College Football 2016 Week 6 running thread

To think we'll be deprived of those always-exciting games with Presbyterian and South Alabama ...

 

South Alabama's undefeated against SEC competition this year!

 

I'd bet if LSU and Florida each paid PU and USA about $600 K apiece, they'd change to play each other and then LSU and Florida could play and get that huge gate. If that game is canceled they'd each play only seven league games, a flashback to the 1960s.

 

And the Mountain West!

 

The health of Presbyterian's entire athletic department is dependent on that body bag game.

 

LSU is paying South Alabama $975,000 for that game, so I doubt they'd cancel it for less than full freight.

 

Not that we are expecting either team to compete for their division (I guess Florida still has a shot), but how would not playing that game affect rankings? What if Tennessee loses a couple and Florida gets to play one less SEC road game?

 

Not going to happen. The SEC's November "fall breaks" against FCS foes must be protected. At all costs.

The Cupcake Wars pay off big for all involved: The patsies take home a big paycheck. The favorites get much-needed rest -- because the best teams from AMERICA'S TOUGHEST CONFERENCE NEED A BREAK -- for the stretch run.

They're the gift that keep on giving! Witness Auburn's 2010 schedule (playing Chattanooga, but not Tennessee or Florida), Alabama 2011 (Georgia Southern in place of Georgia), Auburn 2013 (Western Carolina instead of Florida) and Alabama 2015 (a weekend against Western Carolina, not Georgia). UGA is a great program, but that's not how you keep Derrick Henry's legs fresh so Lane Kiffin can pad his stats later.

There exists far more value in playing a patsy over some needless, cross-division game that doesn't matter. Tennessee nearly wrecked their season by scheduling Georgia. When the Vols are in this year's College Football Playoff, you think they're going to regret playing Tennessee Tech on Nov. 5 over old rival Auburn?

 

LSU still has a shot to win the SEC if it wins out (not that it will, but it's still early enough to consider). Only one of its losses was in the SEC.
I think if it becomes apparent that they need to play the game, they'll try to make it happen by buying out Presbyterian and South Alabama. Maybe a guaranteed return home date in the very near future. It'd be fun seeing the Gators travel to 6,500-seat Bailey Memorial Stadium.

 

They have to play it. Or forfeit. Otherwise you could easily have Tennessee go 6-2 in the conference, and Florida go 6-1. Gators go to the SEC title game? Uh, no.

At least LSU is trying to make it happen. And that place is no stranger to having events shifted because of natural disasters (LSU played Tennessee on a Monday night because of Hurricane Rita).

 

They should have at least tried for Monday night in Gainesville, and if it became apparent by tomorrow it couldn't happen then go from there.

If LSU loses the South Alabama home date, they would be playing three straight SEC road games in November and suddenly a bowl bid looks more iffy. Under that scenario (and assuming they can beat USM) they need two wins from the following games: Ole Miss, Alabama, at Arkansas, at Florida, at Texas A&M.

 

And LSU also plays Texas A&M on Thanksgiving.

So they'd be at Florida Nov. 19 and then at Texas A&M five days later.

No thanks.

And RubberSoul, if you're going to go on an anti-SEC jag, at least get your facts straight.

Alabama did play at Georgia in 2015, won 38-10.

And Tennessee and Georgia are in the same division.