Tuesday’s Thoughts: FSU Football Moving 2019 Home Game Is Horrible

With FSU football moving their 2019 game against Boise State from Tallahassee to Jacksonville, the school is contradicting themselves and cheating fans.

In two of the last three seasons, fans of the Seminoles haven’t been able to watch their season opener at home – instead, they have had to travel to Arlington, Texas in 2014 (vs. Oklahoma State) and Orlando earlier this season (vs. Ole Miss) to catch FSU football kicking things off.

It will take place again next season when the ‘Noles open the 2017 season in Atlanta in that city’s new football stadium against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, I may not agree with the consistent moving of home games, but can understand any of these three because of the level of competition (as much as we’d love ‘Bama or Ole Miss to have the courage to come to Tallahassee).

But the final straw took place last week, when it was confirmed that the Seminoles’ 2019 game against Boise State – scheduled to be played in Tallahassee – will now be played in Jacksonville that year.

So, let’s recap: not only can we not get quality teams from Power Five conferences to come play games in Tallahassee (or maybe the athletic department isn’t really trying), but now we’re moving games against teams from the Mountain West Conference?

Not only that, but the Seminoles will be making the return trip to Boise the following season as scheduled.

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Moves like this are reminiscent of times before the late 1990’s, when it was nearly impossible to get teams from outside the Southeast to come play in Tallahassee. While teams like LSU, Georgia and Auburn are among those from the region who would come and play, it wasn’t until Pittsburgh came in the early 80’s that a national power actually came to play the ‘Noles inside Doak Campbell Stadium.

(Yes, Pitt played FSU in Tallahassee in the early 70’s, but they weren’t a national power at that point.)

It wasn’t until 1998 when Southern Cal payed a visit to Tallahassee that one of the nation’s elite teams actually played the Seminoles at home. Much of it goes back to the approach from former head coach Bobby Bowden playing “anyone, anywhere” – a move done more out of necessity to build the program.

FSU football doesn’t need to take that approach anymore. The Seminoles are a national brand, arguably one of the top 10 names in college football despite being around half as long as teams like Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan.

In addition, the school just got millions from boosters and supporters to help improve Doak Campbell Stadium, including the new Champions Club that sure has plenty of empty seats when you see it on television or are at the game in person. How many boosters are going to want to keep forking over money for fewer games a year?

The athletic department’s argument is going to be that these neutral site games are huge paydays for the school and the program. That’s a true fact I will not argue. But what about the money that comes in every time there is a FSU home game? Not just for the football program or athletic department, but for the community as a whole – which relies on FSU football games during the season to bring in fans from South Florida, Tampa, Jacksonville and out of state to spend money.

LSU just stood their ground and got a game moved – against SEC member Florida – from the road to Baton Rouge using the argument of how much home games mean to Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana. FSU is giving away home games at the same time – a horrible move if this is going to become the growing trend.

Doak Campbell Stadium is one of the best – if not the best – home field advantages in all of college football. It would be beneficial to those running the Seminoles’ athletics program to remember that when it comes to scheduling games.