# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/42 "2020-08-05T16:26:42Z")
Oh wow, no U Conn in college football? A money losing program that probably can’t fill a schedule? Wake me when they cancel basketball ---
**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 5, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/43 "2020-08-05T19:14:14Z")
NCAA Division III is going the “or what” route - even moving the whole thing to the spring is not an option, and this applies to all other fall sports as well. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/44 "2020-08-05T20:52:53Z")
The Big Ten has released a revised schedule, and while they, like several other major conferences, have scuttled their non-conference games, they’re still planning on starting play at (more or less) the original start point of early September. They’ve built in two bye weeks for each team, which also gives them some flexibility to move games and bye weeks around if some teams get hit by the virus. Their plan is to be done with the regular season before Thanksgiving. [https://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/big-ten-schedule-to-start-labor-day-weekend](https://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/big-ten-schedule-to-start-labor-day-weekend) ---
**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 6, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/45 "2020-08-06T01:03:39Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > NCAA Division III is going the “or what” route - even moving the whole thing to the spring is not an option, and this applies to all other fall sports as well. Same with Division II - also not merely postponed, but cancelled. Meanwhile, because of the delays that a number of FBS conferences have in their football schedules, the CFP Committee announced that the final 2020 CFP rankings (remember, the CFP has no “post-bowl” rankings) will be on December 20. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/46 "2020-08-07T17:22:45Z")
The SEC will not play any nonconference games this season. Which means losing some traditional rivalry games: Georgia-Georgia Tech, South Carolina-Clemson, and Florida-Florida State. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/47 "2020-08-07T17:54:46Z")
I realized last night that with the ACC-only schedule for Notre Dame, they won’t be playing Navy or USC. Losing the Navy game stops the record for longest uninterrupted non-conference rivalry in college football - they’ve played every year since 1927. ND-USC has played every year since 1926, except for 1943-1945. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/48 "2020-08-07T22:43:27Z")
I still think there’s a chance the SEC changes their mind, November is light years away in 2020 ---
**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 8, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/49 "2020-08-08T02:40:09Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I realized last night that with the ACC-only schedule for Notre Dame, they won’t be playing Navy or USC. Losing the Navy game stops the record for longest uninterrupted non-conference rivalry in college football - they’ve played every year since 1927. ND-USC has played every year since 1926, except for 1943-1945. Supposedly, they could have played the Navy game to South Bend. I have heard two reasons why that was shot down: one, since the 2021 game can’t be moved, that would mean that three consecutive games would have been played at Notre Dame; two, ESPN would not be particularly happy with losing the rights to a Notre Dame game (which, since it would be a home game, would be on NBC). Meanwhile, a number of FCS conferences are postponing football; the Pioneer League and Big Sky just announced there will be no fall football in 2020. The NCAA won’t hold an FCS tournament in the fall if at least half of the schools aren’t playing. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/50 "2020-08-10T03:30:58Z")
Tons of smoke on Twitter that all fall sports will be canceled. I believe it. > ---
**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:** [August 10, 2020, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/51 "2020-08-10T03:50:50Z")
ESPN indicates that the Power 5 conferences had a conference call earlier today (Sunday), on the heels of a Big Ten call on Saturday which resulted in that conference strongly leaning towards cancelling their 2020 season. > [@](#): > > Commissioners of the Power 5 conferences held an emergency meeting on Sunday, as there is growing concern among college athletics officials that the upcoming football season and other fall sports can’t be played because of the coronavirus pandemic, sources told ESPN. > > No major decisions were made on Sunday night, but multiple sources in several Power 5 conferences have told ESPN the commissioners talked about trying to collaborate if their respective presidents do decide to cancel or postpone fall sports. > > Several sources have indicated to ESPN that Big Ten presidents, following a meeting on Saturday, are ready to pull the plug on its fall sports season, and they wanted to gauge if commissioners and university presidents and chancellors from the other Power 5 conferences – the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC – will fall in line with them. > **[Sources: Power 5 talking about no fall football](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29629669/power-5-talking-no-fall-football)** > > Power 5 commissioners met to discuss canceling football and other fall sports, sources told ESPN. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/52 "2020-08-10T15:26:15Z")
