Update (9/3/14): Florida and Idaho will not play in 2014. Instead, they will schedule a new game in 2017.
Update (9/2/14): Florida has released a statement as to why the game was not able to be played on Sunday.
Note: Neither school has announced its intentions of finishing or canceling the game, and are not expected to for a few more days.
If you didn’t already know, the Idaho at Florida football game was suspended on Saturday night after only one play – a huge one for the Gators — was squeezed in between the downpour of rain and lightning filling the dark Gainesville skies.
After a roughly three-hour weather delay, the Vandals kicked the ball to the Gators to begin the game, only to see it returned by Valdez Showers (fitting last name) to the Idaho 14 yard-line. Quickly after that, game officials ushered both teams back into the locker rooms and ended up suspending the game.
Both teams share a mutual bye week of Oct. 25. However, the bye week is well-needed time off for the Gators as they are set to face the Georgia Bulldogs the following weekend in Jacksonville, Fla.
Why the two should resume the game
To play a 12 game schedule.
That’s the main reason why the two schools would want to resume this game. Of course, there are a couple of secondary reasons.
The game is likely to be a relatively easy win for the Gators, pending they can stay focused – and healthy – this season as the game wouldn’t be resumed until late October.
The Vandals will probably want to resume the game because, as of now, they won’t get the full $975,000 check they were expecting to receive for playing the Gators. Sure, Idaho isn’t like some of the other FBS teams where that paycheck will fund the football program for the whole season, but it’s still nice to have.
Why the two shouldn’t resume the game
On the other side of the coin, the Vandals would have to make a second trip to Gainesville this season. Sure, they would get the full guarantee from the Gators if they resume the game, but it would still be a task to get fans to make a second trip to North Florida.
The Vandals already have scheduled trips to ULM, Ohio, Texas State, Georgia Southern, San Diego State and Appalachian State to make. A second trip to Gainesville isn’t the most ideal situation.
Idaho would also suffer additional travel costs for the second trip, unless a new deal is negotiated for reimbursement.
The Gators can’t really afford to sacrifice the bye week because they play a neutral site game against Georgia the following week (Nov. 1). The Bulldogs have bested the Gators for the last three years, a streak that started when Will Muschamp took charge of the Gators.
And, to make matters worse for the Gator representatives who will gather to weigh the options in the coming days, they must keep in mind that Georgia will come in to the game hungry for victory — and well-rested. The Bulldogs have a bye the week prior to facing Florida.
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