Report: LSU won't agree to UF's suggested makeup date
After a week of speculating about where and when the Florida and LSU might be played, we’re left with only one certainty – it’s not happening Saturday.
With Gainesville unable to host the game on Oct. 8 as originally scheduled, several suggestions have been reported in traditional media and spread on social media. Playing the game in Baton Rouge was offered, but Florida declined citing logistics of a last-minute road trip.
The Gators quite obviously did not want to give up a home game against the Tigers. UF also did not want to travel to LSU three years in a row (2015, 2016, 2017).
If not this weekend, the focus shifts to the rest of the schedule. Florida and LSU do not share an open date, but they are both scheduled to play nonconference opponents on Nov. 19 (Presbyterian and South Alabama respectively). Mark Long of the Associated Press reports that UF officials want the LSU game to be moved to Nov. 19, but the Tigers oppose that plan.
SEC will make final call on LSU-Gators makeup date. Gators want Nov. 19 (and to buy out non-conference games). LSU does not want that
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) October 6, 2016
LSU’s reasons for not wanting Nov. 19 are similar to Florida’s for not wanting to go to Baton Rouge:
It also would give #LSU three straight #SEC road games:
at Arkansas
at Florida
at Texas A&Min 12 days. https://t.co/x8julLpLYk
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 6, 2016
It could mean a loss of more than $5 million for #LSU. https://t.co/tf83OQFQlT
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 6, 2016
On the financial end, Long has been one of the more vocal media members in citing the SEC’s lost revenue insurance policy, new to this season. He points to this covering the financial implications of buying out the nonconference opponents (Presbyterian and South Alabama) and LSU giving up a home game:
SEC has lost-revenue insurance that covers all 14 schools just for situations like this one. #Gators https://t.co/ivgOgWXM2Z
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) October 6, 2016
LSU may soon find themselves alone in not wanting to have the game on Nov. 19, as the game could affect both division races:
Butch Jones on @3HL1045 talking Florida-LSU: "They have to play that football game … I know the SEC will do the right thing."
— @GrantRamey (@GrantRamey) October 6, 2016
The decision will ultimately be made by the SEC office:
Foley says potential Nov. 19 date would be discussed by league. Whatever SEC decides, Foley says UF is behind it
— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) October 6, 2016