# College Football 2020: We Doing This Or What? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 14, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265 "2020-07-14T01:02:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Harrington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac8455/32.png) [@Harrington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harrington)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/22 "2020-07-16T06:13:37Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Not only is the NCAA working on the principle that college football will be played this year, but it wants bowl games played as well, as it just passed a new rule for 2020; a school can count two wins against FCS teams (instead of just one, which is the normal rule) when determining its bowl eligibility. I am guessing that this is to make it easier for schools that had games cancelled on them due to their opponents being in “no non-conference games” conferences to find replacement games without worrying about possibly losing bowl eligibility if they replace an FBS opponent with an FCS one. Oh they’re clinging so tightly to the cliff edge, like Japan and the 2020 Olympics. Missing college football will wound me gravely, but jesus christ, don’t put the students at risk. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2020, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/23 "2020-07-24T16:41:55Z")
I’ve heard that the SWAC and some tiny little conference for what used to be called Division III schools…dunno if they still call it that…anyway, both those conferences are doing spring football this year. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2020, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/24 "2020-07-24T16:58:16Z")
HBO’s “Real Sports” had a full one hour show on how the various major sports were being affected by COVID-19. Returning college football players are starting to test positive at an alarming rate, and they haven’t even started traveling and playing real games yet. They had an interview with a high ranking NCAA official, and he was as vague and noncommittal as humanly possible. When the interviewer mentioned that he had the right to ask those critical questions, the official basically replied that he had a similar right to answer them the way he was answering them. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/25 "2020-07-25T00:06:22Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’ve heard that the SWAC and some tiny little conference for what used to be called Division III schools…dunno if they still call it that…anyway, both those conferences are doing spring football this year. It’s still called Division III (not necessarily “tiny” schools, but for smaller schools that do not give out athletic scholarships). In fact, a number of Division III conferences have delayed fall sports until the spring, and I think some Division II ones have as well. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/26 "2020-07-30T17:26:52Z")
It’s official: the ACC will play a (mostly) conference-only schedule with Notre Dame eligible to play for the conference championship. And Notre Dame is going to share their sweet, sweet TV money with the rest of the league. Of course, the whole season is probably going to come crashing down anyway . . . ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/27 "2020-07-30T17:33:05Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > And Notre Dame is going to share their sweet, sweet TV money with the rest of the league. ACC teams each make more money from the ACC Network (not to even speak of any money they get from any other network carrying their games) than ND does with their NBC deal, so I hope the revenue sharing is reciprocal. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/28 "2020-07-30T21:41:37Z")
The SEC is going to a 10 game all conference schedule. Each team will play their own division plus 4 teams from the other division, delayed start of season to September 27. i don’t see how this is any better than a regular schedule for COVID purposes… ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/29 "2020-07-30T21:53:05Z")
And then that would eliminate FSU-Florida, GA Tech-UGA, Clemson-USC and more ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/30 "2020-07-30T23:28:02Z")
Reading up on this more, the deal with the ACC is that each team will play a ten game conference schedule and may additionally play one nonconference game against an institution in their home state. Of course, if the SEC is conference only that’ll still kill these games. . . ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/31 "2020-07-30T23:30:37Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > i don’t see how this is any better than a regular schedule for COVID purposes… It probably cuts down on travel, in particular plane flights across the country. I’d assume that’s why the in-state exception is allowed. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/32 "2020-07-31T00:01:42Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > i don’t see how this is any better than a regular schedule for COVID purposes… Depending on the school and conference, most (if not all) out-of-conference games are in the first three or four weeks of the season. What cancelling those games is doing is buying the conferences an extra month for hoping that the pandemic can somehow be brought under control. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/33 "2020-08-04T16:20:02Z")
The SEC traditionally scattered the non-conference games throughout the season. This year, they’re claiming they will start play around September 27, but then play a 10 game conference only schedule. I’m still not convinced they’re going to play a full season… ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/34 "2020-08-04T16:42:34Z")
Out here in the Pac-12: on the one hand, the Pac announced a 10-game, conference only schedule. But then that was followed by the chancellor of the Berkeley campus announcing that the fall semester will be online only. And then a group of Pac players submitted their demands (which I admit to not having read) regarding covid and social justice. Given those last 2 developments I have no idea why the season hasn’t been cancelled yet. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/35 "2020-08-04T16:59:10Z")
The first one assumes the premise that college football players are supposed to be students for some reason. While I agree with this presumption, we appear to be in a minority. As Cardale Jones put it, they “didn’t come here to play school.” Never mind that he graduated… The second one can be countered with a response along the lines of: “You don’t want to play for ‘social justice’ reasons? Fine - we’re pulling your scholarship. Only players who leave for COVID-19 concerns have their scholarships protected.” If I read correctly, one of the conditions is, they want to be paid, which is a non-starter, as you bring Title IX into the mix. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/36 "2020-08-04T17:06:18Z")
It looks like playing Football this fall may be what gets the [Power 5 conferences to leave the NCAA](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/power-five-ncaa-are-now-officially-adversaries-and-a-breakaway-may-only-be-a-matter-of-time/). That will make things much more interesting after COVID. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/37 "2020-08-04T17:08:37Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > The first one assumes the premise that college football players are supposed to be students for some reason. While I agree with this presumption, we appear to be in a minority. As Cardale Jones put it, they “didn’t come here to play school.” Never mind that he graduated… > > The second one can be countered with a response along the lines of: > “You don’t want to play for ‘social justice’ reasons? Fine - we’re pulling your scholarship. Only players who leave for COVID-19 concerns have their scholarships protected.” If I read correctly, one of the conditions is, they want to be paid, which is a non-starter, as you bring Title IX into the mix. Yeah, bringing compensation into this muddies the discussion so much that, if I were in charge, this would be where I throw up my hands and say Screw It. I am conflicted and undecided on the issue of compensation for players. But it seems that if you bring players onto campus this fall, when all other students are online – you’re declaring them to be essential workers. Amateurism is done. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/38 "2020-08-04T19:07:58Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I am conflicted and undecided on the issue of compensation for players. But it seems that if you bring players onto campus this fall, when all other students are online – you’re declaring them to be essential workers. Amateurism is done. “On campus” and “into the football stadium” can be two different things - for example, at UCLA. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/39 "2020-08-05T03:41:33Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > “On campus” and “into the football stadium” can be two different things - for example, at UCLA Huh? Hey Joe Academic Scholarship! Stay home in Oklahoma and just take classes online - it’s safer that way. Hey Steve Football Scholarship! You can take classes online too, but you better do it in LA, because you better show your ass up to practice on time or you’re out on your ass. Your “argument” doesn’t mean what you think it means… ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/40 "2020-08-05T13:46:55Z")
[Connecticut](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29600577/uconn-becomes-1st-fbs-team-cancel-football-season-due-coronavirus) has cancelled its 2020 season! I think it’s only a matter of time before everyone else cancels as well. It would be idiotic not to. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/41 "2020-08-05T15:43:42Z")
Was that a challenge? 🤨 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265.md?page=3)