Saturday's ASU-LSU game switched to Tempe

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Saturday's ASU-LSU game switched to Tempe

Hurricane aftermath causes change for No. 5 Tigers, No. 20 Sun Devils

Jeff Metcalfe
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 5, 2005

LSU and Arizona State officials confirmed today4 that the first football game between the schools will be played Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium rather than in Baton Rouge, La.

The change was made because of continuing emergency medical and rescue operations on the LSU campus in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Game time and ticket details are being worked out. The No. 5-ranked Tigers have yet to play this season because their season opener against North Texas was postponed.

No. 20 ASU is 1-0 off a 63-16 win over Temple.

Tom Collins, ASU senior associate athletic director, led an ASU group that toured LSU and Baton Rouge on Sunday.

ASU coach Dirk Koetter understood the need for a change of venue.

"On the outside they said life appears as normal as it could be, but behind the scenes there's things that would not be considered normal for a visiting football team," Koetter said.

Tom Kleinlein, ASU football operations director, and members of the ASU police department also made the trip.

ESPN is scheduled to nationally televise the game. That network will try to gain special permission to televise a game from a Pac-10 site.

ASU was scheduled to host LSU in 2008. That game now is expected to be in Baton Rouge although details of the back end of the switch still need to be resolved.

The LSU campus, particularly its athletic venues, has played a central role in medical services during the recovery effort.

"There are considerable logistical issues that either affect the execution of a football game, or detract from providing recovery services in this time of need," LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe said in a statement. "We have collected as much information as possible and deliberated this issue carefully over the weekend, but the myriad of details and questions that remain unresolved dictate this move."

Among the significant issues is the securing of hotel rooms for the Arizona State football team and traveling party, Southeastern Conference game officials and members of the ESPN television crew. LSU officials have advised fans that hotels are booked and evacuees from the southeast Louisiana parishes have the highest priority.

"We are thankful to Arizona State University President Michael Crow, athletics department personnel and the Fiesta Bowl who have already worked out a number of local details for making this game happen in Tempe on such short notice," O'Keefe said.

"They are prepared to make travel and hotel arrangements for our team and traveling party, and Arizona State has agreed to schedule a return trip to Baton Rouge in the future."

LSU will now play only six home football games during the 2005 football season.
 

sundevilscott

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This is a shame for the LSU fans but it definatelly goes in ASU's favor. Since they have already played a game and LSU starts thier season in Tempe it could be bad news for them.
 

ajcardfan

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ASU now has a chance in this game. They'll play better at home. I've been to a game in Baton Rouge, and, I promise you, the ASU guys had never seen anything like it. That crowd and that humidity is just stifling.


But, if LSU has good coaching, they could turn this to their advantage. You know, "Now we see what we're made of. Are we going to wilt in the face of adversity? Or, dig deeper and prove our character?" type of stuff. From what I know of Les Miles, he'll have them jacked up.
 

devilalum

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This is a win win for everybody.


All the proceeds will go to NO.
LSU would not have been able to host the game this week.
ASU gets another home game.

A win in this game could launch either team into a Cinderella season.
Sure LSU isn't happy about losing a home game and all the revenue but they have to be happy about their efforts raising money for the Hurricane victims.

Also as an ASU fan I was terrified of the Devils having to play there this weekend. They would have been walking into an emotional buzzsaw.
 

HooverDam

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I REALLY hope ASU can sell this game out. It would be sad if they only had 50,000 or so in the stadium
 

JasonKGME

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How are they doing the tickets for this game, if your a season ticket hold to ASU do you automatically get a ticket for this game? any idea?
 

HooverDam

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JasonKGME said:
How are they doing the tickets for this game, if your a season ticket hold to ASU do you automatically get a ticket for this game? any idea?

Season ticket holders get first dibs. I think the pricing is like, $50 for lodge sitting, $30 for all others.
 

AZCB34

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devilalum said:
A win in this game could launch either team into a Cinderella season.

