I say BS, it's all about money. We should schedule at least 1 real good BCS team, 2 good mid majors and one cupcake every year. But we won't because we want too many home games. The NCAA should limit the amount of home games and we'd see better intersectional games and everyone would be on equal footing as far as money is concerned.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't USC say they would play us anywhere at anytime following the 2003 controversy? I thought we were suppose to play OU, home and home series after that also?
Interesting point. The contracts the SEC has signed with CBS and ESPN will likely have a negative impact on our beloved night games in Tiger Stadium, so why not schedule more marquee matchups like this? Unfortunately, these type of matchups would likely take place in the daytime, but teams like USC (as in So. Cali.) will not likely handle the heat and humidity well anyway. Most top quality OOC teams shy away from playing night games in Tiger Stadium for obvious reasons, and, I think, this has been part of the problem in the past in attracting them - the atmosphere is so truly amazing and formidable at night. It would cetainly be great to see LSU v. USC, or ND, or OSU as a night game in Tiger Stadium in September. This likely won't happen, but daytime matchups may, and would be very enticing for the networks. Whoever loses in September would still have a chance to inch back up the rankings by the end of the year, so this would make the matchup attractive as well.
Actually, scheduling these big matchups would more than likely make them night time games. CBS will pick up the top SEC game and ours would probably be the ESPN night game. Win-win if you ask me. Also the odds are greater that these games would be scheduled at the beginning of the year, but ABC would love to have a LSU vs. anyone at night over a Big XII or Big 10 team.
I am not overly thrilled about not playing BCS OOC games either, but considering we would want a home/home, in the last ten years we played OOC away three times. Wouldn't the max be five non conference away games? Our schedule really stinks that badly over the last ten years? I don't see it. I respect USC's OOC schedule most years(not last), but I consider playing in their conference a joke. On the flip side, Pac 10 fans rarely give us credit for our in conference foes, and always rag us on OOC. To a USC fan, the distinction is always OOC, and always on the road. Maybe it is because they lose to conference foes on a regular basis, at home? I don't know. I think it's a homer argument either way, but LSU has more than showed up in it's bowl games so I feel we are vindicated in the end. If we tanked in the big game, then I would understand the outcry. Otherwise for purely selfish reasons(better game), I would love to see the big OOC game again. But we may consider that now most teams probably consider us as the team you don't want to schedule. Especially if it means coming to BR.
I totally agree with this article. Our OOC schedule is a joke and an embarrassment to the University. I keep hearing that LSU has been trying to schedule a BCS team for a home and home but no one wants to come to BR. If this is true why hasn't there been any official press on this? I would love to see Alleva go on Gameday and tell Kirt officially that LSU would love to set up a home and home with USC, Texas, Missouri, Tx Tech, or whoever. Make it a serious offer. Do all the research and say we both have XX open dates, on 20xx years, make it a straight home-home type deal, and be ready to sign. Call them out on national TV and see what happens. I'm sure ESPN would totally support this because they want good match ups as much as anyone.
Schedules need to be considered in their entirety. This OOC argument is only valid if the rest of the schedule is weak as well. If OSU or USC don't play quality OOC teams, then their conference play drives their overall schedules to a very weak rating. LSU has the opposite problem as things stand right now. LSU's OOC schedule is only embarrassing if you are the kind of person that gets into p!ssing contests with other fan bases. And even then, if you have your facts straight, you can still be proud of LSU's schedule as a whole.
