
USF piled up 611 yards against Delaware State, including 290 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Michael Van Buren Jr. completed 23 of 32 passes for 300 yards and a touchdown. D.J. Crowther added 101 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries.
Joshua Porter also had a career-high eight receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Bryson Rodgers finished with seven catches for 86 yards.
The challenge this week will be carrying that production into a road game.
Coaches Thoughts
Brian Hartline, USF
Hartline has continued to emphasize execution and consistency as the Bulls move into conference play.
After the Delaware State game, USF had 611 yards of offense and scored 59 points, but Hartline still pointed to areas that need to improve.
The Bulls will now get their second road test of the season against Bowling Green.
Eddie George, Bowling Green
George enters Saturday looking to get the Falcons back on track after three straight losses.
Bowling Green will also be playing its homecoming game Saturday, giving the Falcons their first home game since the season opener against Tarleton State.
What to Watch For
USF's Defense Early
The Bulls gave up 17 points to Delaware State in the first half before shutting the Hornets out after halftime. USF will be looking for a more consistent start against Bowling Green.
The Bulls' Rushing Attack
USF ran for 290 yards and seven touchdowns last week. The Bulls have shown they can create production on the ground, and Bowling Green will have to deal with a deep group of running backs.
Bowling Green's Pass Protection
The Falcons have allowed only two sacks through three games. USF's defensive front will have an opportunity to put pressure on Kastantin and disrupt the Bowling Green offense.
Michael Van Buren Jr.
Van Buren is coming off his first 300-yard passing game of the season. Saturday will give him another road test as the Bulls' starting quarterback.
The Series
Saturday will be just the second meeting between USF and Bowling Green.
The Bulls won the only previous matchup, taking a 29-7 victory in Tampa in 2002.
This will be the first time USF has played at Bowling Green.
The Bottom Line
USF arrives in Bowling Green with a 3-0 record and plenty of momentum, but the Bulls will face another road test against a team looking for its first win of the season.
Bowling Green will also have the homecoming crowd behind it at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN+.