LSU in a Cinderella season?? Ummm, clearly you don't pay much attention to SEC football or national rankings? LSU is a top 5 team in AP and #6 in USAToday. A win by LSU doesn't launch a Cinderella season by any means. A win by LSU is exactly what most expect them to do against ASU.

This is a great thing for ASU on the field. I think this gives them their best chance to win. LSU is still vastly superior to ASU from a talent standpoint but not having their tune up game and now having to come to Tempe and my guess is their practice schedule has been thrown topsy turvy as well...this plays into ASU's favor.
 

devilalum

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AZCB34 said:
LSU in a Cinderella season?? Ummm, clearly you don't pay much attention to SEC football or national rankings? LSU is a top 5 team in AP and #6 in USAToday. A win by LSU doesn't launch a Cinderella season by any means. A win by LSU is exactly what most expect them to do against ASU.

This is a great thing for ASU on the field. I think this gives them their best chance to win. LSU is still vastly superior to ASU from a talent standpoint but not having their tune up game and now having to come to Tempe and my guess is their practice schedule has been thrown topsy turvy as well...this plays into ASU's favor.

So Cinderella only applies to the Devils. If LSU loses they can kiss a national championship goodbye. No way they make it through the SEC and the SEC title game undefeated and nobody's gonna win it with 2 loses.
 

AZCB34

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devilalum said:
So Cinderella only applies to the Devils. If LSU loses they can kiss a national championship goodbye. No way they make it through the SEC and the SEC title game undefeated and nobody's gonna win it with 2 loses.

I didn't say a word about Cinderella being applied to ASU did I? I was simply saying you have wildly misused the term Cinderella to LSU if they win. It simply does not start off a Cinderella season for the Tigers which is exactly what you said it would do.

Personally, I don't think a win would launch a Cinderella season for ASU either. I find it hard to apply the term Cinderella to a top 25 team. Sadly, an ASU win will be "stamped" with an asterisk.
 

abomb

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Well 9:00 am came and went. The website is slammed and the ticket office phone number is busy.

A-Bomb
 

abomb

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Got my tix online. Section 17 (NEZ). Good times.
 

devilalum

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AZCB34 said:
I didn't say a word about Cinderella being applied to ASU did I? I was simply saying you have wildly misused the term Cinderella to LSU if they win. It simply does not start off a Cinderella season for the Tigers which is exactly what you said it would do.

Personally, I don't think a win would launch a Cinderella season for ASU either. I find it hard to apply the term Cinderella to a top 25 team. Sadly, an ASU win will be "stamped" with an asterisk.

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Why don't you enlighten me with the official Cinderella rules!
In '96 everybody and their brother was calling ASU the Cinderella team of the year and they started the season ranked #20 just like this year.
 

AZCB34

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devilalum said:
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Why don't you enlighten me with the official Cinderella rules!
In '96 everybody and their brother was calling ASU the Cinderella team of the year and they started the season ranked #20 just like this year.


Maybe I didn't word it right. My opinion is you miused the term Cinderella. I never once referred to ASU in 96 as a Cinderella team and that is because I didn't believe they were. To me, a Cinderella team is a team that, at the start of the year was considered a middle of the pack team who had few expectations on them who suddenly breakout and run the table. A top 25 ranked team, to me is rarely considered a middle of the pack team.
 

Joe Mama

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Are you sure that 1996 Sun Devils team started the season ranked #20? I thought they were #25, but all the beer I drank during that season might have killed the brain cells holding that information. :)

I'm not sure I would say that a #20 team shouldn't be considered a possible Cinderella, but there's no way a team that starts off #5 would be called a Cinderella team. Last year's Utah team was a Cinderella. LSU is one of the most talented teams in the country, and the national media has high expectations for them.

It would be a great story if LSU went undefeated and won the national championship this year. That's for sure. Of course I want the Sun Devils to win tonight, but I think I could handle a great game and a very narrow LSU victory. I just don't want to see ASU get trampled tonight.

Joe Mama
 

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I'm sitting in a ballroom of a hotel in Tucson working, no radio, no TV, so please keep me informed.
 

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