I'm telling you, ESPN really likes USF football.

The Bulls now have six 2008 games scheduled for broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2 this fall, as USF's home finale against Connecticut has been backed up a day to Sunday, Nov. 23, when it will have an 8 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.

The game's only football competition will be the NBC prime-time NFL game, which has the Chargers hosting the Colts. (The Bucs are at Detroit that afternoon.) The Sunday kickoff won't create a short week for either team because both have the next week off; USF finishes the season at West Virginia on Dec. 7, while Connecticut plays host to Pittsburgh the same day.

That gives the Bulls four non-Saturday games this fall, with a Friday game against Kansas on Sept. 12 and Thursday games in October against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. It's reasonable to think USF and Connecticut could both be in the hunt for the Big East title, so this game could have major conference ramifications, with most of the conference off the following week. Thanksgiving, by the way, is Nov. 27 this fall -- that's a Thursday, but I think it might get moved to Friday so it can air on ESPN2 ...