LSU’s 2013 football schedule includes Ga., Fla.
Tiger Stadium is seen the week before LSU's season opener against North Texas. The Southeastern Conference released its 2013 football schedule Thursday, revealing that LSU will face Georgia in Athens, Ga., on Sept. 28.
LSU will play at Georgia and home against Florida in 2013 as part of its Southeastern Conference schedule announced Thursday by the league office.
The Tigers will play Sept. 28 at Georgia and at home Oct. 12 against Florida.
Florida has been designated as LSU’s permanent opponent out of the SEC East Division. The Tigers and Gators have played every year since 1971.
“I am opposed to permanent partners and believe in rotation for our Eastern games,” LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva said. “It is the fairest way to schedule. Our schedule is very challenging next year. I hope the presidents and chancellors will address the inequities of scheduling in the future.”
Georgia replaces South Carolina on LSU’s schedule from this year as a rotating SEC East opponent.
The Georgia game will be a homecoming of sorts for LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger. He is from the Athens, Ga., area and started his college career at Georgia.
SEC Executive Associate Commissioner Mark Womack said in a statement that the 2013 schedule is “a bridge” to a permanent 12-year scheduling format to begin with the 2014 season. This would also coincide with the start of the four-team BCS playoff system.
LSU’s schedule currently includes two open dates bracketing a Nov. 9 game at Alabama — one on Nov. 2 and one on Nov. 16. LSU has in recent years tried to maintain an open date before playing Alabama.
The Tigers finish with home games against Arkansas on Nov. 23 and Texas A&M on Nov. 30.
Nov. 30 is the latest regular-season finale for LSU since the Tigers hosted Auburn on Dec. 1, 2001. That game was originally scheduled for September, but was rescheduled after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
LSU faces TCU in the Cowboys Classic on Aug. 31 to open the 2013 season. The other nonconference games are all at Tiger Stadium — Alabama-Birmingham on Sept. 7, Kent State on Sept. 14 and Furman on Oct. 26.
Scott Rabalais and
Scott Hotard contributed
to this report.