After last Saturday night’s Florida-Idaho game was terminated due to heavy rain, the two schools have decided to not reschedule the game for another date this season. Instead, the game has been “declared a no contest.”
“We looked at a number of options and, in the end, we both thought it was in the best interest of our student-athletes and football programs to play out the remainder of our respective schedules as they stand,” said Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley in a release.
As part of the agreement, Florida has agreed to fulfill the original contract which included Florida paying Idaho $975,000 by February 1, 2015. Additionally, the two sides have agreed to play a game in Gainesville in 2017 on a date that has yet to be determined. Florida will also reimburse fans who paid to see the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
“I want to thank UF, especially AD Jeremy Foley, for the professional and first-class way they worked through this issue and the focus on student-athlete welfare,” Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said.“It was not in our best interest to play 10 consecutive weeks without a bye week. We look forward to our return to Florida in 2017.”
The game’s only play was a 64-yard kickoff return by the Gators’ Valdez Showers that came after a 2-hour, 48-minute delay. When the team’s lined up to snap the game’s first offensive play, the game was halted by officials due to lightning in the area. The game was officially “terminated” around 10:30 p.m. due to the weather and poor field conditions.
By declaring a no contest, it ensures that Florida will play an 11-game schedule and will still have a bye week before its game against Georgia on November 1. Both the Gators and Vandals had a bye the week of October 25, but ultimately Florida did not want to jeopardize that week of rest.. At the same time, Idaho did not want to take the lengthy trip to Gainesville for the second time in a two-month span.
“Like all Gators, I wish we could have played the game Saturday night, but I support the decision made by both Athletic Directors,” Florida head coach Will Muschamp said.
The Gators will host Eastern Michigan on Saturday while Idaho will travel to face off with Louisiana-Monroe in its Sun Belt opener.
For more Florida news, visit InsideTheGators.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Florida-Idaho game declared a 'no contest,' schedule game for 2017
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