Florida’s rivalry game with LSU in jeopardy as SEC discusses scheduling changes

One of the best games on Florida's football schedule will vanish if the LSU gets its way and the Southeastern Conference eliminates fixed cross-division opponents.

The Gators and Tigers have played every year since 1971 and have been cross-division foes since the SEC split into divisions in 1992 to stage a championship game.

But tradition and self-interest often collide with football scheduling. This is especially true of crossover games, which are a tougher draw for some teams than for other ones.

The Tigers and Gators are 5-5 in their past 10 matchups, including nine when both were in the top 25. Tennessee, on the other hand, has not beaten crossover opponent Alabama since 2006.

"There are a number of schools in our conference that have a burden of playing the better schools in the other division that's not shared by the conference," LSU coach Les Miles said Wednesday at the SEC's annual meetings.

Miles' solution is to play six two fixed cross-division games, along with six division games.

Gators coach Will Muschamp said Miles makes sense. But having coached on both sides of the rivalry, first as a Tigers assistant coach, Muschamp wants to keep the game.

"It's a great game for our league," he said. "At the end of the day, a 6-2 format is probably the fairest format. But again, I do enjoy the rivalry."

Florida athletics director Jeremy Foley is on board with his coach, while LSU athletics director Joe Alleva backs Miles.

"I'm totally opposed to permanent opponents," Alleva said. "It has nothing to do with Florida. It's better for our fans, it's better for our players.

"We have players who never get to play against some SEC teams."

Mile said he is not alone among coaches.

"There's a good group that would like to eliminate permanent cross-over opponents," he said.

Coaches voted 13-1 on Wednesday to continue to play eight SEC games rather than add a ninth conference game.

Alabama coach Nick Saban voted for the change.

While his former mentor is in the minority, Muschamp said nine SEC games likely is inevitable because of television demands. The SEC Network, set to launch in 2014, plans to show any conference game not aired by CBS or an ESPN affiliate.

"In my personal opinion, you create an SEC Network at the end of the day it's going to be driven by the dollar and having those games is going to be important," Muschamp said.