July 23, 2007
FSU scheduling neutral site games in Georgia Dome, Citrus Bowl
Word out of Tallahassee has the Florida State football team taking a page out of the Notre Dame playbook.
FSU AD Dave Hart (who figures to be out of a job in 2009) has made a deal with Orlando's Citrus Bowl to host the Seminoles against a to-be determined non-conference opponent in either 2012 or 2013, provided the $175 million Citrus Bowl renovation is on track.
The Noles are also in talks with the Georgia Dome to play a 2008 non-conference opponent in Atlanta. FSU, who has two open slots on its 2008 slate, will likely partner with a network in an attempt to pair the Noles against an BCS opponent with an open date, such as Louisville, Georgia, Tennessee, or South Carolina (in a Bowden-Spurrier matchup).
Comments:
CUTotalTiger said:
posted on July 24, 2007 12:34 AM — 68.59.7.45 — link — abuse?
Spurrier and the Gators wanted no part of the Canes way back, what makes anyone think he would be willing to take on FSU, when he has UGA, Tenn, Florida, Clemson, Arkansas and (either LSU, Alabama, or Augurn) on the table. FSU is much more likely to get UGA if held in the Georgia Dome. I would imagine Tennessee would take a Georgia Dome match up as well. But my guess is, the Noles are going to be hard pressed to get a good SEC team to travel down to Orlando.
gatorstud said:
posted on July 24, 2007 8:24 AM — 69.95.111.248 — link — abuse?
sem. nation....right-on......definately a good move by fsu....as far as a team that they should play...they should look at a game against the big ten...maybe a mich...or ohio state...the acc and sec already have matchups during the year.....and a game against the pac-ten...would definately draw viewers....but i don't think they could hype it up like a big ten match-up...
jmho
go gators...and hokies
SEMINOLE_NATION said:
posted on July 24, 2007 8:36 AM — 71.14.108.232 — link — abuse?
I think 2008 could be a big year for the Noles after the new staff has a year under it's belt.
I say bring on USC (Southern Cal) in 2008. I also like the idea of playing Michigan or OSU, another Penn State game might be good too.
IrishJT said:
posted on July 24, 2007 8:59 AM — 71.207.207.83 — link — abuse?
Where is the outrage?? Where is the FSU-is-over-hyped-and-should-stay-out-of-Georgia's-recruit-zone outrage??
Great move by FSU. Of course, when the Irish do the same thing FIRST, they are looked upon as cutting in. Unbelievable.
By the way, I have tremendous respect for Bowden. However, FSU couldn't go to anyplace other than a bordering Florida state to host his offsite game. Notre Dame could sell out a 100,000+ seat stadium in Alaska.
shiguy said:
posted on July 24, 2007 12:20 PM — 64.9.12.234 — link — abuse?
ahh IrishJT i sometimes don't know if you actually mean what you say or if it is simply a means to try and push people's buttons. i would actually hope that it is the later because if you are actually truely believing everything you type that is sad. first off for FSU to play in Georgia is not a large deal. they're right next to it. and for a neutral site it makes sense as it's not far from either school. that is the reason there is no backlashing because the neutral site simply makes sense. now the reason why people think ND's location is a large publicity stunt is because what does notre dame or washington have anything to do with san antonio? you mean to tell me that there were no other large stadiums anywhere between indiana and washington? i always find it funny how the grads and students from ND always bring up their great "catholic heritage!" but they are usually the most self absorbed arogant fans of the sport.
TrojanHorse said:
posted on July 24, 2007 3:34 PM — 132.228.195.206 — link — abuse?
I'm all for the Trojans marching into ATL.. that would be awesome.. i tried looking up future SC schedules and they only go to 2011
however with the Pac round robin schedule, in even years (12) they would play 4 home and 5 road conference games so for OOC games, SC would need two home games and one road. ND would be one of the home games in an even year.. so I guess this would be the one road game.. however if we step back a bit, I thought SC scheduled BC in a home and home.. the question is what years did they schedule and which year was the road game..
From SC's standpoint, this would be much easier to do in an odd numbered year where two OOC road games are the norm.. yes this would be a road game no matter how you sliced it
IBleedOrange said:
posted on July 24, 2007 5:40 PM — 71.52.46.154 — link — abuse?
