Florida State v. West Virginia v. Savannah St.

[donovan]

The big game this week, the elephant in the room, is FSU v. Savannah. I was racking my brain trying to figure out a way to hold Mr. Billybud accountable for scheduling this game, especially after last week's middle school debacle. So the more I tried to get some facts, though facts never have bothered me in the past, on this fiasco, it became clear the bad guy in this, is still West Virginia. I find it difficult, representing a team that constantly is barraged with criticism over their lilly-livered schedule, to get excited or rank a team that for whatever reason, showed the white feather.

On the other hand, West Virginia paid FSU $500,000 for cancellation and the cheapskate Seminoles only paid $475,000 to come and play them.

And as for the 70 1/2 point spread, which just seems to be a publicity grab for a couple of Vegas bookmakers, because there is no line for this game other than a few, who have placed betting limits, this has to be a no win for Florida State. First, there is not a person in the country that deep down doesn't hope Savannah scores a touchdown...I am in the group of hopefuls.

So, I think Mr. Billybud is off the hook for this fiasco, but West Virginia is not...

Anyway...the elephant...or tiger...has been recognized.

[WoVeU]

No doubt. FSU can't be blamed.

[Eric]

All I know is that Savannah State is going to be happy to have a bye week next week and see North Carolina Central coming up on their slate.

[WoVeU]

If I was running one of those FCS schools I'd try to get as many of those big pay days as I could. Even merchandise and market around it! Turn the cash and merchandising into seats...and the marketing to butts in the seats.

[armchairqb]

Savannah State was picked 11th out of 11 teams in the FCS division's MEAC conference for 2012. They received $385K last week to play Okla St. I figure that price tag could be the same or more this week. That also means the price tag has gone up for FCS teams because FBS teams in power conferences desire at least one FCS game on their schedule.

Florida State is in no easy position today. I certainly don't blame them, they needed a 12th game for the 2012 schedule. They will have to beat Savannah State by a monster margin to not lose traction in the polls.

I discourage future scheduling of opponents that are nowhere in the same neighborhood, competitively.

[Eric]

At least Savannah State could appeal to recruits by highlighting the fact that they could get to play in huge stadiums and atmospheres against some of the better teams in the country. Yeah, it has the potential to get very embarrassing, but it's a fun experience to see what you can do.

[Brian Roastbeef]

Well, the benchmark for FSU to turn this into a true victory is clear... gotta beat Okla St. 84-0 or bust.

[Derek]

Did anyone see the picture of the coaches shaking hands after that game.....You could just see the look on the Sav St. coaches face that he was asking..."What they HE11!!!??? 84 points???? Was 50 not enough??"

[Eric]

Well the sad part was is that Oklahoma State was running the clock down with their third stringers and Savannah State couldn't run them off the field. I was checking out all of the ESPN conversation boards on the game and all the gamblers were going crazy that the game got called. The line was -69.5 and they cut it short in the 3rd quarter with FSU being up 55-0.

[Derek]

Found it!!

[billybud]

They first tried a "mercy rule" by running the clock full time in the second half....that wasn't working.

FSU even took the redshirt off two true freshmen DE's and played them..played everybody they could and Savannah State had only 28 total yards and FSU could score at will.

Called the game early in the 3rd...it would have 100-0.

[donovan]

They first tried a "mercy rule" by running the clock full time in the second half....that wasn't working.

FSU even took the redshirt off two true freshmen DE's and played them..played everybody they could and Savannah State had only 28 total yards and FSU could score at will.

Called the game early in the 3rd...it would have 100-0.

BUT if the news reports are correct....they only called the game when they made sure the win would count and the NCAA statistics would count........The other point...I bet they called Vegas and the boys said...call the game you are making the spread and there is way more money bet than we can handle.....and send that to the National Enquirer....

Maybe the solution is next year year schools that schedule "the Little Sisters of Mercy," the game should be handicapped. So if the game started off with the score 70 1/2 to 0,I wonder if the game would have been called? What else...

Oh yeah...did the fans get back 25% of their ticket money?

AND ....and to be able to count those statistics....FSU will lead the nation in everything....and there will be no asterisks, just accolades. Savannah State and Murray State...football's new steroids......

Anyway....according to my way of ranking...a win is a win and SOS is irrelevant, so at 2-0 FSU will have to be number hmmm.....one in the nation....big wins, big scores, big statistics, both games...I need to be consistent.

[billybud]

FSU went to school on Boise's record....
And yes, FSU only agreed to stop playing if the game counted...why would they take their foot off of an opponent's neck if it would hurt the team?

I blame the current atmosphere for OOC schedule troubles....Folks are cancelling games with FSU.

FSU was slated to play Florida, WVU, USF, and Air Force this year....

Air Force cancelled..."
Air Force is officially off of Florida State’s football schedule in 2011 and 2012, FSU athletic director Randy Spetman said today. FSU is in the process of attempting to find replacements on those schedules for the Falcons.

According to Spetman, Air Force wanted out of those games and FSU agreed to let them go.

Then WVU cancelled FSU with 8 months notice and FSU contacted 74 teams to find someone willing to play in Tallahassee on a one and done.

Now..Nevada has notified FSU that they want out of next year's game.

"We would like to, if possible, get out of the Florida State game completely," Nevada senior associate athletics director Keith Hackett told the Gazette Journal in July. "Some days I feel like we're getting closer to achieving that, and the next day I feel like we're further apart."
Hackett cited a difficult out of conference schedule - Nevada already plays Oregon at home and at UCLA in 2013 - as the primary reason to get out of the FSU game.

"As of right now, we are still exploring all options related to that 2013 game." Hackett said in an e-mail statement when contacted by Warchant.com last week.

"FSU Associate AD Monk Bonasorte said that if Nevada can facilitate a replacement, FSU would be open to accepting a new team given it meets certain criteria: First, the replacement team would have to be another FBS (Division I-A) opponent. The Seminoles would not accept an FCS (I-AA) school because they already have an FCS school, Wofford, on the schedule to open the 2013 season. Second, the replacement team could not increase the $600,000 payout FSU is slated to give Nevada next season.

Bonasorte said that FSU would be open to moving the scheduled date of the game for a replacement team as long as "we're comfortable with where we can put them."

According to the Reno Gazette Journal, The Wolf Pack's potential solution is bringing in a third team to play its game at FSU in 2013. Then in return, Nevada would play a future game at that third team's stadium.

[armchairqb]

It's ironic that there are all these former FCS programs that "moved up" to FBS for the money without a care whatsoever about being better than the 100th ranked team out of 124 schools. Yet they aren't taking $600K from Florida State. Plenty of schools in the MAC and Sun Belt do money games.

[billybud]

LOL Donovan...

Yeah the stats will make FSU's defense #1 for a while...heck..less than 100 total yards per game allowed to dateand 28 yards per game rushing allowed...yep...that will help the stats.

I have always maintained that the schedule can make you look good....Wins are only a good scheduler away....