Saturday's scheduled LSU-Florida football game in Gainesville was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew, and the SEC will try to "reschedule the game at some point later in the season, if possible," according to Robbie Andreu of the GAINESVILLE SUN. LSU offered to play the game in Baton Rouge on Sunday and "pay all of Florida's travel expenses," but UF AD Jeremy Foley deemed that "not feasible from a logistical and safety standpoint for the Gators." UF "offered to move the game to Nov. 19 -- a date when both schools have games against non-conference opponents." However, a source said that LSU rejected that, as it does not want to "end its season with three consecutive road games." Foley said that as late as Wednesday night, it "appeared there was a good chance the game would be played at some point Saturday." However, the situation changed Thursday morning with the "strengthening of Matthew and its projected path" (GAINESVILLE SUN, 10/7). In Baton Rouge, Ross Dellenger in a front-page piece reports LSU is "likely unwilling to give up" their Nov. 19 game against South Alabama in part because of the "home game revenue: it will generate -- at least $3M). There also would be a $1.5M buyout and the "effect on an already tough season-ending stretch." LSU AD Joe Alleva: "It would be very difficult to give up a home game to make up this game." LSU President F. King Alexander said that UF officials were "adamant against moving the game." Foley said that UF "did not consider neutral sites." Dellenger notes this would the "first cancellation of a Southeastern Conference football game in league history" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 10/7). The SEC has an "insurance policy that covers lost game revenue for all 14 schools, but it's unclear how much it would cover in this scenario" (AP, 10/6).
POOR PLANNING: In Baton Rouge, Scott Rabalais writes the decision to postpone the game "was all right in itself," but the process was "all wrong." The SEC and UF "backed themselves into a corner until late Thursday afternoon and there was no other option than not to play." Foley "basically said the game would be in Gainesville or bust," and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey let Foley "get away with stalling and delaying until it was too late to do anything." Rabalais: "Sankey got played, and the game won't be" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 10/7). In New Orleans, Ron Higgins writes Foley was "able to delay Sankey for 2 1/2 days from making a decision when and where to play." Higgins: "Whatever contingency plans the SEC has in place for situations like this doesn't work, especially when one school balks at moving the game to the opponent's field or delaying playing the game a couple of days. ... The Gators really didn't have the desire, Sankey accommodated them and gave Foley a nice retirement gift" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/7). But in Tampa, Martin Fennelly writes, "This was the right call. Could there have been any other? Yes, both teams might lose a conference game. ... Who cares right now?" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/7).
