LSU AD Joe Alleva hops on ESPN radio: 'The game is not going to happen'
It does not appear that LSU and Florida will be playing a regular season game in 2016.
On Thursday it was announced that the game — which was scheduled for a noon kickoff in Gainesville this Saturday — was postponed and that there was no concrete plan for a makeup. Here was the official statement from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey:
“We had a very productive phone call today with a great spirit of cooperation between the universities’ presidents and athletics directors and it became clear that the University of Florida could neither host nor travel to a game this weekend considering the circumstances,” said Sankey. “The developments of the hurricane in the last 24 hours, the projected magnitude of its impact and the unknown aftermath of this storm have resulted in this decision to seek another date to play the LSU-Florida game. We have to be sensitive to the possible imminent disruption to the state of Florida and in particular the Gainesville and surrounding area.”
LSU athletic director Joe Alleva joined ESPN 104.5 Baton Rouge on Friday morning to discuss the matter, and he was pessimistic about the chances of getting this thing done:
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Alleva on @1045espn: "The game is not going to happen."
— Cody Worsham (@CodyWorsham) October 7, 2016
Alleva: "We would have done anything to get the game in. Anything."
— Cody Worsham (@CodyWorsham) October 7, 2016
#LSU AD Joe Alleva is on @1045espn now, confirming what he said on Thursday. The game against #UF will not be made up this season.
— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) October 7, 2016
If the two parties cannot come to an agreement (and at this point, that’s how it looks), there’s a big discussion looming when it comes to the SEC tiebreakers in both the East and West divisions:
#LSU AD Joe Alleva said he will discuss the tiebreaker with the #SEC office. The big debate becomes LSU at 6-1 vs. a 7-1 team LSU beat.
— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) October 7, 2016
Here was Alleva’s comments during yesterday’s press conference, where he already began to address the issue as a “game cancellation”:
Sankey is failing as the SEC commissioner. His official comment is pure nonsense. The game should have been played this Sunday, or even Monday if necessary. Asking LSU to rechecked where they then have to play three tough SEC road games in 12 days is just stupid. Florida is sacred. Sankey screwed up big time.
Truth.
Gators should not say they play in the Swamp but that they hide in the swamp. LSU offered them everything to get out of Gainesville for a game, Sunday is good too but FLA knew it was a$$ whipping time and they said NO NO NO!!!
Ha, that’s one way to keep yourself in the SEC race, brilliant! Cheap, but brilliant. Todays message. “If you cant earn it, steal it.”
No wonder Gator tastes like CHICKEN!!! LOL
Note to self: Do not drink coffee while reading the comments. // proceeds to clean coffee off laptop screen.
Real knee slappers. You probably find Big Bang Theory to be funny. I bet you’re a big fan of Kevin Hart movies.
That doesn’t even make sense. BBT is hilarious, Kevin Hart is an a$$.
It’s funny because gator meat actually does taste a lot like chicken..
It’s obvious that Florida didn’t WANT to come to an agreement. This is just a ploy to keep an SEC loss off their schedule. SEC Commissioner should have set the arrangements and told the schools “this is how it’s going to be.” Any team not in agreement would have made a forfeit and earned a loss for the game. Yeah, he probably doesn’t have the authority, but should have when a school is playing chicken like this.
Lost what little respect I had for the University of Florida.
LSU was willing. Florida was not. Give LSU the W and Florida the L. In my book, Florida forfeited the game by being unwilling to cooperate.
That’s what you get for having ANY respect for UF. lol…
This is unbelievable. I understand the desire to play the game. Everyone wants it played. Obviously, Florida does not want to travel to BR when the game is scheduled for the Swamp, but the same argument applies for LSU not wanting to play on Nov. 19th. It makes the schedule tougher. The thing that everyone seems to forget is that 52 of Florida’s players have families that live in areas expected to be impacted by this storm. You want them to leave their families to play a game? Would you leave yours? The situation is unfortunate, but to blame Florida is very insensitive, especially from LSU fans who know the tragedy that can come from hurricanes.
UGA4ME: Why are you even on here? We beat y’all every single year. Even Treon Harris is 2-0 against UGA…
UGA is a better team than UF. They will slam that backdoor shut on UF, then miraculously Florida will want to play the game again…
You win 1 time in 12 years and become a football expert. I hope you win the east, if we are unable to. I would be surprised if we win out; therefore, I pull for you to keep UGA from going.
