I agree, too. I think we should schedule somebody like Virginia Tech immediately...if not sooner. In fact, we should play them THIS YEAR.:hihi: That way, maybe we could compete with the "brutal" USC OOC schedule...(they play AT NEBRASKA this year!!)
I don't remember the '87 game...I was in the military at the time...but in '88, if I'm not mistaken...we played them to a...ugh...a TIE...in Tiger Stadium while I was a student there. That's the year of the "Hodson for Heisman" campaign. Anybody remember who there QB was for that game/year?? Anyone?? Buehler??
I think it would be great in that it would give us another measuring stick to measure our (LSU and SEC) perceived strength. It would be a bad idea in that it would be another extremely tough game that would pay little dividend in a quest for a MNC. The current system simply does not reward a team for scheduling tough ooc games. I'm for it, but I do understand the drawbacks.:geauxtige
OK...I did a little research...and we have played either VT or a PAC-1 team every year for the past 6 seasons. Granted...none of those PAC-1 teams were USC, but there have been ranked teams in the mix...and we have won every one of those games, by the way (except for VT). Before that, we played a home and away with ND in the late 90's...and played aTm for several years in the late 80's thru mid 90's. As mentioned before, we played tOSU in '87 & '88. In other words...what do you guys want?? Do you want us to JOIN the PAC-1 or Big 11?? Then we would have the stigma of being in a "soft" conference.
Here are our non-conference road games since 1996, the year we terminated the A&M contract: 1996 - none 1997 - none 1998 - Notre Dame 1999 - none 2000 - none 2001 - none 2002 - Virginia Tech 2003 - Arizona 2004 - none 2005 - none, the ASU game moved due to Katrina 2006 - none 2007 - Tulane 2008 - none scheduled 2009 - Tulane 2010 - none scheduled 3 teams not named Tulane. Impressive, huh?
I just don't see why...when you're going to play 4 road games against SEC competition...we should schedule top notch OOC ROAD games. Our program is at the point that we are competing for BCSNC's year in and year out now...and I don't see where we would benefit from playing these teams at their place OOC. Remember, some years the SEC road schedule is enough to make our overall schedule the hardest in the nation...last year for instance. We don't have the luxury of having NO competition in conference. We don't have the luxury of playing whoever we want like ND...the service academies...and throw in a couple of big name teams to make it look good. Instead, we get to play AU, FL, GA, TN, Bama, Arky, SC, et al year in and year out. I don't think we should play Middle TN St. every year...or EVER for that matter. But I also don't think we have to play USC, tOSU, or UM to gain respect from the pollsters...or from anybody else. Our goal should be...and is...to meet one of these teams in the BCSNCG...period. Basically, all this discussion is over the fact that USC is playing Nebraska at their place this season...big friggin deal! Nebraska isn't what Nebraska used to be. It's no different than us playing at Arizona when we did...in fact...Arizona was probably ranked higher then than Nebraska will be when USC strolls into Lincoln...#15 if I'm not mistaken. When we scheduled Oregon St., they were pretty good...as was Arizona St. when we scheduled them. For that matter, Fresno St. was good when we scheduled them, too. We can't help it if they weren't that good when the game was played. If we scheduled USC, they would probably bomb that year...and it wouldn't prove anything. But now that I think about it...you're right...let's schedule them right away! I'd love to see them bomb!
That's fine if you're happy paying about $800 for two season tix to watch 4 decent home games a year. I think this stuff about the SEC is too tough to schedule good OOC teams is a cop out. Our track record against some good OOC teams of late is not that great. I think it's much more about money, but they won't come out and say that directly. Hence, the rhetoric from our AD dept about how nobody wants to play us.
Of course it's about $$$...what isn't?? It's the same reason USM can't get MSU or lefire: to play them anymore...no $$$ in it. That's what makes the world go round...like it or not.
It's about money but it's also about the fact that LSU doesn't have to go play Michigan or USC in a home and home to get to the BCSNCG. Hell, if LSU had beaten Florida last year, even with the Auburn loss, we would have been in the damned championship game. So what's the point of playing Michigan again? Other than possibly losing the chance to play for the National Championship so some north end zone, 2 year season ticket holder doesn't feel cheated.
