APOn the same day that the SEC released its 2013 conference schedule, one of its members decided to cancel a pair of series with out-of-conference opponents from the Big Ten.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Vanderbilt informed Northwestern via letter that it was cancelling its remaining series in 2013 and ’14. The games were set to take place for Sept. 14, 2013, in Nashville and Sept. 13, 2014 in Evanston. To make matters worse, Vanderbilt only had paid a smaller buyout for the series.
Then, according to Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith,Vandy dropped its game against Buckeyes in 2013, leaving OSU to scramble to find a game less than a year before the start of the next season.Vanderbilt doesn’t have to pay a buyout because it was a one-time game.
“Very disappointed that it happened this way,” Smith told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “We have 11 months, and we didn’t get a phone call, we just got a letter. So I’m very disappointed in that.
“I would have preferred a phone call as opposed to a form letter, but that’s just the way it is.”
So, no phone call or email. Just a letter. Nice…
You can read Vanderbilt’s “reasoning” into the decision to cancel the games HERE.
Vandy’s new 2013 schedule includes games against Austin Peay, Massachusetts UAB and Wake Forest. So, there’s that.
Curious to see this to say the least.
If I’m Ohio St. I’d call BYU. They have an open date for the first weekend of the season.
Sounds like they are taking a page, or a chapter, from Bill Snyder’s book.
oops maybe ohio state might have to play one of the little sisters of the poor.
Oh, I would so love to see Ohio State and Florida meet now that both have improved so much. Guess that would be tough to pull off.
All I know is Urban Frank Meyer,III will take on all comers!
Wow I guess losing to Northwestern really was that bad after all. They’re probably trying to make sure they make it to a bowl next year, except I don’t think that Austin Peay game would count toward a bowl?
a letter is the most formal way to notify someone that you do not want play them for various reasons. the most obvious is that the SEC has to revise scheduling because of the addition of teams. pretty common.
Looks like Ohio St. isn’t going to finally get that win against an SEC team.
Austin Peay, Ohio State, what’s the difference. Both 5th tier football programs.
If you’re Bama or LSU, u can play the SEC card. The other 12 teams are comparable to any other BCS conference. What’s next? 2nd & 3rd tier SEC games scheduling JUCOs or optimist league teams?
Hmmm…Alabama still has a non-conference game to be scheduled for 2013. You don’t think…..?
Schedule FBS Southwest so you can simulate with no worries. That should improve recruiting too, if it’s anything like my NCAA Football 13 game.
“A letter is the most formal way to notify someone that you do not want play them for various reasons.”
Right…. in 1909. Have the decency to call too.
Why on earth are the BIG10 wanting games with Vandy? Come on Ohio State, grow a pair and set up a series with Bama.
From the article in The Tennessean linked above:
“Vanderbilt nixed both remaining years (2013 and 2014) on a four-year deal with Northwestern. Williams said dropping the 2013 game became necessary when the SEC scheduled the Commodores’ road trip to South Carolina on Sept. 14 – the date of its scheduled home game with the Wildcats.”
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Just a question, but did any other SEC teams have to change their 2013 nonconference schedule because of SEC conference scheduling? I was under the impression that there would be a little more coordination between the member schools and the conference.