USF Hopes to Win ‘TODAY Show’s College Challenge’

Students at the University of South Florida have school spirit, and they proved it Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, hosts of the fourth hour of the TODAY Show, when the program visited the campus Thursday.

“Today I’m at the University of South Florida in the Sunshine State, and although the sun did not show up, the party did,” said show correspondent Sara Haines as the camera shot widened to reveal a crowd of USF students cheering and wearing green and gold.

Haines did live segments on the show from the Marshall Student Center bull fountains Thursday between 10 and 11 a.m. USF is one of the top six finalists in TODAY’s College Challenge to find the school with the greatest creativity, originality and most school spirit. The winner will have the fourth hour of TODAY broadcasting live during the first week of October.

Students showed viewers what life is like in their “tropical paradise.” Rocky in his beach outfit, the Herd of Thunder, the Sun Dolls, USF’s athletes and cheerleaders, the Green and Gold Guys, and the Beef Studs and Babes were all jumping up and down and cheering.

Haines asked students why Kathie Lee and Hoda should come to USF.

“Well, we heard that Kathie Lee and Hoda like to have a good time, and clearly we know how to throw a party, right guys?” said one student. The crowd cheered and waved. “So, why not come to sunny Tampa and enjoy a little slice of paradise?”

Another student asked Hoda to marry him and encouraged her to travel to USF so he could propose in person.

USF’s Beef Studs and Babes said they’d paint Kathie Lee and Hoda in school colors.

“Anybody looks good in green and gold,” they said.

USF is hoping to receive the most votes in the TODAY Show’s contest in order to win. To vote for the school, visit the TODAY Show online. The deadline to vote is Sept. 24 at 10 a.m. The winner will be announced Sept. 25, at klgandhoda.com.

Also in the competition are:

• Syracuse University
• University of Tennessee
• The Ohio State University
• Brandeis University
• Creighton University

Kathie Lee and Hoda seemed impressed with USF’s school spirit Thursday.

 “If you can get college kids up and around at 10 a.m., you’ve done something right,” Hoda said.

See also:
TODAY Show’s 4th Hour Comes to USF