The team you cheer for has nothing to do with your knowledge of football. Just because your team beats another team doesn’t mean you, as a fan, know any more about football than the team they beat.
Memphis Vol,
Don’t bother using logic with a Florida fan.
Cry us a river, gator fan. The storm is passing today. The game could have easily been rescheduled for Sunday. LSU was willing to make the trip. UF refused. Foley is working the system, trying to back into the SECCG. Nothing else at work here.
I understand that, but that information was not available yesterday when they made the decision. Play us on Nov 19. You cant point the finger for us not wanting to play today, when you don’t want to play on the 19th for the same reason.
The gator game was scheduled for this week. It should be played this week. Foley is working the system. LSU will not buy off on losing 5 million dollars and be put in a position to have to play theee SEC road games in 12 days. Foley is scared. Sankey is weak. It is what it is.
Why should we have to cancel our game on November 19th?
Why would LSU want to miss out on the final home game of the season to play FL in FL right after playing Bama and @Arky then having to play @ aTm less than a week after that? We did not have to play in Baton Rouge, we could have played on sunday in the swamp, or anywhere else, but FL doesnt want to do that.
The Gator game was scheduled this week before a hurricane came in to play. Are you serious right now? LSU would not have to buy off anyone. The SEC has an insurance policy for these situations. LSU is scared to move the game to November, because it would be too tough of a schedule for them. Quit crying.
Just go look at what LSU had to do in 2005 after Katrina. LSU had to move a home game to Arizona State, move another non conference game to the original bye week, and they had to move the Tennessee game to Monday. After all that mess, they went to the SEC championship game the following week. LSU had no bye week all season long. Florida could have played this game elsewhere or a day or two later.
LSU traveled and played 2 days after Katrina! Why should we give up our home game that we have scheduled for November 19th.
Totally false on the playing 2 days after Katrina.
Katrina hit 8/29, LSU postponed the N Texas game out to later in the season and had 10 days to move the ASU game to ASU.
LSU did not play a game in BR for a month after Katrina.
That’s because Tiger Stadium was a tent city for evacuees from N.O. What UF doing for there citizens that would require to cancel a game?
Spare us the theatrics. “You want them to leave their families to play a game?” So, they usually take their families WITH them to every game? They never leave them? What does these football players being there have to do with anything? Are they gonna turn the power back on? Combine forces like the Care Bears to hold back the flood waters and push the hurricane away? Gimme a break. Excuses are like buttholes…
And whoever is the first to go *SOB* *SOB* THINK OF THE CHILDREN!! *SOB* *SOB* is the person who has lost the argument. Florida is scared. Everybody but you knows it.
Florida should be in talks with South Carolina right now about switching mascots. South Carolina will man up and play on Sunday. They are no longer the chickens. “The University of Florida Chickensh!ts” it has a nice ring to it.
If it was about the families the game would have been cancelled on Tuesday.
To blame Florida is insensitive? Florida gains everything and loses nothing from cowering away from LSU. If Florida ends up taking the east on “win percentage” over Tennessee, there will be an uproar.
Florida saw how LSU played last Saturday and said no thank you I believe we will pass.
LSU would be saying/doing/wanting the same thing if they were in Florida’s position. Don’t gimme any bullsh!t about Katrina and Rita as those are completely different situations in terms of the timing of the hurricanes and/or how the storms were projected to affect Baton Rouge.
No way in hell LSU would want to give up a home game and go to Florida, or Tuscaloose if the opponent was Alabama. It’s pretty damn convenient for LSU to say what they’ve said thus far.
The game could have been played on Sunday. LSU said they would fly in Sunday morning. You sound very uninformed.
Finally someone who doesn’t have any skin in the game. Makes a logical point and then a corn dog lovin kitten says he’s “uninformed”. It seems like the only one making excuses is LSU. Buyout the patsy games, move the A&M game to Saturday and play on the 19th. Simple as that.
Rita was essentially the same exact situation. The storm made landfall on Saturday the 24th and the game was moved to Monday the 26th.
