Florida/LSU Cancelled

Submitted by JClay on

Apparently LSU offered to move the game to Baton Rogue but Florida refused. Game is cancelled with a "chance of rescheduling" later in the season. Some talk both teams will buy their way out of their 11/19 patsy games but no common bye weeks.

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Bando Calrissian

October 6th, 2016 at 4:37 PM ^

Florida will have to pay out the nose to get out of a game against Presbyterian. LSU will have to do the same to South Alabama.

If you're either school, this is not an advantageous option. LSU offers an alternative that gets the game played, and Florida won't budge. Gotta say, I side with LSU on this one--if they hand over all game operations to the Gators, pretty much just say "here's our stadium, use it", how is that a bad thing? 

Oh, right, the intangible "home field advantage" thing.

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lilpenny1316

October 6th, 2016 at 6:27 PM ^

People shouldn't be all that pissed about playing 2 consecutive years in East Lansing.  When LSU played (and beat) South Carolina last year, it was a "home" game for the Cocks.  Problem is that the stadium was half empty and the majority of fans there were LSU fans.

There's no way The Game would be played in Ann Arbor this year if the toilet bowl gets plugged.

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Needs

October 7th, 2016 at 2:19 PM ^

Actually, LSU has more to lose (setting aside the financial benefits of a home game to the Florida AD).

The SEC bylaws apparently say the the first criteria in determining division champions is winning percentage. If LSU were to win out (doubtful, sure, but hear me out), they'd still be behind Alabama, who they beat head to head, as their records would be 7-1 to 6-1. Florida, on the other hand, could win the division with a 6-1 record over a 6-2 Tennessee who they lost to.

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True Blue in CO

October 6th, 2016 at 4:34 PM ^

I do not know how TV contracts work for cancelled games but buying out the 11/19 patsy games has to be worth it to the schools, the networks, or both. Plus there are divisional titles to compete for and cancelling a game messes this up. First priority this weekend is safety but they should figure this out next week.



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FauxMo

October 6th, 2016 at 4:34 PM ^

So, two teams that play in "The Swamp" and "Death Valley" are afraid of a little rain, eh? 

 

In all seriousness, why not move it to a neutral site? I can't imagine it would be THAT hard... 

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LSAClassOf2000

October 6th, 2016 at 5:27 PM ^

I kind of wondered that myself, why they couldn't or wouldn't try to shop quickly around for a neutral field that would work for everyone, or at least enough people. Obviously, no reason to play in The Swamp while it is becoming The Deep End Of The Pool, but there have to be many venues that enough fans would be willing to travel to, even last minute. 

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McFate

October 7th, 2016 at 6:00 PM ^

... due to differences in winning percentage (7-1 = 0.875, 6-1 = 0.857) determing division standing rather than the head-to-head tiebreaker.

If LSU beats everyone left on their schedule including Alabama, they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker for the West division.  Both would have just one loss in conference play.  But 6-1 sits behind 7-1 in the standings regardless, so Alabama gets the title game on the winning percentage difference.

Florida is already behind the other credible East division candidate (Tennessee) and has a head-to-head loss.  The canceled game helps them if Tennessee loses twice and if Florida would have lost to LSU, because 6-2 vs 6-2 goes to head-to-head, while 6-1 beats out 6-2.  (If Tennessee finishes 7-1 or 8-0, it doesn't matter what Florida does; they are out.)

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