Orlando is the latest city "to get in the game of hosting neutral-site matchups on college football's opening weekend," as Florida State and Ole Miss will play in the Citrus Bowl to begin the '16 season, according to sources cited by Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com. The game "is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 5." Other cities "currently hosting opening weekend neutral-site games" include Houston, Charlotte, Atlanta and Arlington, Texas (ESPN.com, 11/13). In Orlando, Murschel & Romero noted Orlando and Orange County officials "were counting on Florida Citrus Sports to host events at the venue that would sell tickets and drive tourists into the area" after investing $207M "to overhaul the 78-year-old facility." Officials for Florida Citrus Sports, which handles the planning and management of events at the venue, "have been working on bringing more high-profile games to the stadium." The Citrus Bowl upgrades, "including new seating, luxury suites, concessions, restroom, Wi-Fi and a new video board, have helped put Orlando in the mix to host additional events." Neutral-site games "have drawn large crowds in the past," and the climate "is favorable for the Citrus Bowl to sign up some of college football’s top teams." The new CFP selection committee "is putting an emphasis on playing high quality opponents while deciding which four teams will play for the national championship" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/14). In Jackson, Hugh Kellenberger notes the SEC "passed a rule in the spring requiring all of its 14 member schools to play one power five conference opponent each season." Ole Miss "did not have one scheduled" for '16 prior to scheduling the FSU game, as its other three nonconference games that season will be Memphis, Wofford and Georgia Southern (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 11/14).
HEADING TO ARROWHEAD: In Missouri, David Morrison notes the Univ. of Missouri “will play BYU in a two-game series starting with a Nov. 14 date at Arrowhead Stadium next season.” MU AD Mike Alden said that the school “had been devoted to returning to Arrowhead” since its series with the Univ. of Kansas ended in ’11, and it “was just a matter of when.” The ’15 game “will serve as a home date” for MU, and the school “will keep the revenues from the game as they would a regular home game and pay BYU a guarantee for traveling” (COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE, 11/14).
