South Florida’s football facilities are seeing more use – and more security – than usual this week with the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers using the Bulls’ weight room, training room, locker room and practice fields to prepare for Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII.

The Super Bowl will be played Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. It is the second time for Tampa to host the event, and the second time South Florida provided facilities for one of the participants. The school is also hosting several ancillary events, including the Super Bowl Breakfast, Gospel Celebration and GrassVolleyBowl.

“This is great opportunity to showcase our university, our facilities and the USF brand,” said South Florida associate AD for facilities and event management Scott Glaser. “We take great pride in the fact that they are returning for a second time. Our department has built a new training center since the NFL used our campus in 2001. We believe they will be impressed with the first-class amenities provided to the AFC champion.”

In 2004, South Florida unveiled a $15 million facility with academic counseling, sports medicine, strength and conditioning services and office space.

Glaser told South Florida’s student newspaper The Oracle that changes had to be made to the locker rooms, that security needed to be increased and that other renovations took place on the practice field. The student-athletes are using other locker rooms while the Steelers are in town.

“Having the Super Bowl here and having big-time football helps the university’s reputation,” South Florida spokesman Michael Hoad told The Oracle. “It helps people to localize us, pick us out and see where we are.”

In a survey conducted by the Bulls, Web site staff, the football team picked their guests (by one vote) to beat the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s matchup. The team also picked the Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald to win the game’s MVP award, though Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger came in a close second.

The Cardinals are using the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ facility for preparations.