Sounding like the croc-corndog game will get moved to Baton Rouge*

[Tnphil]

The SEC bylaws says that each conference team must play the equal number of SEC games....So yes, if it matters.... the game has to be played or it won't count in your SEC standings.

If it doesn't matter in the East or West standings then it doesn't have to be played. If this was Vandy not playing they wouldn't have to play it because it doesn't matter in the outcome of the conference or division.

[BanditVol]

Foley also said it might come down to a vote of the ADS if the game can't be replayed. Or maybe he meant to decide IF it needed to be replayed.

[BanditVol]

The SEC bylaws says that each conference team must play the equal number of SEC games....So yes, if it matters.... the game has to be played or it won't count in your SEC standings.

If it doesn't matter in the East or West standings then it doesn't have to be played. If this was Vandy not playing they wouldn't have to play it because it doesn't matter in the outcome of the conference or division.

So if it doesn't matter, and they choose not to play it, do both teams forfeit?  They should, IMO.

[BanditVol]

Likely made up on November 19 if it matters, played either Dec 3 or 10 if it does not.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/florida-vs-lsu-game-postponed-indefinitely-due-to-hurricane-future-uncertain/

As for the possibility of the game being played later in the season, the two teams have different bye weeks (Florida on Oct. 22, LSU on Oct. 29), but could potentially work on buyout options for their respective Nov. 19 nonconference games with Presbyterian and South Alabama to play the conference game instead.

While that seems like the most likely option, another possible alternative would be to play the game on Dec. 3 (the same day as the SEC Championship Game) or Dec. 10 (the week after) depending where the two teams are in the standings.

My guess is that it's likely to matter to one or the other.  Let's say the Vols do split the next two games.  We still play Missouri on November 19 and Vandy on November 26.  Theoretically, either or both of those could be a loss.  So even if Florida loses to Ark or Uga and already has two losses, they would mathematically still have a shot if we have one loss on November 19.

So the only way they could not play it is if Florida has three losses the week before, and the Vols only have one, and there is no 3-way tiebreaker possible with  some other East team (which would probably have to be Vandy or Mizzou, otherwise we win all tiebreakers).  Another way would be if Florida already had two SEC losses prior to November 19, and the Vols were undefeated.  Then we could lose to Mizzou and Vandy and still take the title.  Again, we have to assume no three-way tiebreaker is required in that case (which would mean either Vandy or MIzzou would have to be part of the tie, which is unlikely).

If Florida only has the one SEC loss to us the week prior to November 19, they have to play on that date.

[BanditVol]

It also seems likely that LSU might be alive on the week before November 19, but I can wait for that one.   

[Creek Walker]

I have read that LSU has already nixed the Nov. 19 option.

[BanditVol]

I have read that LSU has already nixed the Nov. 19 option.

Yep.  They could lose $5 million from a lost home game, although the SEC supposedly has insurance to cover that.

But it's not up to them.   

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/report-lsu-wont-agree-ufs-suggested-makeup-date/

SEC will make final call on LSU-Gators makeup date. Gators want Nov. 19 (and to buy out non-conference games). LSU does not want that

[Creek Walker]

We will see. I'm not sure Greg Sankey has the backbone to force LSU into the Nov. 19 makeup date against their wishes.

[Creek Walker]

I'm telling you...mark it down now: this game will not be played. Tennessee better find a way to win one of the next two or pin its hopes on Georgia or Arkansas.

[SmokeyJoe]

Hurricane Matthew is expected to have minimal impact in Gainesville. Weather forecast is sunny with a high of 86 for Saturday. LMAO!!!

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[SmokeyJoe]

I'm telling you...mark it down now: this game will not be played. Tennessee better find a way to win one of the next two or pin its hopes on Georgia or Arkansas.

As with most "legal" issues the SEC bylaws aren't so easy to decipher for the layman. There is conflicting info going around... Florida could win it at 6-1(best win percentage), BUT also that teams must play 8 games to qualify for SECCG. Others have said Florida forfeit is possible because LSU made every effort to play the game. I'm sure UT won't lay down on the issue if it becomes an issue.

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[BanditVol]

As with most "legal" issues the SEC bylaws aren't so easy to decipher for the layman. There is conflicting info going around... Florida could win it at 6-1(best win percentage), BUT also that teams must play 8 games to qualify for SECCG. Others have said Florida forfeit is possible because LSU made every effort to play the game. I'm sure UT won't lay down on the issue if it becomes an issue.

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The 8-game requirement trumps anything else.

Yes, this postponement smells. #Foleyisap-ssy   

[Coupe De VOL]

https://www.seccountry.com/lsu/joe-alleva-on-lsu-florida-the-game-is-not-going-to-happen

it doesn't look good for a resched of the game.  I keep hearing people say there is an "8 game rule", but I am skeptical of that.  Like Butch says - "the SEC won't let that happen" - I think the SEC would step in, but who knows?  As BDV intimated up above in this thread, if we get screwed by this cancellation, there will be absolute hell to pay.  I would probably be done with the SEC for quite some time.  The Vols going 6-2 may indeed be the most likely outcome.  7-1 is probably just as likely, but we may very well end up at 6-2.  Yeah, I'd love us to go undefeated, but we would need some luck for that to happen, and, hey, we have gone to that well of luck many times already in this young season.

[SmokeyJoe]

Really with forecasts as they are, move it to late Saturday. Play it. They won't do that either. Smh.

