Three state schools on '09 LSU slate

• By CARL DUBOIS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Aug 27, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:12 a.m.

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LSU announced the completion of its 2009 football schedule Tuesday night by naming Louisiana Tech a late-season opponent and switching its game with Tulane from the Superdome to Tiger Stadium.

The two changes give LSU seven home games next year, three against state schools. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is also on the schedule.

Verge Ausberry, LSU senior associate athletic director in charge of football scheduling, said the Ragin’ Cajuns switched spots with Southern Miss, which will play LSU in Tiger Stadium in 2010.

That switch helped the Golden Eagles schedule another BCS opponent, he said.

LSU’s home dates against state schools in 2009 are Sept. 19 for UL-Lafayette, Oct. 31 for Tulane and Nov. 14 for Louisiana Tech.

The marquee nonconference game on LSU’s schedule in 2009 is the season opener at Washington.

LSU agreed in May to postpone an agreement to play Colorado in Tiger Stadium in 2011 and a year later play the Buffs in Boulder, Colo. Ausberry said that’s because Colorado added a seventh home game it needed in 2011, against Fresno State.

Washington moved into the 2012 spot previously held by Colorado for a visit to Tiger Stadium, Ausberry said. He said LSU and Colorado are looking for the right seasons to reschedule their matchups.

“We’ve got some good conversations going with some people,” Ausberry said.

He said ESPN is working with LSU on “some interesting things” as he tries to fill holes in future schedules, but he said that work continues to be challenging.

“The scheduling thing is getting very expensive,” Ausberry said. “To buy a game now is going to cost you a million dollars for the years we’re looking at down the road. That’s the going rate for the schedules we’re talking about.”