What's the market price for an easy home win in college football? The Southern Miss Golden Eagles have made a deal to move next season's opener—a long-anticipated matchup against Nebraska in Hattiesburg—to Nebraska instead. In a letter between the schools' athletic directors dated last week, which was viewed by Deadspin, Southern Miss agreed to sell home-field advantage to the Cornhuskers for $2,125,000, which is almost exactly the amount Southern Miss owes to its newly fired football coach.
The contract, sent from Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne to Southern Miss AD Jeff Hammond, serves as an amendment to a three-year deal signed in 2008. It was officially signed by USM's president this morning. Here's how it reads:
The location for the game shall be changed from M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, MS to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE.
The visiting team (the University of Southern Mississippi) shall be paid a flat dollar guarantee of $2,125,000,00.