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How, you may ask, did Fresno State wind up on the schedule? </P>
<P>
Good question. </P>
<P>
Actually, Fresno State is the fourth team to occupy this spot on our 1996 schedule. </P>
<P>
The first was Southern Mississippi. Coach Bowden wanted to move in a different direction for a number of reasons. One was the changing SEC schedule. Another was the spot at where the USM game fell each season.  It wasn't that USM was tougher than an SEC opponent. It was the fact that having to get ready for a team the caliber of Southern Mississippi at certain times during the season prevented the coaching staff from giving sufficient attention to an upcoming SEC opponent. There was also a desire to diversify the schedule, to give it more of an intersectional flavor. </P>
<P>
Houston was next. The Cougars needed a game on Sept. 14 and we needed a game on Sept. 14. The contract was signed but both schools knew the game might have to be moved from that date. We knew the SEC schedule might be changing and Houston had a potential conflict that later turned into a real conflict. </P>
<P>
The SEC schedule did change, in the spring of 1995. The Ole Miss game was moved forward a week in the season, from Sept. 7 to Sept. 14. Houston couldn't move to any of the three dates we had available, Sept. 7, Sept. 28 or Oct. 26 and we couldn't move any of our games to match their open dates.  Exit Houston. </P>
<P>
Games with Division 1-A schools are not easy to schedule especially within months of the game. Auburn has made a commitment to play only Division 1-A schools except in the most dire of circumstances. We were rapidly approaching circumstances of that magnitude. </P>
<P>
A game with Western Carolina, a Division I-AA school was tentatively lined up, in case we couldn't find a 1-A opponent. The call went out far and wide, to the CFA, to the television networks, to every major conference in the nation. We were agreeable to a home-and-home series or a one-time home game. We were not willing to go on the road in 1996 because we needed a home game for our season ticket package. </P>
<P>
Virginia Tech, a member of the Big East, needed a game. They needed a home game in 1997 and were willing to play on the road in 1996.  A perfect match. Calls were made. Television networks were contacted and we had a deal. Virginia Tech at Auburn in 1996, Auburn at Virginia Tech in 1997, both games on ESPN. Done deal!! </P>
<P>
There was but one problem. We couldn't get a signed contract from Virginia Tech. They were having second thoughts. Over a period of months, we discussed playing dates. August 31, September 7, September 28 or October 26 were fine with us, but for one reason or another each date was not suitable for Virginia Tech.  The perfect marriage seemed to be breaking up. </P>
<P>
The call came on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, four days after the 31-27 victory over Alabama was televised nationwide from Jordan-Hare Stadium. My secretary, Sandy Burney, ran me down in the Atlanta Airport. There was an urgent call from Virginia Tech. "Sorry," they said, "it's not going to work out." </P>
<P>
Talk about ruining Thanksgiving and a trip to New York, that call did it. We were less than nine months from the start of the season and we didn't have but 10 games. Panic City!! </P>
<P>
Once again the call went out. There was but one chance--Fresno State. We made contact through the CFA, and the dates matched. Fresno needed a game tonight and so did we.  Let it be said that Scott Johnson of Fresno State drives a hard bargain, but we got what we wanted, needed and had to have--a game with a 1-A opponent. </P>
<P>
For the record, Southern Mississippi is playing Alabama today, Houston is playing LSU and Virginia Tech is opening the season at Akron.  We're playing Fresno State and we're happy to be doing it. </P>
<P>
And in case you're wondering what the future holds. We open at Virginia next year and Virginia comes to Auburn in 1998. There's Florida State in 1999-2000, and as yet-to-be-announced opponents in 2001-2002 and 2003-2004. Clemson comes on for a four-game, home-and-home series beginning in 2005. </P>

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	<HTML>

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	<TITLE>David Housel Column</TITLE>