I'd love to see The Vols take on The Noles in a rematch of the '98 NC. Hopefully, we'd have the same outcome. A big win might help the opposing team make some recruiting in-roads into the highly coveted state of Florida as well. I don't think that FSU would have much trouble packing in the fans anywhere in the Southeast. I know there are plenty of them in Nashville.
posted on July 24, 2007 6:47 PM — 64.12.117.11 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta said:
Rammer: I would guess that they didn't have the room on the schedules for the forseeable future, and that by scheduling a neutral site, they could knock out both at once.
I didn't think that Bama fans really liked the GA Dome after the SEC championship game was moved from Bama'ham to Atlanta. Also, you know all those big Bama boosters in the Magic City would be plenty pissed if the Tide scheduled a game in Atlanta, and they haven't had one in Birmingham in years. What's going on with Legion Field? Maybe they should fill it with dirt and turn it into a big planter...
TrojanHorse: I'm all for the Trojans marching on Atlanta this year...for the Chic-fil-A Peach Bowl. haha
Perhaps FSU is interested in getting some exposure in Hotlanta for a possible launch of the ACC title game to Atlanta in the near future. Bring it on! We'd definitely be the football capital of the country then!
posted on July 24, 2007 7:22 PM — link — abuse?
The FSU-Bama deal was put together (at least initially) by the Gator Bowl folks, hence the location. At the time of the contract, neither Alabama nor FSU wanted to walk away from the $2million neutral payout to do a home-and-home.
Both FSU and Alabama have open 2009 & 2010 slots. Just looking at the FSU/Bama futures, it appears that a 2009 in Tallahassee & 2010 in Tuscaloosa would seem to make both teams happy.
JZNole said:
posted on July 25, 2007 12:04 PM — 12.177.80.3 — link — abuse?
As an FSU fan in Atlanta, I'm pretty excited. Not that its a big deal to drive 4 hours to Tally a couple times during the fall.
What about the Auburn Pu$$ies? They backed out on us a couple years ago, I haven't exactly forgotten about that. They've got a pretty big following in Atlanta (including my roommate!). I would love that game.
But at the same time, does it defeat the purpose of this game being about recruiting if FSU schedules a top-10 possible team? Maybe they're looking for a more middle-of-the-road BCS school - Michigan State or Miss State perhaps?
Rammer Jammer said:
posted on July 25, 2007 12:36 PM — 199.89.170.92 — link — abuse?
Thanks WE ATL and Kev...
WE ATL- Legion field is a crap pot in the middle of a ghetto. I for one, was glad when we stopped playing there. I mean really, there is a stadium in Tuscaloosa that holds about 93,000 people. Why would Bama want to travel to B'Ham?
The atmosphere is so much better on the college campus. The days of Bama playing in B'Ham are over (thank GOD).
Now, about the Georgia Dome; You think that Bama fans dislike the GA Dome because the SEC championship was moved there from B'Ham. Why??? Maybe way back in 1991 (or 1992 I can't remember which)there was some animosity; but hell, that was 15 years ago.
The GA Dome is a much better venue than Legion Field. When was the last time you were at Legion field?? Have you ever tried to find a parking space there?
I attended the 1999 SEC championship at the GA Dome. I really enjoyed it. Great place to watch a football game.ROLL TIDE
posted on July 25, 2007 2:31 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Teams playing at neutral sites might seem like an anachronsim today, but it used to be the norm years ago, when transportation wasn't as easy as it is now. Auburn used to play virtually all their rivals on a neutral site--Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and GA Tech. I think the oldest rivalry still played at a neutral site is the Red River Shootout between Texas and Oklahoma.
Maybe it's something we should consider bringing back. A game at a neutral site, where each school would receive an equal allotment of tickets, could easily satisfy scheduling problems, eliminating the need for a return game. It could also serve to increase expose to other regions, perhaps enhancing recruiting prospects. Also, there are the lucrative paydays that loom for both schools.
Maybe this is the wave of the future, but I still doubt it. Most programs have grown accustomed to the $$$ that a 7th or 8th home game has been bringing in.
Zac said:
posted on July 25, 2007 2:38 PM — 76.85.143.185 — link — abuse?
Hold on, IrishJT, here I come to the rescue. OK, outrage, hmmm, how shall I start this? TJ Fowler, Chicken Run: ABSOLUTELY OURAGEOUS!!!
Now, you can claim, FSU stole ND's idea. However, it's not as if it hasn't been done before by other schools.Now, this next one deserves a little more scrutiny, and for this, I've saved Sam Kinison.
OK, let me get this straight. FSU is scheduling to play some "neutral site" games in the GA Dome, if the Citrus Bowl isn't ready for neutral site games. How can you call a FL school playing a game in FL on a NEUTAL SITE.
