February 16, 2009

Florida and Utah to settle BCS debate on the field?

Chalk this up to RUMORS (that's rumors, with a capital R-U-M-O-R-S), but....

According to Lya Wodraska of the Salt Lake Tribune, there is talk out of Gainesville that the Florida Gators are considering upgrading their 2009 out-of-conference schedule by dumping a lesser opponent at home for a date with a MWC opponent. The game would be in the Swamp against TCU or Utah.

First, let me say there aren't any discussions going on between the schools according to Utah ticket manager Zack Lassiter who oversees the scheduling.

"We're always looking at options, but right now our mindset is our 2009 schedule is full," he said. "We're focused on the 2010 and 2011 openings."

While Ute fans may not want to hear it, it's well established that TCU is still looking for a game. The Frogs were in discussions with FSU and Georgia Tech at one point last month and Patterson seems ready to travel the Frogs into the Southeast. Getting a game set with TCU might be as easy as dropping mighty Charleston Southern.

It would take a four-way dosie-do to pair Utah and Florida, as both teams would have to dump existing opponents to lock in a date. It would also take a bucketful of money. Wodraska reports that the Utes got $800,000 for their Michigan game and will rake in $950,000 in 2010 at Notre Dame.

Where's there's pay, there's a way, I suppose, and ESPN could certainly step in to make a big primetime matchup a must-see game in early September. (In fact, I suspect 99% of the nation would rather see this game than the Labor Day game with FSU-Miami.)

The Gators have improved their out-of-conference scheduling just slightly in the past few seasons, but... a big-time early-season game without a bye week against a highly ranked OOC opponent? I don't see that happening.

But... stranger things have happened.....

Comments:

Florida and Utah to settle BCS debate on the field?
Chalk this up to RUMORS (that's rumors, with a capital R-U-M-O-R-S), but.... According to Lya Wodraska of the Salt Lake Tribune, there is talk out of Gainesville that the Florida Gators are considering upgrading their 2009 out-of-conference schedule by dumping a lesser opponent at home for a date with a MWC opponent. The game would be in the Swamp against TCU or Utah.
First, let me say there aren't any discussions going on between the schools according to Utah ticket manager Zack Lassiter who oversees the scheduling. "We're always looking at options, but right now our mindset is our 2009 schedule is full," he said. "We're focused on the 2010 and 2011 openings."
While Ute fans may not want to hear it, it's well established that TCU is still looking for a game. The Frogs were in discussions with FSU and Georgia Tech at one point last month and Patterson seems ready to travel the Frogs into the Southeast. Getting a game set with TCU might be as easy as dropping mighty Charleston Southern. It would take a four-way dosie-do to pair Utah and Florida, as both teams would have to dump existing opponents to lock in a date. It would also take a bucketful of money. Wodraska reports that the Utes got $800,000 for their Michigan game and will rake in $950,000 in 2010 at Notre Dame. Where's there's pay, there's a way, I suppose, and ESPN could certainly step in to make a big primetime matchup a must-see game in early September. (In fact, I suspect 99% of the nation would rather see this game than the Labor Day game with FSU-Miami.) The Gators have improved their out-of-conference scheduling just slightly in the past few seasons, but... a big-time early-season game without a bye week against a highly ranked OOC opponent? I don't see that happening. But... stranger things have happened.....