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[Creek Walker]

IMO, the only just solution is for SEC athletic directors to suspend the conference bylaws and allow a 6-win Tennessee team to go to Atlanta ahead of a 6-1 Florida team. That won't happen, but it should. Tennessee will be the only team in the East to have beaten every other East team. This is assuming that UT takes care of business after Alabama, of course. And to those numbskulls who are saying Tennessee should just win one of its next two games and not worry about it, what if Tennessee announced today that it will not play Texas A&M tomorrow, thus avoiding a likely loss (on paper) and virtually assuring itself of a trip to Atlanta? That's akin to what Florida did by canceling the LSU game. And while there are lots of folks who like to play the game of moral self-righteousness and claim that the rest of us have our priorities out of whack for insisting that a game be played despite a killer hurricane, there's absolutely no reason this game couldn't have been moved...even if, as a last resort, it meant moving the game to Baton Rouge. South Carolina did it last year on a Wednesday due to historic flooding. Florida knew at the first of the week that this storm was likely to come within 75 miles of Gainesville. The forecast hasn't changed much over the last several days. But asshat Jeremy Foley conveniently stalled until Thursday (and weak-kneed Greg Sankey allowed him to do so), then claimed it was too late.

In reality, Florida's handling of this deserves a forfeit. But there's no way the SEC will force them to forfeit, and the Gators will get credit for trying to reschedule on Nov. 19.

[Coupe De VOL]

IMO, the only just solution is for SEC athletic directors to suspend the conference bylaws and allow a 6-win Tennessee team to go to Atlanta ahead of a 6-1 Florida team. That won't happen, but it should. Tennessee will be the only team in the East to have beaten every other East team. This is assuming that UT takes care of business after Alabama, of course. And to those numbskulls who are saying Tennessee should just win one of its next two games and not worry about it, what if Tennessee announced today that it will not play Texas A&M tomorrow, thus avoiding a likely loss (on paper) and virtually assuring itself of a trip to Atlanta? That's akin to what Florida did by canceling the LSU game. And while there are lots of folks who like to play the game of moral self-righteousness and claim that the rest of us have our priorities out of whack for insisting that a game be played despite a killer hurricane, there's absolutely no reason this game couldn't have been moved...even if, as a last resort, it meant moving the game to Baton Rouge. South Carolina did it last year on a Wednesday due to historic flooding. Florida knew at the first of the week that this storm was likely to come within 75 miles of Gainesville. The forecast hasn't changed much over the last several days. But asshat Jeremy Foley conveniently stalled until Thursday (and weak-kneed Greg Sankey allowed him to do so), then claimed it was too late.

In reality, Florida's handling of this deserves a forfeit. But there's no way the SEC will force them to forfeit, and the Gators will get credit for trying to reschedule on Nov. 19.

There is a precedent that has been set of the SEC intervening and changing the rules in the middle of the season.  Remember when there was a 3 way tie looming and the last tie-breaker of institutional vote was likely to be invoked?  They quickly changed the rules in the middle of the season and came up with some poll ranking tiebreaker.  But this situation we're talking about now would be a bigger intrusion into the season, for sure.  However, there would be some serious blowback from the media on the SEC if this scenario went down.

[Black Diamond Vol]

The best way to handle this would be for the commissioner to declare today that if that game doesn't get played, and if it would have had an impact on either divisional race, then for purposes of deciding the division champ ONLY, the other team(s) in question get to throw out one inter-divisional game.  Not only would that be the fairest outcome, but it would probably light a fire under Foley and/or Alleva.  You'd probably then see those guys do whatever they can to get the game rescheduled.

I agree with Creek- this is NOT a good look for our new Commissioner.  Lord knows I was no fan of Mike Slive, but you know damn well he would've prepared for any contingency and had this thing resolved by Wednesday, at the latest.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I'll tell your something else.  There has been a lot of talk the past few years about changing the conference schedules.  Particularly, of getting rid of permanent cross-divisional opponents.  I've always been of the the opinion that the UT/bammer game has to be saved at any cost.  But if this doomsday scenario comes to pass, I would probably change my mind.  If the UF/LSU game doesn't get played, I would feel a lot better about our chances if we were playing MSU or Auburn rather than bammer.

[volsboy]

I understand UF not wanting to give up a home game with a tough opponent. I wouldn't want to have to move the Bama game from Knoxville to somewhere else. I  see no reason it can't be rescheduled. Doesn't have to be on a Saturday.

[RockyMtnVol]

In reality, Florida's handling of this deserves a forfeit. But there's no way the SEC will force them to forfeit, and the Gators will get credit for trying to reschedule on Nov. 19.

That's my feeling as well.  Florida is responsible for hosting the game.  LSU offered to host it for them, given the circumstances.  Florida understandably declined, but that doesn't relieve them of responsibility for hosting.  Find a solution, or forfeit.

[FLVOL]

Georgia is going to bury them anyway

[BanditVol]

Georgia is going to bury them anyway

I don't know about that, uga looks pretty weak to me.

Arkansas might.

[BanditVol]

Well I'm no numbskull, but I absolutely won't worry until the next two are played.
And beyond that, the SEC absolutely will resolve this. Foley actually said Sankey made the call. I completely believe that.

Finally,  I also believe the 8 game rule is binding. The bylaws clearly state it's based on win % out of 8 games.

Having said that, I like BDVs suggestion. Of the game is not made up, let other east teams drop one game of their choice.