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
There, was I outraged enough? (Phew! That can be exhausting.)
posted on July 25, 2007 3:45 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Rammer: Big Bama Boosters from Birmingham (BBBB) would probably be the only ones upset about Alabama playing in the GA Dome. I dunno. I was just guessing. I'm glad I don't have to go back to Legion field. 1988 was the last game there for me. We always parked in someone's yard. Quite the cottage industry they had going there.
JZNole: I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to play the Auburn pussies ever again. The only reason they cancelled that series was that they were going to get creamed in 1999 and possibly the next year. Perhaps you might schedule it again because you want to bring up the 4-13-1 all-time record against us. See, we were one of the first teams that scheduled you originally, right after you converted over from being a girls' school...
SEMINOLE_NATION said:
posted on July 25, 2007 6:10 PM — 71.14.108.232 — link — abuse?
Yeah. Like War Eagle Atlanta said, they played us originally - when we sucked worse then DUKE. Obviously, once FSU established it's self Auburn dodged that bullet. Overall series records are meaningless if one school will only play the other program when it's down but when the rolls are reversed they run.
I have nothing against Auburn personally but you can't bring up the overall series record. Auburn ran, FSU didn't.
posted on July 25, 2007 6:23 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Semi-Nation: The series didn't discontinue because Auburn was afraid, there just wasn't room for it after each team went to an eight game conference schedule in 1992. It was possible when we had a 6-game SEC schedule and you were an independent, but times change.
Besides, would you really want to play another top OOC school every year in addition to Florida? That would be tough. I wish we could pick back up the series with FSU, GA Tech, or Clemson on an annual basis, but it's unlikely.
SEMINOLE_NATION said:
posted on July 26, 2007 6:01 PM — 71.14.108.232 — link — abuse?
I understand about the FSU-Aub series, I was just messing around and giving ya a hard time. No worries.
As to FSU picking up another tough OOC game annually. Yes, I'm all for it. During the 90's it was an 11 game schedule, 8 ACC games & 3 OOC games. UF and UM (elite competition in both) were a lock for two of the 3 OOC games and FSU scheduled a couple games against ND and USC to fill the 3rd spot.
I love OOC schedules more then conference schedules. A team can just be in a tough conference but a program CHOOSES it's OOC games. To me, that shows a lot of character for a program to willingly go out and schedule elite OOC programs. It's something they don't have to do but they want to play the best. I've always respected FSU and UM (among others) for that mentality, "we'll play anyone, anywhere."
I'm all for tougher OOC games. They are exciting and not the yearly norm. Bring it on.
posted on July 26, 2007 6:35 PM — link — abuse?
@SEMINOLE_NATION #20 - That's where my sample games came from - "who has some open dates?" Louisville, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina all do, as best I could tell from their websites.
posted on July 26, 2007 6:44 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
Semi-Nation: Yea, I know. You don't talk trash on here. I was explaining it for the other knuckleheads that do.
Yea, I gotta agree with the tough scheduling for FSU, having UF and UCG every year, especially back when UCG wasn't a conference game. That's the key ingredient in how Bowdon built that club and how FSU had one of the toughest schedules in the 1990s.
I like what ESPN has done for Auburn the last two years, facilitating the inking of last minute contracts with Washington State and Kansas State with the promise of national exposure and a solid payday, in order to get the broadcast rights for some interesting non-regional matchups. It really helped us out. I guess ESPN must really like us after all--the Auburn-Florida game was their highest ranked telecast last year.
Maybe this will spawn a flood of these non-regional OOC matchups?
Nolen1999 said:
posted on July 27, 2007 8:48 AM — 207.203.238.6 — link — abuse?
Semi-Nation: I completely agree with you! It adds excitement to the game as a whole and from time to time, we need a break from the norm.
Kev: It'd be great to see my Noles match up against any of the teams you listed. Louisville, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. I've witnessed a loss from each team except for S. Carolina... let's schedule them before BB retires. I wouldn't mind seeing Spurrier toss the ol' visor around again for our Hall of Famer!
Please note that all comments are subject to the Fanblogs Comment Policy.
SEMINOLE_NATION said:
posted on July 23, 2007 10:46 PM — 71.14.108.232 — link — abuse?This is an AWESOME move by the Noles. These games will get maximum exposure for recruiting by giving the Noles an all likely extra nationally televised games.
I'd love to see UGA fill that slot (Richt vs Bowden) or SC.