FSU at USF: Hot ticket!

Posted Aug 11, 2012 by Joey Johnston

Updated Aug 11, 2012 at 01:45 PM

The University of South Florida’s Sept. 29 home game against the Florida State Seminoles continues to be the hottest ticket in the 16-season history of USF football.

Hint: If you don’t have a USF season ticket, you might be out.

Bill McGillis, USF’s executive associate athletic director, said it’s possible that single-game tickets for USF-FSU may never be available. The demand is that great.

Fans who renewed their season tickets by last spring have until Monday to determine whether they want to purchase up to four additional tickets for the FSU game. McGillis said he doesn’t think the lower-bowl seating will be available to non-season-ticket holders.

Here’s how it breaks down for seating at Raymond James Stadium. Tickets will go to USF students (12,500), FSU’s allotment (10,500), season-ticket holders (nearing 23,000, McGillis said) and the additional tickets purchased by USF’s holdover season-ticket holders (potentially 10,000 or slightly more). That already makes for a snug fit in 65,000-seat Raymond James Stadium (although the Bulls listed 67,012 as attendance for its 2007 game against West Virginia).

It’s unknown how many FSU fans will be in the house, although McGillis is confident that it will be a “largely green-and-gold atmosphere.’’ Nothing prevents FSU fans from purchasing USF season tickets just to secure a seat to the Sept. 29 game. The secondary ticket market for USF-FSU is bound to be especially active.

Season tickets are available at the Sunday, Aug. 19 Fan Fest/Select-A-Seat event at Raymond James Stadium. It begins at 2 p.m. Fans can sample the available seating.