It's not blackmail. It's just negotiations.

I have no doubt that LSU tried to play the UF game last weekend just as they did whatever they had to do to play the USC game last season. UF did not want to lose a home game (understandable) and flat out refused to move the game to BR (also understandable). But let's no kid ourselves, they certainly didn't feel canceling the game (or postponing to a later date) was a bad alternative.

1. They were beat up both at QB and DL which is certainly a factor when you are playing a team that WANTS to run the ball right at you.

2. Even if played in Gainesville last week, their homefield advantage was likely diminished. How many people were going to show up in the wake of a hurricane? School was closed. Students may have left. Others may have been dealing with their own issues. Plus the game was at 12:00. I suspect, at best, the stadium was going to be 65% full

3. LSU is a de facto "new team" right now. O has made it a point not to be as ridiculously predictable as Miles. UF would have had only one game of film to analyze the "new" LSU team.

4. UF probably felt they could backdoor into the SECCG with the likelihood that Tenn. would lose 2 SEC games.

Cancelling wasn't a bad deal for UF until (a) LSU essentially told the SEC to piss-off regarding their suggestion of changing the S. Bama game and (b) the backdoor SEC East championship wasn't an option.

LSU then held most of the cards and essentially said "we gave you every chance to play this game away from BR. You decided not to, so now you can either come here or get lost. We aren't giving up a home game just because you couldn't play in Gainesville on the initial date." The SEC office looked incompetent (because it is!) and UF only had one option if they wanted to play LSU. That is playing in BR on 11/19.

However, don't give me the LSU is a "bully" crap. They made concessions in the "settlement". LSU will only have 6 home games next season, and only 3 SEC home games. That's both a huge competitive dis-advantage AND financial hit.