University Beat

Clemson is getting another crack at Alabama in College Football's National Championship Game, slated for Jan. 9 in Tampa.

The Crimson Tide beat the Tigers 45-40 in 2016 for the title.

The University of South Florida's Quinton Flowers says there were a lot of big-name college football programs that thought he could be a star player. As a running back. Or maybe as a safety.

But Flowers knew he could be a great quarterback. And on Thursday in the Birmingham Bowl against a team from the Southeastern Conference, he proved it once again.

Flowers ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more — including what proved to be the winner in overtime — to help No. 25 South Florida beat South Carolina 46-39.

Even if you're not a college football fan there will be lots to do when the National Championship comes to Tampa on Jan. 9.

Days after he signed a five year, $9.8 million contract, Charlie Strong was formally introduced as the new head coach of the University of South Florida football team Thursday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston and the woman who accused him of rape while both attended Florida State University have settled the civil lawsuit she brought against him.

The Tampa Bay History Center announced an $11 million expansion to their downtown Tampa building, which will begin next month.

The project will add a new wing to the third floor, which will include new galleries and the first cartographic center in the southeastern United States.

An eventful eight days for the University of South Florida football team saw them accept a bowl game bid, lose head coach Willie Taggart to Oregon and then replace him with a new leader - Charlie Strong.

USF released a statement Sunday afternoon saying the former University of Texas coach would be taking over the Bulls. Strong will formally be introduced as the coach Thursday, Dec. 15, at 10:30 a.m. in the USF Marshall Student Center.

A controversial measure that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to pack heat while on college and university campuses was filed Wednesday by state Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood. 

For the third time in seven years, the University of South Florida is looking for a new head football coach.

Willie Taggart resigned Wednesday, four years to the day he took the USF job. He's been named the new head coach at the University of Oregon.

After one of the best regular seasons in team history, the University of South Florida Bulls football team will play the University of South Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl on December 29.

A tight budget year could cast doubt on Senate President Joe Negron's effort to increase the funding and bolster the quality of Florida's state university system.

But Negron, a Stuart Republican who toured all 12 universities in the spring, said Tuesday that he expects lawmakers to reallocate funding in the $82 billion state budget to meet the Senate and House goals in the 2017 legislative session.

University of South Florida students flying home this week for the Thanksgiving holiday can catch a free ride to the airport.

Under a plan put together by Student Government, students flying out of Tampa International Airport Tuesday night or Wednesday can hop on board a bus outside the Marshall Student Center.

A University of South Florida student who claimed that she had been robbed on the Tampa campus earlier this week - one of two crimes she alleges happened to her recently - has been arrested for filing a false police report.

Bill Law, president of St. Petersburg College, announced Tuesday that he will step down from his leadership post on July 1.