Joe Alleva Expects Game Location Decision Within Next 24 Hours

LSU athletic director Joe Alleva opened up Ed Orgeron's weekly press conference on Monday by addressing the Tigers season opener on Saturday that will likely be moved out of Houston because of severe flooding in the area.

Alleva first extended his thought and prayers to those affected in the area and said that a decision on where the game will be played will come no later than Tuesday.

Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge has been offered up as a potential location but Alleva does not think the game will be played there.

Several other cities and stadium have been offered up for the game.

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LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva opening statement…

JOE ALLEVA: Obviously the first thing I want to do is give our thoughts and prayers to all the people in Houston and surrounding vicinities on what's going on over there. I think we in Louisiana have a pretty good idea what they are going through, and it's really bad. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.

We as a university, our athletic department and university will be working together to reach out to the folks in Texas to do anything we can to help them.

Over the weekend and this morning, we've been in constant communication with ESPN and the folks over in Texas. I am not prepared right now to tell you where the game's going to be. I do hope, though, by no later than tomorrow, we will have a site where this game will be.

To all of our ticket holders, we will be issuing policies and how we can go about getting tickets to the new venue and redeeming your tickets if you can't make it for your purchase in Houston.

I really don't have much more to tell you than that right now. I wanted to give you an update and that's about all I can give you at this point. As you know, ESPN -- this is ESPN's game. It's not LSU's game. It's ESPN's game. They have the rights to it and they are negotiating where the game will be located, and like I said, we've been in constant contact with them. As soon as we know something, we'll let you know and I hope that will be within the next 24 hours.

I'll be happy to answer any questions but I don't really think I can answer a lot of your questions.

Q. Can you discuss the options that are on the table?

JOE ALLEVA: No, I can't. I'm sorry. I wish I could. I wish I could but I can't.

Q. Are there any parameters on where the game cannot be in terms of maybe a maximum distance away it can be or things like that?

JOE ALLEVA: No. No parameters.

Q. Is ESPN seeking your input or BYU's input on the game at all?

JOE ALLEVA: Yes, they have been great. They have been in constant contact with myself and Tom Holmoe, athletic director of BYU. They have kept us in the loop. They have been good.

The No. 1 goal in this whole thing is to play the game and that's everybody's goal is to play the game.

Q. Have you offered up Tiger Stadium? Is that a possibility to play there?

JOE ALLEVA: It been offered up but I frankly don't think that's going to happen.

Q. As far as waiting, this will give you a better idea where the storm is going, and maybe as far as New Orleans goes, as far as playing the game there, waiting till Tuesday morning to make a decision?

JOE ALLEVA: I think right now, the biggest thing that's going through their minds is where is the best venue to play this game and the storm is a factor, fans are a factor. There's a lot of things that are factors. But right now, ESPN is in negotiations with various venues to see which is the best place for this game to be played.

Q. How confident are you the game will be played somewhere?

JOE ALLEVA: Barring something crazy happening, I'm very confident that the game is going to be played.

Thank you all. We'll let you know as soon as we know something.

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