FSU to Receive $3.5 Million for 2016 Game vs. Ole Miss

Wednesday afternoon, Florida State and Ole Miss announced a mega season-opening clash for the 2016 season. Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel did some digging and found out how much ESPN will pay the Seminoles to broadcast the game.

Turns out, a whole heck of a lot.    

Sonnone uncovered that Florida State will earn $3.5 million for the contest, which will take place Sept. 5, 2016, at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. There was no word on how much Ole Miss will receive, though it's very likely the Rebels will receive a similar amount based on historical precedent. Kevin McGuire of College Football Talk noted Alabama and West Virginia split a $6.4 million pot to open their 2014 campaign against one another.

“We’re excited to bring regular season neutral-site college football games back to the Citrus Bowl and establish Orlando as a major kickoff destination for the future,” Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said in a statement. “Florida State and Ole Miss will undoubtedly be a game worthy of national attention and we can’t wait to welcome fans from Tallahassee and Oxford to Central Florida to start the 2016 season.”

Florida State and Ole Miss have spent most of the 2014 college football season competing on the national championship stage. The Rebels were considered a playoff shoo-in before losing consecutive games to LSU and Auburn. The Seminoles, who boast a 26-game winning streak, are yet to drop a game despite a handful of close calls.

The last couple seasons have been a culmination of a wide-scale rebuild for both programs. Jimbo Fisher took over for Bobby Bowden in 2010, inheriting a proud program that was standing on creaky legs. Four double-digit-win seasons later and the Seminoles are either the nation's best or second-best program, matched in talent by only Alabama.

Hugh Freeze took over an even more dire situation from Houston Nutt in 2012 but rebuilt quickly with a deft recruiting hand. The Rebels, despite going 2-10 the year before Freeze's arrival, have been above .500 in each of his three campaigns. They are currently the nation's top-ranked two-loss team at No. 8.

"Kicking off 2016 with Monday night football is a big thrill for our program, and this is a great game on many levels," Ole Miss athletics director Ross Bjork said in a statement. "Florida State is one of the traditional powerhouses of college football, and with the evolution of the college football playoff, matchups that provide a boost to our strength of schedule are a priority for us."

Of course, stretching beyond the strength of schedule factor, it's never too bad to line the athletic department's pocket with a major payday. The 2016 meeting will be the second time in history Ole Miss and Florida State have met. Based on the financials, it doesn't seem like anyone will walk away from the Citrus Bowl a loser.

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