SDSU Won’t Play Miami in ‘93, ’94

The San Diego State-University of Miami football series will take a hiatus in 1993 and 1994, said officials from both schools. And because of Miami’s move into the Big East Conference, the rest of the 16-game series might be in jeopardy.

Dave Maggard, Miami athletic director, said the Hurricanes and Aztecs definitely would not play in 1993 or 1994, and said he wasn’t certain if the schools would resume the series after that.

SDSU Athletic Director Fred Miller agreed that the schools would not play in 1993 or 1994 but said he was not inclined to release Miami from the contract.

“We have a contract and I told (Maggard) I’d vigorously support the conclusion of the contract,” Miller said. “I’m sympathetic to him. It takes two people to make a contract, and it takes two people to dissolve a contract.”

Said Maggard, “We’ll be in San Diego in 1992 and, beyond that, I don’t know what we’re going to be able to do.”

The Aztecs and Hurricanes have played two of the 16 games, and SDSU is scheduled to go to Miami this Nov. 30 before the Hurricanes make a return trip Nov. 28, 1992. Because the Hurricanes are joining the Big East Conference and are committed to playing a full conference schedule by 1993, Miami officials are scrambling to adjust future schedules.

“I think the scheduling issue will be pretty fluid for the next several years among the number of Division I-A schools that have had relationships,” Maggard said in reference to the changing conference structures.

The Aztecs probably will fill the 1994 Miami hole with Navy. The schools are close to an agreement for a September Holiday Bowl Classic game--sponsored by the Greater San Diego Sports Assn.--tentatively set for Sept. 3, 1994. Jack Lengyel, Navy athletic director, said he expected his school’s directors to approve a contract by next Friday.

SDSU Notes

Volunteers for “Fill The Murph,” the campaign to increase attendance at Aztec football games, have sold 1,387 season tickets in the past two weeks, bringing their total to 5,846. Overall, SDSU has taken deposits for 6,473 season tickets. The school’s previous high was 4,106 in 1987.