Fate of Idaho-Florida game still undecided
Also being discussed is guarantee due Vandals
It took less than four hours for lightning and rain to wash out the University of Idaho’s football season opener at Florida on Saturday.
Settling on a makeup date – or some other resolution – will stretch into at least a third day.
Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said discussions continue and he was hopeful an agreement would be reached with Florida officials sometime today regarding both the status of the game and the $975,000 that had been contractually due the Vandals.
“We’d like to reschedule the game,” Spear told The Spokesman-Review on Monday, “and the most obvious day is Oct. 25 – but there is not a lot of interest on either side for that date.”
Both schools have open dates that Saturday. But that would force the Vandals to play on 11 consecutive weekends before their other bye, on Nov. 22. And it would cost the Gators a strategically placed bye before their important Nov. 1 game against Georgia.
“If you’re talking about the (welfare of) the student-athlete, you need a break and make sure your guys can stay healthy,” said Vandals coach Paul Petrino.
Petrino said he would be in favor of rescheduling the game in December. But the Southeastern Conference championship game is set for Dec. 6, making a commitment to that date problematic for Florida.
Could the game be played after the SEC title game?
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Spear said.
If the game is rescheduled, it will resume from the point it was suspended Saturday night – Florida owning the ball on the Idaho 14-yard line after the opening kickoff return.
If no agreement can be reached on a resumption, according to NCAA rules, the game will be declared a forfeit or a no contest.
The schools must agree on one of the options.
As for the $975,000 guarantee to Idaho in the game contract, Spear said Florida “has been very fair and up front. But we haven’t gotten into the details of that.”
There is a “force majeure” clause in Florida’s game contracts stating that in the event extreme conditions make it “impossible or impractical to play the game, both parties shall be relieved of any and all obligations of the agreement.”
Spear said normally guaranteed payouts are made 30 days after the game is played, or before Dec. 1, though he wasn’t sure of the language in this particular contract.
Idaho was expected to spend about $200,000 of its guarantee on travel costs associated with the game.