Quote:FSU-Miami Game May Be Headed Back To October

Published: Jul 27, 2005
Tampa Tribune

HOT SPRINGS, Va. - Florida State and Miami will be in a similar situation Sept. 5 -- playing a high-intensity season-opening game that could have a profound effect on their season with a quarterback who has never started a game in college.

Both teams benefit with exposure and recruiting dividends in the nationally televised game that stands alone on Monday night.

But two years of FSU-Miami on opening day may be enough for both schools. Discussions have taken place between the schools as to whether to move the game back to its traditional date in early October. Contractual obligations to play it on Labor Day end with this year's game.

"Once this year's game is over we'll re-evaluate with the two schools and with ABC. Our contractual arrangement with ABC doesn't require that that game be Florida State and Miami," ACC commissioner John Swofford said.

But the league picked its two pre-eminent programs after expansion in order to try to improve the conference's football reputation.

"It could be two other ACC teams, but it's hard to find a matchup that's more attractive than that," Swofford said.

Speaking earlier in the week, FSU and Miami players, along with FSU coach Bobby Bowden and Miami coach Larry Coker, all expressed reservations about coming out of the gate with such an important game.

"You know we don't have any preseason games or exhibition games like the NFL. We don't get to play a couple times and see how this quarterback situation is, and the same with Florida State," Coker said.

"You're going to go out and test the water against an outstanding football team in a game that can mean so much to your season. If I had the ideal schedule I'd like to have two games against teams we were better than they were and had a good chance to win those games."