More News

ANNAPOLIS — When Towson University Athletic Director Mike Hermann was hired in 2006, his first phone call was to schedule a football game with the University of Maryland, College Park.

The teams are scheduled to play in 2011.

Contests between in-state foes may become more frequent if lawmakers pass a bill introduced this week. It would require the Terrapins to play both the Tigers and Morgan State — Maryland's two Football Championship Subdivision schools — at least once every four years.

The Bears are scheduled to play at Maryland this fall.

"Let's make sure that Maryland doesn't play Morgan and Towson once in a lifetime," said Del. Jay Walker (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington, a former NFL quarterback who is currently a college football commentator for ESPN.

But the three schools' athletic directors aren't sure that government should be in the business of mandating college football matchups.

"Generally, as a concept, I believe in institutional control and autonomy on a number of campus-related initiatives, and that would include scheduling football games," said University of Maryland Athletic Director Deborah A. Yow.

Bigger football programs typically pay large sums to have smaller schools play at their home stadium. If the games are mandated by law, "why would we pay them to do that?" Yow said.

Further, Yow questioned whether the state will determine where the games are played and force schools to void existing contracts, if necessary, to fit the in-state contests on the schedule.

The athletic directors at Towson and Morgan State see an upside in regular football games between in-state schools.

"That would be an attractive one to have on the schedule to keep driving interest from the fan base," said Morgan State Athletic Director Floyd Kerr, who can speak to government's role in college football.

The Colorado legislature mandated an annual game between the University of Colorado and Colorado State University, Kerr's alma mater. "It was a legislative move to create interest in the state," he said. "It was for football fans in the state who wanted to see football teams in that state play."

The NCAA has made it easier for Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, schools to play FCS, formerly Division I-AA, schools in recent years without hurting the larger schools' chances at earning a bowl game berth by expanding the schedule to 12 games, Kerr said.

Hermann said he was surprised that the General Assembly is taking up the issue when the schools put each other on the schedule without legislative intervention.

"The outcome is certainly what we desire, to play Maryland on a regular basis," he said. "Whether this is the right strategy for that to happen, I have some doubt about."

An in-state rivalry with the university system's flagship provides media exposure, minimal travel for fans and recruiting benefits, Hermann said.