Auburn vs Florida State Game in the Works?

Bud Elliot just posted this article on TomahawkNation about the Seminoles targeting a possible 2019 game against Auburn in Jacksonville. That would be in addition to a 2017 neutral site tilt against Alabama to open the Stankonia Dome in Atlanta in 2017.

Auburn previously had Cal scheduled for 2019 and 2020, but that series was pushed back a year to accommodate Cal's 2017 and 2019 home-and-home series with Ole Miss.

Auburn's 2018 and 2019 slate are now clear and in need of power five non-conference games. A one-off, neutral site game against the Seminoles would likely mean another similar game for 2018. That's unless the Tigers can schedule one of the newly accredited "Power 5 replacements" of Army, BYU, or Notre Dame.

What Would That Mean for 2018?

Auburn does not want to travel for a non-conference Power 5 game in even years as it did in 2014 to Kansas State. That is, unless the SEC's current schedule rotation changes. Even years are the seasons where Auburn will have to travel to both Athens and Tuscaloosa to close out the seasons. So, the Tigers would prefer to remain at home for any big games in those seasons. A neutral site game may be a possibility, but I'm sure the Tigers would rather not have two straight seasons with neutral site games and fewer home games.

Looking at those three, Army would be the most likely choice if the Tigers want a home game. I just don't see Notre Dame or BYU (assuming they're even still an Independent by 2018) agreeing to a single home game at Auburn. Neutral site, maybe. A protracted home-and-home (Auburn in 2018, the other team 3-4 years down the road) such as happened with Auburn and Kansas State is possible, I guess.

However, Army already has a pretty full schedule of 11 games in 2018. It would be hard to work that in, though it could happen. They're likely to pick up a 12th game to fill their schedule. Army brings its own particular challenge, though. Jeff Monken has the Black Knights running the Paul Johnson Flexbone Triple-Option. I don't think Auburn wants to face that simply because of the need to practice for something different.

BYU's 2018 schedule has ten games on it, already. That leaves two slots available. They do already have a game scheduled for college football's big opening weekend, though. That seems to be the preferred date for the big neutral site games, and thus isn't likely to happen.

Here's where it gets fun to contemplate. Notre Dame is scheduled to play Georgia in 2017 and 2019. They may be a possibility for a neutral site game in 2018. That's also a game that most Auburn fans desire most to happen out of all non-conference options, since the two have never played. More importantly for the chances of that game, Notre Dame only has ten games currently scheduled for that season, and does not currently have a game scheduled for 2018's big opening weekend.

What's Likely To Happen

I have heard nothing on this from anyone in the Auburn camp. The Seminoles clearly are pursuing it, or at least talking of pursuing it. Many Auburn fans would likely love a rematch in order to avenge the 2013 BCS Championship Game. Then there's the history of great games these two teams played in the 1980s and early 90s that would be fun to relive.

I just don't think Auburn wants it to happen due to Auburn's current future schedules. Not in a one-off, neutral site game. That is purely a gut feeling on my part, but I think it will come down to Auburn not wanting to play neutral site Power 5 games in consecutive years unless it's under the circumstances I've mentioned previously. That would be a one-off home game in 2018 against a lower-tier P5 team / Independent, or a home-and-home series where the teams agree to play at Auburn in 2018 and the opponent's home in 2023. Why 2023? Because of that SEC Scheduling rotation, again.

I think a game against the Seminoles would be a good thing. A home-and-home series in 2018/19 would be possible, but the Seminoles seem to want to play that 2019 game in Jacksonville. Or at least folks in Jacksonville are wanting them to play it, there. Could the Tigers get the Seminoles to agree to our house in 2018 and Jacksonville in 2019? I very seriously doubt it. That would be a very real option I could see Auburn pursuing if Florida State really wants the game to happen, but I think there's precisely zero percent chance of it being agreed to.

If Florida State insists on the neutral site game and Auburn doesn't want the back-to-back seasons with that type of game, I could see Auburn continuing to pursue other options for a 2018/2019 home-and-home. There's always that idea of renewing the Georgia Tech series.