	</HEAD>

	<BODY <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">>

	<H1 ALIGN=CENTER> <IMG ALT="Housel's Desk " ALIGN =CENTER WIDTH=434 HEIGHT=102 BORDER=2 SRC=" ../pic/housldsk.jpg"> </H1>
	<BR>
	<BR>
	<P>
	How, you may ask, did Fresno State wind up on the schedule? </P>
	<P>
	Good question. </P>
	<P>
	Actually, Fresno State is the fourth team to occupy this spot on our 1996 schedule. </P>
	<P>
	The first was Southern Mississippi. Coach Bowden wanted to move in a different direction for a number of reasons. One was the changing SEC schedule. Another was the spot at where the USM game fell each season. It wasn't that USM was tougher than an SEC opponent. It was the fact that having to get ready for a team the caliber of Southern Mississippi at certain times during the season prevented the coaching staff from giving sufficient attention to an upcoming SEC opponent. There was also a desire to diversify the schedule, to give it more of an intersectional flavor. </P>
	<P>
	Houston was next. The Cougars needed a game on Sept. 14 and we needed a game on Sept. 14. The contract was signed but both schools knew the game might have to be moved from that date. We knew the SEC schedule might be changing and Houston had a potential conflict that later turned into a real conflict. </P>
	<P>
	The SEC schedule did change, in the spring of 1995. The Ole Miss game was moved forward a week in the season, from Sept. 7 to Sept. 14. Houston couldn't move to any of the three dates we had available, Sept. 7, Sept. 28 or Oct. 26 and we couldn't move any of our games to match their open dates. Exit Houston. </P>
	<P>
	Games with Division 1-A schools are not easy to schedule especially within months of the game. Auburn has made a commitment to play only Division 1-A schools except in the most dire of circumstances. We were rapidly approaching circumstances of that magnitude. </P>
	<P>
	A game with Western Carolina, a Division I-AA school was tentatively lined up, in case we couldn't find a 1-A opponent. The call went out far and wide, to the CFA, to the television networks, to every major conference in the nation. We were agreeable to a home-and-home series or a one-time home game. We were not willing to go on the road in 1996 because we needed a home game for our season ticket package. </P>
	<P>
	Virginia Tech, a member of the Big East, needed a game. They needed a home game in 1997 and were willing to play on the road in 1996. A perfect match. Calls were made. Television networks were contacted and we had a deal. Virginia Tech at Auburn in 1996, Auburn at Virginia Tech in 1997, both games on ESPN. Done deal!! </P>
	<P>
	There was but one problem. We couldn't get a signed contract from Virginia Tech. They were having second thoughts. Over a period of months, we discussed playing dates. August 31, September 7, September 28 or October 26 were fine with us, but for one reason or another each date was not suitable for Virginia Tech. The perfect marriage seemed to be breaking up. </P>
	<P>
	The call came on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, four days after the 31-27 victory over Alabama was televised nationwide from Jordan-Hare Stadium. My secretary, Sandy Burney, ran me down in the Atlanta Airport. There was an urgent call from Virginia Tech. "Sorry," they said, "it's not going to work out." </P>
	<P>
	Talk about ruining Thanksgiving and a trip to New York, that call did it. We were less than nine months from the start of the season and we didn't have but 10 games. Panic City!! </P>
	<P>
	Once again the call went out. There was but one chance--Fresno State. We made contact through the CFA, and the dates matched. Fresno needed a game tonight and so did we. Let it be said that Scott Johnson of Fresno State drives a hard bargain, but we got what we wanted, needed and had to have--a game with a 1-A opponent. </P>
	<P>
	For the record, Southern Mississippi is playing Alabama today, Houston is playing LSU and Virginia Tech is opening the season at Akron. We're playing Fresno State and we're happy to be doing it. </P>
	<P>
	And in case you're wondering what the future holds. We open at Virginia next year and Virginia comes to Auburn in 1998. There's Florida State in 1999-2000, and as yet-to-be-announced opponents in 2001-2002 and 2003-2004. Clemson comes on for a four-game, home-and-home series beginning in 2005. </P>

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> \| <A HREF="../">PROGRAM INDEX</A> \| <A HREF="../../index.html">HOME</A></P>

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