[Big Ten reportedly votes 12-2 to cancel fall sports.](https://www.wilx.com/2020/08/10/reports-big-ten-votes-12-2-to-cancel-season/) Apparently the Big Ten and Pac 12 will make it official tomorrow. I think this is the right call. Maybe have a short spring season. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/53 "2020-08-10T16:13:20Z")
Ninja’d by **BobLibDem**. So far, I think all of the Power 5 are on board except the SEC. Really not much point in playing if no one else is. I agree this is the right call. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/54 "2020-08-10T16:20:05Z")
The shoe that’s been dropping for 4 months now is about to hit the floor. If everyone is already on a conference-only plan anyway, there’s technically no reason the SEC couldn’t charge ahead with the season…right? What are the chances of that happening? (Of course, there’d be no post-season). Would they do that? With fans? (Are folks down there just that crazy? 😉 ) It may be the only spectator sports we get until spring… ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/55 "2020-08-10T16:20:37Z")
I think the cancellation should be announced by Lee Corso donning a coronavirus headgear. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/56 "2020-08-10T17:01:29Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > If everyone is already on a conference-only plan anyway, there’s technically no reason the SEC couldn’t charge ahead with the season…right? What are the chances of that happening? (Of course, there’d be no post-season). Would they do that? With fans? (Are folks down there just that crazy? 😉 ) It may be the only spectator sports we get until spring… SEC presidents and decision-makers are apparently having an impromptu/previously-unscheduled call today; it seems likely that this will be the topic. [https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/10/sec-presidents-meeting-college-football-status?fbclid=IwAR1t76VnCT\_EXAjxPYbS6GHH8uwJkmWqiugsG2fxWSqZSgLH6joJSJ4tgos](https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/10/sec-presidents-meeting-college-football-status?fbclid=IwAR1t76VnCT_EXAjxPYbS6GHH8uwJkmWqiugsG2fxWSqZSgLH6joJSJ4tgos) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/57 "2020-08-10T17:18:15Z")
They need to scrap the season - it’s not worth it. The NBA’s bubble is easily the best response so far and the most realistic way to have a season of any kind. By contrast, as we’ve seen in baseball, when teams travel, they’re being set up for disaster. The Cardinals have had to postpone 75-80% of their scheduled games so far, and Mike Schildt said some members of the team have been to the ER. Some athletes are discovering serious heart damage after recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/58 "2020-08-10T17:25:42Z")
I’ve heard some talk that the SEC is hoping to work a deal with the ACC and/or the Big 12 for some sort of one season only coalition to cobble together some sort of a season. I understand the financial issues involved. Cancelling a season is going to send an economic shockwave around the country. Hotels, restaurants, gas stations, parking, concessions, merchandise. I know here in SEC country, there are dozens of restaurants that make their money for the whole year on home football weekends. Lots of those places are probably going under. Still, I see no responsible way to avoid cancelling this season. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/59 "2020-08-10T17:41:55Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I understand the financial issues involved. Cancelling a season is going to send an economic shockwave around the country. Hotels, restaurants, gas stations, parking, concessions, merchandise. I know here in SEC country, there are dozens of restaurants that make their money for the whole year on home football weekends. Lots of those places are probably going under. Still, I see no responsible way to avoid cancelling this season. Those restaurants probably wouldn’t be benefiting anywhere, because even if there was a season, they likely would not have fans in the stands. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/60 "2020-08-10T17:49:05Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Those restaurants probably wouldn’t be benefiting anywhere, because even if there was a season, they likely would not have fans in the stands. Being in the stands is a relatively minor part of the college football experience in SEC country. Tailgating typically starts around Thursday evening, and wraps up sometime Sunday morning. Granted this is an unusual year, but still…if you are playing SEC football, a significant number of people will gather outside the stadium, masks and social distancing be damned. We still have people talking about playing high school football around here. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265/61 "2020-08-11T17:32:53Z")
As of now, nothing has yet been decided by the Power 5 conferences. As SI reports this morning: - The Big Ten and Pac-12 are strongly considering either cancelling their seasons outright, or postponing to spring (though they, particularly the Big Ten, are under strong pressure now from coaches and politicians to reconsider) - The SEC and ACC very much want to proceed with a fall season - The Big 12 is uncertain Several team doctors are briefing the conference leaders on concerns about myocarditis (heart scarring) caused by COVID, and advising teams to stop contact drills immediately. [https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/11/power-5-conferences-face-pivotal-decision-fall-season](https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/11/power-5-conferences-face-pivotal-decision-fall-season) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-2020-we-doing-this-or-what/915265.md?page=4)