Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. 

It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. 

In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium –  the ministries will be right across the street from the heart of USF’s “Athletic District.”

Campus ministers see this development – and the ensuing excitement it will bring – as a way to expand their outreaches.  

“I think it’s a positive thing that the stadium will be a stone’s throw from my window,” said campus pastor Chris Stephen. 

Stephen is the lead pastor of The Harbor at USF – a position he’s held since 2019. 

Support student journalism

“I think what it does is add vitality to the road, but it also adds a really exciting benefit of exposure to what our ministry is and potentially allowing students to incorporate into what we do as a church,” Stepen said. 

Vitality will surely be added to Sycamore Drive, something that is arguably already in the works. 

A $22 million Indoor Performance Facility for the USF football team was completed in 2023. The stadium will follow, with construction beginning this fall and continuing until expected completion in the spring of 2027. 

Related: USF announces stadium groundbreaking date

As a Bulls alumnus, Stephen said the development is “overdue.” He graduated from USF in 2009 – long before talk of an on-campus began to materialize. 

Jay Sanders has been the director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries at USF since 2020. He largely agreed with Stephen’s sentiment. 

“I think the stadium being right down the road from us, we’re just eager to serve our campus on another level,” Sanders said. 

For many college students, tailgating can be a religion of its own. Both ministers said they aren’t concerned about rowdy game attendees. 

Related: USF on-campus stadium will bring positive change and challenges, Temple Terrace mayor says

“Rowdiness is just a part of college students, you know?” Sanders joked. “Maybe I just always see the glass half full.” 

Sanders said his primary concern with the construction of the stadium is with accessible parking and transportation.

He also said that the university hasn’t been in contact with him concerning such issues. 

“There has been no communication with us regarding that,” Sanders said. “That’s not necessarily a complaint, it is a question mark about how the new stadium will impact traffic.” 

University spokesperson Althea Johnson said the university hasn’t yet finalized how much parking will be built with the stadium. 

USF won’t be the only school with religious organizations closely paralleling an on-campus football stadium. 

Several of the University of Florida’s campus ministries are located steps away from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. 

The St. Augustine Church and Catholic Center, Christian Campus House and UF Baptist Campus Ministries are located across the street from the Florida football stadium on University Avenue. 

Stephen said that he has friends at those organizations that have reported increased foot traffic due to the proximity to the stadium. 

He thinks that level of exposure is possible at USF. 

“What is business 101?” Stephen said. “Location, location, location. I think the stadium provides premium space for that to come true.”