WATCH: SEC commish says Florida-LSU game ‘needs to be played’ this season

Football

0

Image Credit: ESPNI

During a surprise appearance on the SEC Game of the Week (via phone), league commissioner Greg Sankey did his best to address the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled game between the No. 18 Florida Gators and LSU Tigers and whether the game will ultimately be played this season.

“It’s important to play [the game],” Sankey said. “The game needs to be played, and we need to work together.”

Sankey implied that he will not make a unilateral decision about playing Florida-LSU, noting that “there are a number of options … and a number of factors to consider” in rescheduling the game.

He also brushed off any criticism for the initial postponement, noting that there were a variety of factors to consider — including security and evacuees moving into Gainesville, Florida, to avoid the storm — and that, at the time, it made the most sense to not play the game this weekend.

Though he did not put a timeline on the ultimate decision, Sankey indicated that it would obviously be better to figure something out sooner rather than later.

Should Florida and LSU not play this season, it would be the first time since 1970 and fourth time since 1953 that the teams do not square off. A full cancellation could impact the Gators’ and Tigers’ chances for winning their respective divisions, creating half-game differentials that could cause problems.

As for some of the potential options to make up the game? None of them are great.

Here’s the entire interview.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey with the latest on the status of the postponed LSU-Florida game: https://t.co/C5AJfxXhKN

— SEConCBS (@SEConCBS) October 8, 2016