The news out of Portland, Oregon today is that ESPN is trying to broker a deal between Auburn and Oregon State to open the 2007 season in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Beavers Athletics Director Bob De Carolis told a Portland (OR.) newspaper that they were in talks with the network and Auburn about a possible game next season.
There has been no word on whether or not there would be a return trip involved. ESPN brokered a similar deal this season when Auburn faced Washington State in the season opener. Oregon State is coached by former Alabama alum Mike Riley. You may remember that Riley withdrew his name from consideration for the Alabama job before they hired former coach Mike Shula.
This looks to be a great match-up for Auburn and will help what is a pretty weak home schedule next season. Oregon State is 8-4 this year and handed USC their only loss of the season. They have already accepted a bid to play in the Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-29-2006 @ 11:26PM
Ted Kian said...
This makes no sense, Jay, unless the ESPN telecase means everything to OSU. At the beginning of the year, the Beavers backed out of two-game series with Georgia that was supposed to begin to start next season in Athens. Truthfully, we heard they did not want any part of Georgia or SEC speed. So why would they want to now play an Auburn team that should be even better on paper? Of course, OSU's attitude may have changed since that win over USC.
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11-30-2006 @ 4:23PM
Greg Goodwin 90// said...
See, Jay, I knew you and Ted Kian were in cahootz together. :-) Actually, I heard the same thing. Strange how they're now considering playing us. Perhaps we're offering them more money or ESPN just likes evening games down on the Plains?
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12-01-2006 @ 3:38PM
Greg Goodwin 90// said...
Perhaps Oregon State could mix it up with Spurrier's crew over in Columbia since they'll be down this way. Lord knows we've been waiting forever for the Cocks and Beavers to get it on... Oh!
Sorry...
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12-01-2006 @ 4:03PM
jw said...
This was picked up in our local papaer as well, with a long-awaited paraphrase of our AD's intention to schedule a non-conference BCS foe every from here on out.
If you want to be a nationally followed program, then this is how you do it. It doesn't come by playing all DI and DIAA cupcakes for non conference games. Just playing through the SEC doesn't cut it any more as far as getting a BCS title shot, which 2004 showed us (yes, yes I know Oklahoma, Bowling Green, and/or GT could have been on our schedule).
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12-02-2006 @ 7:32AM
Jay Coulter said...
I think it's a good fit. I like playing mid-level teams from big conferences. It gives us a quality win at home.
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12-17-2006 @ 10:38PM
Justin said...
Okay, dude. The team you were trying to broker a deal with was OREGON. not OREGON STATE. Geogia was trying to play Oregon, and they backed out. Oregon State is in fact consitering playing you next season, yes.
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