Marshall University is considering buying out its contract with LSU for the 2003 football season if it can schedule another opponent in a nationally televised home game.
LSU is scheduled to play Marshall on Sept. 13 in Tiger Stadium.
LSU Senior Associate Athletics Director Dan Radakovich said the school was considering dropping only LSU but has not officially contacted the University about making a decision. The school is waiting on the Mid-American Conference to work out a TV deal before it makes a decision, Radakovich said.
“Everything has been done unofficially,” Radakovich said. “[The conference TV deal] is the driver of this whole thing.”
According to a story in The Herald Dispatch, Marshall wants to host a nationally-televised game on Friday, Sept. 12, possibly to be played against a MAC opponent.
If Marshall does cancel the game, it would have to pay a $100,000 cancellation fee, Radakovich said.
For the deal to be complete, LSU would need to find a replacement team. Currently, LSU is seeking an opponent for Sept. 13, Radakovich said. He wants the situation to be resolved within a week.
Marshall Athletics Director Bob Marcum confirmed to the Dispatch the school is seeking another opponent but would not specify which team the school wanted.
“Right now we’re looking at an opportunity that’s been presented to us,” Marcum told the Dispatch. “It’s a television opportunity from home that would involve doing something with the LSU game.”
Marshall has five home games scheduled in 2003 and may add another opponent to make a 12-game schedule. The school is also in negotiations to appear on Wednesday night games against MAC opponents on ESPN or ESPN2.
Marshall won the conference title in 2002 and finished the season with a 11-1 (7-1 MAC) record, including a 38-15 win over Louisville in the GMAC bowl.