Les Miles continues his media crusade to do away with the Florida-LSU game

Les Miles says Florida and LSU aren't really rivals, but the teams sure are acting like it.

During SEC spring meetings this week, Miles and Florida coach Will Muschamp disagreed on the fate of the LSU-Florida game and in true rivalry form took to the media to discuss it.

Miles has been adamant about doing away with the rivalry because it adds a difficult game to an already difficult conference schedule.

"This is all based on some vague tradition that is not considering that you're adding teams to the conference," Miles said. "Tell me about the tradition of the conference when you add teams to it.

"I mean, Florida isn't even a nearby state. This tradition of rivalry is the fact that we enjoy playing them."

Some would argue LSU has drawn the short straw by continually being paired with a Florida team that has won more SEC East titles than any other team. Fellow West Division contenders Alabama and Arkansas have East rivalries with Tennessee and (probably) newcomer Missouri.

Even LSU chancellor Mike Martin went into this week's meetings with an agenda to get the game cancelled.

But Will Muschamp doesn't have the same feelings about dissolving the rivalry. If anything, he thinks the contest is good for the game.

"I think it's a good national game," Muschamp said. "It's two great programs. And I do see Les' reasoning in that, but at the end of the day I think … that's the best route to take."

Of course he does because the LSU game strengthens the Gators' schedule. Since Florida is in the East, it doesn't have the benefit of playing the current upper echelon of the SEC. So the Gators need that crossdivisional game to bolster their schedule especially with a potential four-team playoff on the horizon.

But more than wins and losses, like any rivalry, it's good for the fans. The Gators and Tigers have been playing each other for 41 consecutive seasons and while Florida leads the overall series, it's 6-6 in the last 12 years. That makes for an exciting game, an engaging game and one that LSU should just suck up and play.

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