FAU may play UM soon

[FIUBlue82]

www.miamiherald.com/588/story/186602.html

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Owls' coach: FAU may soon face UM

By MANNY NAVARRO
[e-mail]

TAMPA -- Howard Schnellenberger was asked Sunday how it makes him feel that unlike the state's other Division I-A schools, his seven-year-old football program at Florida Atlantic has yet to find its way on the University of Miami's schedule.

''I look at it as a personal compliment,'' the 73-year-old said with a smirk.

Schnellenberger, who led Miami to its first national title in 1983, has made it no secret he has always wanted his Owls to get a crack at the Canes. And according to Schnellenberger, it could happen soon.

''We hadn't talked to [UM] before, but we've been questioned recently about a game,'' he told a small group of reporters at the Florida Sports Writers Association college football media days. ``It's an ongoing conversation now. And it could happen in the not-so-distant future.''

UM athletics director Paul Dee could not be reached for comment. But UM assistant associate athletics director Connie Nickel recently told The Miami Herald that the Hurricanes' future schedules were booked through 2013.

According to the UM media guide, which lists future nonconference opponents, the only season in which Miami has an opening in its 12-game schedule is 2009, when the Hurricanes are scheduled to host Oklahoma and play away games at South Florida and Central Florida.

• Schnellenberger also said FAU is looking to build a 40,000-seat, open-air on-campus stadium by 2010. The school had been trying to build a domed stadium. In the meantime, Schnellenberger said, home games in 2008 and 2009 will be played in the infield of the school's new track facility, which opened in January.

Schnellenberger said he is also planning to make FAU's schedule easier in the near future. This season, the Owls have five tough out-of-conference games including trips to Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Florida.

''We're not going to play this advanced schedule for long. This year is the last one we'll have,'' he said. ``We'll have probably three [tough games] next year and probably two after that.''

[yippee]

So does this mean that since we only had a two year contract to play UM and they are booked till the end of time mean that we will not be playing them in 2008?

[Quijote]

phuck UM, we don't need them to grow.

[fiupike]

I would not call 2013 soon !! Besides, as long as we improve and play some significant OOC games in the next few years, a few upsets should emerge and we can become a school that ESPN and others want to cover......I concur, we don't need those scUM bags. Our game will be their biggest draw this year anyway.

[roaryismyhomeboy]

i agree, i wont exactly cry about it if we dont play them in the next few years

[roaryismyhomeboy]

however, i am going to laugh when fau plays UF this year and gets it handed to them

[kevinkagy]

Well, I kind of like the games with UM, the whole inter-city rivalry isn't bad, and it's unique, similar to the USC vs. UCLA rivalry. But wow, FAU is definitely going to fall soooo bad to UF, it'll be funny. I'd like to wish them luck but it's worthless, because there's no way in hell FAU would ever even get close to winning. But I digress...

[Quijote]

Hey don't write off FAU just yet. Nobody thought we'd stand a chance against USF or Maryland, and we gave them one hell of a scare. And we held our own against scUM until mid 3rd, if that brawl didn't happen who know what might have happened.

When its FAU vs UF, I'll be rooting for both. In fact, it would help our conference's cause if FAU pulls an upset or keeps it tight, it would bring some respect to the SunBelt, especially if we can match a good FAU effort with an upset or two of our own.

ROAR MOFOS, ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[FIUFootballer]

quijote said:

Hey don't write off FAU just yet. Nobody thought we'd stand a chance against USF or Maryland, and we gave them one hell of a scare. And we held our own against scUM until mid 3rd, if that brawl didn't happen who know what might have happened.

Neither USF or Maryland were and are anywhere near being the defending national champs, even conference champs. FAU will get utterly embarrased. I honestly hope not.

On a side note, if we win and win consistently over the next several years, you'll see us playing scUM on a regular if not yearly basis. scUM knows it makes financial sense, they had no idea when they initially scheduled us that this would blossom even into a half decent rivalry, but the brawl changed all of that. We'll all look back 20 years from now and know the brawl was the trigger point that started one of the best rivalries in college football. I would enjoy nothing more than to pound them year in and year out, it'll just take time.

[devonsmom]

I don't think UCG can afford not to continue to play us. Last year was the first meeting and look at how many people attended. UCG never draws a crowd like that (unless they are playing FSU, and then most of the fans are for the Noles). This year there will be an even larger crowd (though some will attend for the wrong reasons). They need the gate draw $$$ (what school doesn't). The game will continue on if this year's game does not turn into the fiasco of last year.

[FIUFan]

devonsmom said:

I don't think UCG can afford not to continue to play us. Last year was the first meeting and look at how many people attended. UCG never draws a crowd like that (unless they are playing FSU, and then most of the fans are for the Noles). This year there will be an even larger crowd (though some will attend for the wrong reasons). They need the gate draw $$$ (what school doesn't). The game will continue on if this year's game does not turn into the fiasco of last year.

Glad you think the game will continue but the writing is on the wall. If they say they don't have an open date until 2013 and they really have one in 2009 then it's clear they are not about to play us. Let them play FAU in front of 30,000, that's basically break-even for them. The real money for them is when they sell the place out and are on national tv. FAU aint going to do that for them; FIU might.

Anyways, if UCG continues to cut off its nose to spite its face, let them!

[FIUGoldenPanther]

I know that we are set to play UF in 2009 but is their any plans to play UCF and FSU in the near future?

[FIUBlue82]

We won't be playing UM very much in the near future. The Miami administration's position would have to change significantly for that to happen.

[kevinkagy]

So is there a chance that we might play UM in 2009?

[Xpedition]

sure...there's a chance you'll win the lotto too, but i wouldn't hold my breath. We won't see FIU/UM until next decade. I think it's stupid and shortsighted on UM's part but so be it. I look forward to our game with UF in '09.