Strange how there hasn't been any info from the Athletic Department about who they are trying to schedule. I sure hope it doesn't turn out to be another D1AA team but almost all of the other 116 D1A teams will have their schedules set in stone by now. If it was up to me I would offer double the normal guarantee to somebody like Miami of Ohio or Boise State to back out of whoever they have scheduled on September 4th to pay a visit to Tiger Stadium. Another idea - (the light bulb over my head just started glowing) Notre Dame dosen't have a game scheduled for September 4th but they already have 11 games scheduled and 2004 is an 11 game year. If a deal could be worked out with Notre Dame and then both LSU and Notre Dame could appeal to the NCAA to grant the Irish a 12th game exemption like it is one of those preseason "Classics" like the Black Coaches Association Classic. There should be some sort of rule for situations like that. In fact they could grant both teams a 12th game in 2005 so that LSU could make it a home and home and play in South Bend the following year. There should also be some kind of severe penalty for teams like Virginia Tech, Marshall and Bowling Green who back out of scheduled games at the last minute and screw up the schedule of the team they backed out on.
I totally agree with you. Why did the NCAA change it to a 11 game schedule? What was wrong with playing 12 games?
It has something to do with years that more playing dates on Saturday's fall between the end of August and the first week in September. I could just as easily explain how they figure out what date Easter will fall on because of the time of the vernal equinox as I could tell you how they figure that out. In other words I don't have any idea how they figure either one. Maybe the Tigerforums resident number cruncher ISISTL can explain it.
09/04/04 TBA TBA 09/11/04 Houston 09/18/04 Auburn Auburn, Ala. 10/02/04 Georgia Athens, Ga. 10/09/04 Florida Gainesville, Fla. 10/16/04 Mississippi St. 10/23/04 Troy State 10/30/04 Vanderbilt 11/13/04 Alabama 11/20/04 Ole Miss 11/27/04 Arkansas Little Rock, Ark. One tough stretch in Early October ... in an otherwise weak as piss schedule ... with 7 EASY WINS with LSU HEAVILY FAVORED (14+) 1. Whatever State School LSU gets on 9/4 2. Houston 3. Auburn 4. MSU 5. Troy State 6. Vandy 7. Ole Pi$$ and 2 tough games with LSU slightly favored (less than 7) ... GA, FLA and 2 favored games (7-14) ... ALA, ARK Same potential to run the table ... take the #1 spot early ... and sit. LSU gets past FLA unbeaten and it's likely another NC shot.
2005 Schedule looks very favorable also ... with a big early game against the Vols. 09/03/05 North Texas Baton Rouge, La. 09/10/05 Arizona State Baton Rouge, La. 09/24/05 Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. 10/01/05 Mississippi St. Starkville, Miss. 10/08/05 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. 10/15/05 Florida Baton Rouge, La. 10/22/05 Auburn Baton Rouge, La. 11/05/05 Ark St. Baton Rouge, La. 11/12/05 Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. 11/19/05 Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. 11/26/05 Arkansas Baton Rouge, La.
What a difference a few years makes. Not so long ago we would have looked at this schedule and running the table would not have been an option. I am sure by now every one heard about Wahington state rumor
Dandy Don is reporting on his website that there are strong rummors that LSU will play a home and home series against Washington St. starting in 2004 in Tiger stadium. That is a strenght of schedule boost!!
It's normally an 11 game season. It has to do with the number of Saturday's that fall during the football season. However, about 1 or 2 times a decade the calendar falls in such a way that allows for an extra Saturday, thus an extra game. The Earth will fall off of its axis before the NCAA grants an extra game to anyone. The problem with scheduling major programs is that they have schedules already done, and would want LSU to travel to them in return. This means only 6 home games, and the athletic department doesn't want to do that. Whoever it is, it needs to be someone that will have a decent record so that the SOS isn't so bad like it was for most of this season.
