What happens if Lambuth doesn't field a team in 2011?

As some of the hard core fans know, Lambuth University (who holds the distinguished title of our first ever defeat) has had had tremendous financial struggles since losing accreditation back in 2010.

The stories that came out after last season of employees not receiving checks on time, people wondering if they would have job and the tension of working with clouds of uncertainty surrounding the entire school.

Last week the school did a fundraiser with legendary comedian Bill Cosby to raise money to help keep the school going. 

I reached out to a local contact of mine and he used statements like "I really don't think Lambuth will be open by football season."  That the school was in "financial disrepair", and a shutdown could happen at the end of the semester.

Will we lose a home game (and more importantly a potential win)?  What will be our back up plan?  Will we just go with another Open Date between road games with first year program UTSA and D2 West Alabama?

Photo Courtesy of Victory Sports Network

GSU Football Will Make Trip to West Alabama

Source: University of West Alabama Athletics

"The final two regular season games on the calendar are a Nov. 5 meeting at Delta State before concluding the schedule on Nov. 12 at home against Georgia State."

As the 2010 football season led us to birds as regular opponents, the 2011 season appears to be shaping up as a battle against relative big cats. According to the University of West Alabama (UWA) Atheltics website, Georgia State will make the trip to Livingston, Alabama for a November 12th game against the UWA Tigers at Tiger Stadium.

UWA is a NCAA D-II football program who is coming off a 7-4 season. In their 2009 season a 7-4 record was enough to land them with a Gulf South Conference playoff bid where they were eliminated in the 2nd round. Interesting note about the 2010 season, Georgia State and UWA faced two common opponents in Shorter and Lambuth. GSU and UWA both beat Shorter and lost to Lambuth in a close game.

If you are one to use common games as predictors or measuring sticks, our common 2011 opponent is South Alabama. UWA will travel to Mobile in their season opener and according to South Alabama Athletics, South Alabama will travel to Atlanta to face the Panthers on Oct. 22nd.

Many fans may be questioning GSU traveling to a D-II school to play a game, as this is rare. My opinion is UWA was scheduled to be a home game for GSU and due to a late change in plans GSU had to reschedule this game to be an away game to allow for a new school to come into the Dome. This is one of the only scenarios that make sense to me, so time will tell.

Ben's SB Nation Post on UWA Release