Projected path was never expected to go near Baton Rouge either. It’s easy to say now that the game could be played Sunday. There was no guarantee yesterday or Wednesday that Gainesville would be suitable for a Sunday game. Besides, the SEC ruled out Sunday.
Rita made landfall in Texas, not really that close to BR.
Try again.
Foley is a coward. Trying to make excuses just makes you look foolish. The game could have easily been scheduled for Sunday. If the stom ended up being really bad, we would have known on Saturday and the game could have been cancelled then. Quit being a moron. Foley is a coward trying to work the system. There is no other explanation.
This is ridiculous. The storm is passing today. I understand the need to postpone it for safety and logistical reasons, but the game must be played at some point. I haven’t heard a valid excuse as to why Sunday or Monday wouldn’t work. I say give them both an L if they cant come to an agreement to play the game. If GA and SC can figure it out, I don’t see how you can let LSU and FL get a pass. Even if its on a high school field with only family in the stands, the SEC needs to make this game happen.
LSU has agreed to play Sunday or Monday. UF refuses. This is on them and Sankey. When we see clear pictures of Gainesville on Sunday, Foley will just say it went better than expected and no one could have known. He will be lying.
The issue is not if the storm its Gainesville. Its hundreds of thousands of people throughout the state who are being affected. Many of the players have families in these areas. I don’t understand the argument at all. LSU would have handled this the same way had the roles been reversed. You act like this was a sure win for LSU, and I am not sure why. If the game could have been played this week, it would have been. The SEC will make them play on the 19th of November if both teams are still in contention, and we can listen to you whine some more then.
LSU and Florida both want a home game. That is the bottom line. These “offers” from LSU are ridiculous. #1, UF is not going to give up a home game to go play in Baton Rouge. #2, If the multitude of issues with the hurricane are present for the state of Florida on Saturday, they are probably not going to be resolved on Sunday or Monday. Alleva knows this and is making an offer he knows UF cannot accept…and the only ones buying his nonsense are wearing purple and gold.
LOL…and orange.
Foley screwed this up. The only way to make up the game is to move UF-UGA a week and have LSU-UF play then. That is the only option. Foley is a coward trying to work the system. That is a fact. Defending him is the work of fools.
You sound like Gollum, “my SEC East title, my precious is so close. I’ll do anything for it. Give both teams losses. Me needs my precious.” I guess that’s what happens when you haven’t been to Atlanta in a decade, you’d sell your soul to Sauron for a chance. It’s so close you can almost taste it, wouldn’t want those pesky Gators to ruin your dreams, huh?
You sound like someone who spends way too much time living in a fantasy world. Even w/out playing LSU, I still think Florida takes losses at Arkansas and vs. Georgia, so no, I’m not particularly worried about Florida at all.
Try worrying about your turnover fest of a team instead of getting angry over whether this game gets played. You lossed yesterday and will likely next week. If the Gators win out they go and then cue Justin Timberlake for vols nation. Sorry that I referenced one of the best trilogy’s of movies ever made, I guess I need to stick to football only. I will remember that when posting in the future.
All in good fun man, but seriously check out my college football podcast, it’s on soundcloud and my Twitter handle is @Hater_Radio
Nobody can make fun of us trying to dodge a game. This very week last year we had a 1000 yr flood and we moved our game with LSU and went to Baton Rouge…we took our beating but we played the game.
These comments are pretty entertaining. No dog in the fight, but for anyone to think that florida is scared to play lsu is just laughable. lsu is a below average team coached by a inept imbecile. everyone that lsu has owned in the past is chomping at the bits to play this trainwreck. The revenue that Florida loses by moving this game to a sunday or monday is a huge loss as well. I personally think a good solution would be for florida to pay presbyterian what they were going to pay them and south alabama could host them on 11/19. South alabama could forgo their payout for the opportunity to host another home game and could earn a much needed win for bowl eligibility purposes. You can tell how far the LSU program has fallen when they wouldn’t agree to playing this game on 11/19 because playing arkansas florida and a$m is too hard on them.
Another option would be to play the game on December 2.
