Despite being picked to finish DEAD LAST in the 2021 AAC preseason poll, the Bulls would take USF nation on an unforgettable post-season journey. USF was a middle of the road team for the majority of the 2021 season, but the Bulls saved their best baseball for when it counted the most.
After a 26-year drought, the University of South Florida Bulls Baseball team (31-30, 14-14) finally captured the conference championship that eluded them since 1995. The Bulls locked up the USF program’s first-ever AAC Title after getting the best of rival UCF in the 8-7 victory, which secured the 14th NCAA Regional appearance in program history.
These Bulls weren’t done yet! USF proceeded to down the highly-touted host Florida Gators 5-3, dismantled the Miami Hurricanes 10-2, then bested South Alabama to win its first-ever Gainesville Regional championship. The Bulls team-first post-season run mentality was on full display during the Gainesville Regional led to the first Super Regional appearance in program history and the birth of #NotDoneYet.
No. 2 ranked Texas may have gotten the best of USF in the Austin Super Regional series, but the Bulls showed the world they belong amongst the elite programs in the nation. Whether it was Daniel Cantu’s clutch homers, Drew Brutcher’s absolute bomb with all the chips on the line, or the Bulls’ dominate pitching, USF solidified its status as a young team on the rise.
Following the remarkable 2021 run to the USF program’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional appearance (Austin), the Bulls rightfully earned some national attention by being ranked in several final top 25 postseason polls listed below.
Final 2021 Top 25 Polls
| Name | Ranking |
|---|---|
| Collegiate Baseball Newspaper | 16 |
| National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association | 16 |
| D1Baseball.com | 20 |
| USA TODAY Coaches Poll | 22 |
| Baseball America | 25 |
The magical USF season may have come up two wins short of the College World Series, but don’t count the young Bulls out for an even deeper 2022 post-season run in Omaha. It’s safe to say USF is a part of #ChampaBay.
I’ve avoided covering USF baseball as a part of SoFloBulls because it was clear and far my most serious sport throughout my life. When college ball didn’t work out for me, I avoided the game entirely until this year. Watching the @USFBaseball team fight together against the odds this season, no matter how stacked they became, made me beyond proud and drew me back to the game. From the bottom of my heart, thank you boys!
📸 USF vs. UCF Baseball 2021 Photos
