Nebraska's home opener against Akron on Saturday night was cancelled due to inclement weather, and the contract between the schools "allows the agreement to be voided in the event of 'disaster' or even a 'tropical storm,'" which potentially "opens the door for NU officials to avoid paying" the full $1.17M that Akron was due for the game, according to a front-page piece by Sam McKewon of the OMAHA WORLD-HERALD. Item No. 9 of the contract includes the circumstances in which the agreement "would be void" because the game was cancelled by "disaster, fire, war, terrorism, earthquake or calamities including rebellion, insurrection or confiscation of Memorial Stadium by order of government." The contract also says that if either team "fails to play the game for reasons other than those listed in No. 9, the party at fault will owe the other" $1M. The contract said that NU would pay Akron $1.17M “following the scheduled game.” The full payment "would have been due" by March 1 had the game been played. NU officials have said that "financial details are 'to be determined.'" Attorney Dave Domina said that Akron "may be paid travel expenses." But he added, “I don’t think it gets the fruits of completing the contract" (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 9/4).
WE CAN WORK IT OUT: NU coach Scott Frost said that he is "willing to entertain the idea of filling in a 12th game either on Oct. 27, his team’s scheduled open date, or after the regular season if the Huskers are not in the Big Ten championship game." Frost said, “If they give us an option to fill that game in somewhere, we’re going to take it” (LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR, 9/4). The WORLD-HERALD's McKewon notes NU "wanted to play the game, so much so that officials were considering Nebraska dorms to house the Akron players overnight and trying to figure out logistics for packing another full house in Memorial Stadium." The Big Ten and NU wanted to "resume play" of the game at 10:30am CT on Sunday, but Akron AD Larry Williams "declined" the offer (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 9/4).
STORMS ABOUND: In Iowa, Dylan Montz noted Iowa State "cancelled its season opener" against South Dakota State on Saturday night after "lightning and heavy rains descended on Jack Trice Stadium." It was the "first ISU football game to be cancelled since November 1963 at Drake after the assassination" of President John F. Kennedy. There are "no plans to reschedule the game," but ISU "will begin to search for an FCS opponent that could play" on the team's bye week, which is Oct. 20. ISU AD Jamie Pollard said that South Dakota State will "receive its full $425,000 payout for the game." Refunds for fans in attendance "could be contingent upon another game being scheduled," as ISU "didn’t have a definitive answer Saturday night" (AMES TRIBUNE, 9/2).