You talk a big talk big man! We’ll see what happens November 5th in Baton Rouge. LSU doesnt want to play three SEC road games in a row, I dont think anyone would even *gasp* Alabama. LSU nor Florida was scared to play each other, its about a damn hurricane smacking the eastern Florida coast. Meanwhile, I wouldnt be speaking so much the LSU program falling when its gonna be tough for you guys to beat Ark this weekend and even tougher to take down A&M.
Don’t mention the possibility about playing Oct 29th. LSU doesn’t wanna lose their precious bye before playing Bama.
Wow, Alleva is on another media outlet? He is really working the airwaves to try to save face. I guess after stating that he was going to stick with Miles “and win championships together” only to fire him 5 games later…he needs to not look like he was worked.
But reading the LSU fan comments are so ironic considering how much the state of Louisiana has had to suffer due to hurricanes. LSU fans and media are upset with Florida because the Gators do not want to give up a home game for multiple reasons; including the fans, the money it generates and the considerations of the players…52 of which had relatives who were in the hurricane warning and flood zones on Thursday; when the decision was announced.
But if it is UF that is afraid to play the big bad 3-2 LSU (as you allege), why is it that LSU is currently refusing to cancel their 11/19 patsy game against South Alabama to make up this game? LSU says that this would result in a stretch of games that is too tough? You mean like Tennessee is having to play? And how about the Gators? UF would have to play LSU and FSU back to back…that is a tough stretch, too…but they are willing.
And do not buy the BS that they “offered” to accommodate the Gators in Baton Rouge. They sure did…and the LSU AD, Joe Alleva even began lobbying SEC Commissioner Sankey on MONDAY, before he even spoke to Jeremy Foley. This has always been about LSU having this as a home game. They just wanted a South Carolina part 2. They liked the extra revenue. In fairness, it is the same for UF…they wanted this as a home game. But this time, Alleva was dealing with Jeremy Foley and the Gators…not Ray Tanner and the Gamecocks.
Although the funny offshoot of this is that a little bit ago, when it was announced that the game is cancelled…Butch Jones was on the radio discussing the cancellation of the LSU game and he is quoted to have said “they have to play the football game…I know the SEC will do the right thing.” Can you imagine how red his face will be if the Gators back into the SECCG like UGA did a couple years ago and Tennessee did in 2007.
Play the Game in Mobile at Ladd Peebles Stadium, where the Senior Bowl is hosted. Straight shot down I-10 for both, and they both get to showcase in a hotbed of football talent. Or is that too easy a solution?
Florida fans sound so stupid tying to defend this. Foley is a coward trying to work the system. There is no other explanation. Why should LSU lose a home game and five million dollars because Foley is a coward?
Alleva is such a pansy. The game would have been perfectly fine to play tomorrow. I hope the sec drops down some major punishment to LSU for his actions. How scared does one have to be refuse to play a scheduled game and demand that he will only play this weekend if it is on sunday. LSU wouldn’t mind the short week because they play a cupcake non conference game next week. This program is hitting rock bottom fast.
but yesterday the weather wasn’t looking good for Saturday. we can’t just predict that the hurricane will pass on some. trust me I’m upset the game isn’t being played even when the hurricane was heading directly for us, so no excuses here
Although a gator fan, I agree with most of your guys comments on that this game could have been played Sunday or Monday, I am not disputing that, I just find it funny that after 1 win in 12 years against us Tennessee fans feel them and their team are relevant once again. We get it vol fans, Atlanta is your Super Bowl. The reason why Vol fans are so persistent on having this game played is cause they know this is truly their only chance of making the trip to Atlanta since 2007. like I said I agree this game could have been played and I understand the outcome of the game and the factors is has, but ever since the vols best us, they act like the trip to Atlanta is destined. Also don’t understand why people are saying gators are scared to face a struggling lsu team. We are struggling with injuries, but lsu has been struggling all year injuries and no injuries. whatever floats your boat and helps you sleep better at night.
What an unfortunate situation. LSU was ready and willing to do whatever it takes to make this game happen, even offering to send jet over to fly gator boys here to play. I truly believe the powers to be feel it was in the best interest of the Gators to omit this game completely because they would have been beaten badly by the newly invigorated LSU team. Florida gators, I hope you lose the rest of your games for being such a wussy!
We get Del Rio back and LSU will get Fournette back. Let’s get real who really comes out ahead by waiting? Del Rio is a good qb but damn.